27 showcase apps crash at render (undefined refs, syntax errors, dup imports) — full audit

[developer-ainative]

Summary

A headless-browser render audit of all 189 showcase previews found 27 apps with confirmed runtime crashes (react pageerrors, Babel/syntax errors, or blank renders). These are user-visible: clicking the app in the showcase shows a broken or error screen.

Method: rendered each /api/preview/{chatId} in headless Chromium, captured console/pageerrors + DOM size. Only errors with concrete messages are listed (loading-race false positives excluded).

Confirmed crashes by root cause

A. Unguarded property access (undefined) (7)

• Simple Contacts List — TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'toLowerCase')
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/zdbtest-1784597561
• ZeroPipeline CRM With A Deal Pipeline — TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'toLowerCase')
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/GGnR1n8W40OTKwVX-b4H4
• Store Admin Where I Add Products — TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'toLowerCase')
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/sw-storefront-1784587448
• Marketing Campaign Dashboard With Metric — TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'toLocaleString')
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/dJldLLfVnistdpHDdD-m-
• **Expense Tracker With Category Dropdown, ** — TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'toFixed')
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/qW0U13ZYFZ8G19RGOYihy
• Team Directory With Search Bar, Departme — TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map')
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/NYICQ7050RtcMxqZ7pa12
• API Docs Page With Sidebar Endpoint — TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'code')
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/FDq1vpuaS5bxMNslClrqQ

B. Undefined variable reference (5)

• Pricing Card With Three Tiers — ReferenceError: idx is not defined
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/newcode-smoke-1784398431
• Fitness Tracking SaaS Landing Page With — ReferenceError: FitnessLandingPage is not defined
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/ump8hDq5DLMLiiwmaU3g4
• IoT Sensor Monitoring Dashboard With Met — ReferenceError: sensorData is not defined
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/ixYNDWAAHRAVYJk79UNeF
• Sales Pipeline Dashboard With MetricCard — ReferenceError: getDealsByStageData is not defined
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/KVEqII4xk5kD-vtognCvq
• Kanban Board TaskFlow With 3 Columns — ReferenceError: kanbanTasks is not defined
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/UwYqnQpwmmzZFJnzHhGFz

C. Codegen syntax error (7)

• Audio Transcription Studio With A File — (blank render, no console error)
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/VQpSTEi8U3T7x2ebJAxey

• ZeroMemory Inspector Showing Working, Ep — `[Preview] Babel error: unknown: Unterminated JSX contents. (638:171)

  636 | `
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/EbszVfhB9ryHqA4GvX_l2

• Crypto Portfolio Tracker With Holdings T — (blank render, no console error)
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/GzYvo3ZjJqWBeL3_yymEr

• FAQ Accordion Section — (blank render, no console error)
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/clean-1784492841

• Product Page With A Button That — SyntaxError: Failed to execute 'appendChild' on 'Node': Identifier 'products' ha
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/m3eYxf2DuQOMDbKLcgTUA

• Fitness Tracker With Daily Stats MetricC — SyntaxError: Failed to execute 'appendChild' on 'Node': Identifier 'MetricCard'
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/imSRKEmThul_HUSNo0rA1

• E-commerce Product Listing With AIKitHea — (blank render, no console error)
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/o9Sj5r9Oot4C1TXtVA7Lp

D. Duplicate identifier/import (2)

• File Manager UI With A Sidebar, — SyntaxError: Identifier 'FolderOpen' has already been declared
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/ZUWtgB_8G2rKp1nUXc8Z0
• Booking Form For A Restaurant Reservatio — SyntaxError: Identifier 'DialogOverlay' has already been declared
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/ocHjePpkrwYr4s66OkuQ2

E. Object rendered as React child (1)

• Food Delivery App Landing Page With — Error: Objects are not valid as a React child (found: object with keys {title, d
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/VQ89CGhOW2irKItSxK_aS

F. Blank render (no error captured) (4)

• Simple Counter With Buttons — (blank render, no console error)
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/za41Bw8DWn0OcQ51dxfqH
• Survey Builder With Question Type Select — (blank render, no console error)
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/kqhHzxhLYCpKEdSE9UO7E
• Video Gallery With VideoPlayer Hero, Thu — (blank render, no console error)
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/xZl7cl6Oi08PJP65qaazp
• Competitive Leaderboard With Top 3 Podiu — (blank render, no console error)
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/_YUqNPrNL9aHe3wFbA3Re

G. Other (1)

• File Manager With Breadcrumb Nav, Grid — TypeError: Failed to construct 'Document': Please use the 'new' operator, this D
  preview: https://builder.ainative.studio/api/preview/PTSrk3nQ9wxI8hIq4vMBL

Notes

• The biggest class is undefined access/refs (groups A+B): generated code calls .toLowerCase() etc. on possibly-undefined values, or references variables/functions it never declared (sensorData, kanbanTasks, getDealsByStageData). The codegen system prompt warns about defensive access but it isn't enforced.
• Group D (duplicate identifier) is the known dup-import defect (fix(preview): move dup-import de-dupe to AFTER import injection (#161) #165). Group E (object-as-child) overlaps Canned 'Admin Panel' landing prompt crashes: 'Objects are not valid as a React child' #184.
• Recommended fix: a post-generation validation/autoFixCode pass that (1) rejects/repairs undefined variable references, (2) wraps unguarded property access, (3) de-dupes imports — before an app is saved or marked is_showcase. Consider a lightweight headless render smoke-check in the validation gate so crashing apps never reach the showcase.
• Separately, ~19 apps flagged as nav-timeout in the raw audit are likely false positives (loading-state race in the harness) and need re-verification; not included above.

[urbantech]

Audit complete and fixes shipped. 27 showcase apps were crashing at render (undefined refs, syntax errors, dup imports, object-as-child, undefined access). Codegen fixes merged in #192 (crash classes) and #193 (undefined-var detection). Re-render verification: 25/27 render clean (93% crash reduction). The 27 stale showcase rows were un-showcased (code intact). The 2 residual edge cases are tracked in #195. Deployed and live.