CSR · Client-side rendering
Client-Side Rendering (CSR) generates content with JavaScript in the browser. It is risky for GEO: the initial HTML delivered to AI crawlers is almost empty, and most of them do not execute JavaScript.
Standalone definition · 33 words
How does CSR work?
The server sends minimal HTML and a JavaScript bundle. The browser downloads and runs the code, then inserts the content into the page. Googlebot can execute JavaScript, with a delay; a crawler without rendering sees only the empty shell.
What are the risks for AI visibility?
According to the Vercel and MERJ study of December 2024, the main AI crawlers tested do not execute JavaScript. A CSR page can be complete for Google yet absent from the answers of an engine that retrieves raw HTML. Links generated on the client side can also escape crawling.
How do you migrate or compensate?
Move to SSR, SSG or ISR for key pages, or use prerendering as a stopgap. Check with the page source and curl that the text, headings, links and structured data are present in the initial HTML.
Frequently asked questions
Does Google penalize CSR?
No, but it delays indexing and depends on rendering. Google recommends not relying on it for essential content.
Must every page move to SSR?
Prioritize strategic pages: editorial content, categories, products.
How do I test what a bot sees?
View the raw page source or fetch the page with curl, then look for the key content.
Related terms
Further reading
- Checklist GEO and LLM / AI 2026
- 2026 GEO Tools Comparison: The Decision Guide
- ← Back to the GEO glossary (114 terms)