Yes. If you're vibe coding with default settings in tools like Lovable or Replit, you might be blocking AI bots by accident. CSR is great for UX, terrible for AEO.
Core Stats
"You don't need to rewrite your code. You need to optimize your meta-layer."
- The Vibe Fix
The Tech Stack Trap: Does my tech stack affect my AI Visibility?
You built the perfect app with the latest vibe coding tools. Users love it. But when they ask ChatGPT about solutions in your space, your product doesn't exist. Welcome to the CSR vs SSR visibility trap.
The Short Answer: Yes, Your Tech Stack Matters
If you're "vibe coding" with default settings in tools like Lovable or Replit, you might be blocking AI bots by accident.
Most AI-assisted development platforms default to Client-Side Rendering (CSR) because it's faster to develop with and provides a smoother user experience. But there's a hidden cost: AI invisibility.
The Deep Dive: CSR vs SSR for AI Crawlers
What Happens with Client-Side Rendering (CSR)
When you build with tools like Create React App, Vue CLI, or most Vite templates, your HTML looks like this:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>My Amazing App</title>
</head>
<body>
<div id="root"></div>
<script src="/bundle.js"></script>
</body>
</html>Your entire app lives inside that JavaScript bundle. The content only appears after the browser downloads and executes the JavaScript.
How AI Crawlers See Your CSR App
Here's the problem: most AI crawlers don't execute JavaScript. When OpenAI's bot, Claude's crawler, or training data collectors visit your site, they see this:
What AI Crawlers See:
- Empty <div id="root"></div>
- No content text
- No product descriptions
- No feature lists
- Essentially: a blank page
Why This Happens
AI crawlers prioritize speed and efficiency. They:
- Don't wait for JavaScript execution → Too slow for large-scale crawling
- Can't render dynamic content → Miss everything loaded via AJAX/fetch
- Skip interactive elements → Don't click buttons or navigate SPAs
- Capture initial HTML state → Training datasets freeze the first server response
The Vibe Coding Tools That Create This Problem
Popular AI-assisted development platforms that default to CSR:
AI Development Platforms
- • Lovable (formerly GPT Engineer)
- • Replit
- • CodeSandbox
- • StackBlitz
- • Cursor (with default templates)
Framework Defaults
- • Create React App
- • Vue CLI
- • Vite (most templates)
- • Angular CLI
- • Svelte Kit (SPA mode)
These tools choose CSR because it's easier to develop with—you get instant hot reloading, simple deployment, and don't need to think about server configuration. But they sacrifice AI discoverability.
The "Vibe" Fix: Optimize Your Meta-Layer
You don't need to rewrite your code. You need to optimize your meta-layer.
The solution isn't switching to SSR (though that helps). It's adding a machine-readable layerthat works regardless of your rendering approach.
JSON-LD Schema: The Universal Fix
JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) is structured data that lives in your HTML <head> section. It tells AI systems about your content even if they can't see your rendered UI.
Example JSON-LD for a SaaS Product:
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "SoftwareApplication",
"name": "Your App Name",
"description": "AI-powered tool that helps...",
"applicationCategory": "BusinessApplication",
"operatingSystem": "Web",
"offers": {
"@type": "Offer",
"price": "99",
"priceCurrency": "USD"
},
"creator": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Your Company"
}
}
</script>What This Achieves
- AI crawlers can read it → No JavaScript execution required
- Works with any tech stack → CSR, SSR, static sites, anything
- Provides context → AI understands what your product does
- Enables citations → Gives AI systems quotable information
How AEO.VC Solves This
1. AI Crawler Simulation
Our scanner mimics exactly what AI crawlers see. We:
- Disable JavaScript execution
- Analyze raw HTML content
- Identify missing or invisible content
- Show you the "AI view" of your site
2. Custom JSON-LD Generation
Based on your site analysis, we generate specific JSON-LD markup that:
- Describes your product/service accurately
- Uses schema.org vocabulary AI systems understand
- Includes citation-worthy facts and features
- Works regardless of your rendering method
3. Implementation Guidance
We provide exact code snippets and implementation instructions for:
- React/Vue/Angular applications
- Static site generators
- WordPress and other CMS platforms
- Custom HTML implementations
The Bottom Line
Your tech stack choice affects AI visibility, but it doesn't have to limit it. The key is understanding that AI crawlers and human users see different versions of your site.
While you optimize your JavaScript app for human experience, you need to optimize your meta-layer for machine understanding. JSON-LD schema is the bridge that makes your CSR app visible to AI systems without sacrificing the development speed and user experience that made you choose CSR in the first place.
Is Your Tech Stack Blocking AI Crawlers?
Find out exactly what AI systems see when they visit your site. Our scanner shows you the "AI view" and provides custom JSON-LD markup to fix any visibility issues.
Scan My Site for AI VisibilityFrequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between CSR and SSR for AI crawlers?
Client-Side Rendering (CSR) builds your page with JavaScript after it loads. Server-Side Rendering (SSR) sends complete HTML immediately. AI crawlers often don't execute JavaScript, so they see empty CSR pages but can read SSR content directly.
Do all AI bots skip JavaScript execution?
Most do. OpenAI's crawler, Claude's bot, and many others prioritize speed and don't wait for JavaScript to render. Google's crawler can execute JS but AI training datasets often capture the initial HTML state, missing dynamic content.
Can I fix this without switching from CSR to SSR?
Yes! The 'meta-layer' approach uses JSON-LD schema markup in your HTML head. This structured data tells AI systems about your content regardless of how your UI renders. It's like having a machine-readable summary that works with any tech stack.
What tools commonly create this problem?
Most AI-assisted development tools default to CSR: Lovable, Replit, CodeSandbox, Create React App, Vue CLI, and many Vite templates. They prioritize developer experience and fast iteration over AI crawlability.
How does AEO.VC detect this issue?
Our scanner mimics exactly what AI crawlers see—we disable JavaScript execution and analyze the raw HTML. If your page content disappears without JS, we flag it and provide specific JSON-LD markup to fix the visibility issue.