We all know that JavaScript plays a crucial role in modern website development. However, when it is not managed properly, it can lead to serious consequences.
A single misstep in the JS code whether it’s a syntax error, an unpatched security flaw, or vulnerable third-party scripts can make your website open to phishing attacks and Google search penalties. In either case, the site will be wiped out from the SERP and will also lose its credibility.
That’s the reason why it is always suggested to take necessary precautions to prevent such costly mistakes.
In this detailed blog post, we will be shedding some light on how exactly a JavaScript error can damage a website. Besides this, we will also be discussing some of the best practices that you can adopt to avoid this issue.
So, let’s get started!
Ways Through Which a Minor JavaScript Can Make a Site Go Blacklist
There are multiple ways through which JavaScript can contribute to making a website go blacklisted, some of the major ones are:
1. Google Penalties
Take note of this: JavaScript code issues whether minor or major can hurt your overall search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. Let us explain how in detail.
Search crawlers have become too sophisticated and vigilant. This means, a single error will make it difficult for them to effectively crawl and index the website and its relevant pages.
When this issue continuously persists, there is a strong probability that Google may issue a penalty causing lower rankings or complete site removal from SERP.
Moreover, the search engine actively analyzes all the websites for potential security threats. In case it finds the site hosting malicious JavaScript, the search engine will blacklist it and also warn the visitors before proceeding.
Useful Note: If your site heavily relies on JavaScript and contains complex code, then it is more likely to suffer from JS issues that affect SEO.
2. Poor User Experience & Trust Issue
Providing a robust user experience is the key to dominating the search rankings. However, a broken JavaScript code can single-handedly destroy the overall experience.
For instance, JS code errors are most likely to affect essential features i.e., login forms, headers, buttons, etc. Besides this, these can also damage the formatting or visual appearance of the website. In both cases, users may abandon the site and move on to another one.
The bad user experience will greatly damage the audience’s trust – which is one of the most important things for any brand.
3. Security Vulnerabilities
Do you know? JavaScript is often one of the main targets of hackers who want to exploit vulnerabilities.
When the unauthorized person finds a weak part in JS code, they can easily infuse a malicious virus, which will ultimately lead to blacklisting by both agencies and search engines. Such attacks are commonly known as Cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks.
Many websites around the world use third-party JavaScript libraries or frameworks. However, they often neglect the importance of regularly updating them. This increases the overall chances of a site being exposed to vulnerabilities.
So, after going through all these ways, we think you will have an efficient idea of how exactly a minor JavaScript code can turn the website upside down.
How to Avoid JavaScript Errors on Your Website
Here are some of the best practices for avoiding errors on the website.
1. Regular Code Validation
Code validation is a process of debugging the code by finding and fixing all the syntax errors, possible warnings, or any other issues. Obviously, manually doing so will be really hectic and time-consuming.
Due to this reason, both beginners and professionals always refer to a JavaScript code checker tool. It automates the validation process with a single click.
All they need to do is simply upload/paste the whole JS code into the given box, hit the button, and done. If any errors are found, the code checker will highlight them, otherwise, it will display “Valid File“.
Here is the screenshot as a reference:
So, by regularly performing JavaScript code validation, webmasters can make sure their code is perfect and there is no chance of facing the aforementioned consequences.
2. Minimize the Use of Third-party Dependencies
Relying on third-party JavaScript libraries greatly increases the risks of security threats leading to website blacklisting. That’s the reason why it is always suggested to avoid relying on them as much as possible.
However, if you cannot neglect this, then there is no need to get worried, as you still have the way. First of all, you should only refer to fully trusted and credible libraries. Besides this, it suggested regularly auditing all the dependencies using:
- Npm audit
- Snyk
Do not forget to remove all the outdated libraries or frameworks.
Most importantly, always load external JavaScript asynchronously to prevent blocking page rendering.
< script src="https://example.com/library.js" async >< /script >
Following this approach will prove beneficial in numerous ways i.e., ensuring the site’s compatibility and reliability, reducing security risks, etc.
3. Implement Try Catch for Robust Error Handling:
Robust error handling ensures that the entire website doesn’t get crashed due to a single JavaScript error. For this, you should implement the “Try Catch” statement in the code. It is used to define a block of code to be tested for any sort of errors while being tested.
Here, we personally suggest wrapping up the error-prone code in the try-catch block to handle the exceptions gracefully.
try {
let data = JSON.parse(invalidJson);
} catch (error) {
console.error(“Error parsing JSON:”, error);
}
Additionally, implement global error handling. This will help effectively log and track all the uncaught errors.
4. Test on Different Browsers & Devices
Sometimes, JavaScript can behave differently on different browsers. This means, if it is working fine on your device, then there is no guarantee it will also appear the same.
Therefore, I always perform testing on different browsers. Thinking about how? The process is easy. All you need to do is just utilize specialized tools like BrowserStacks or Sauce Labs. Besides this, don’t forget to test for both desktop and mobile phones.
So, these are a few proven practices that can be adopted to prevent the occurrence of JavaScript errors on the website.
Final Thoughts
A single mistake in the JS code is enough to blacklist your site. This is because search engines like Google always keep a close eye, and any potential error can increase the overall chances of facing a penalty. Besides this, it increases the risk of phishing attacks, leading to a website blacklist.
So, always try your level best to avoid the occurrence of JavaScript errors. There are numerous steps that can be taken in this regard. This blog post has discussed some of the proven ones in detail.
