How to Fix the A Module Cannot Have Multiple Default Exports Error in React

Summary: Resolve the 'A Module Cannot Have Multiple Default Exports' error in your React project by understanding and properly managing module exports. Learn how to effectively use default and named exports in JavaScript.
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How to Fix the A Module Cannot Have Multiple Default Exports Error in React

In the world of JavaScript and React development, understanding how to properly manage module exports is crucial. If you're seeing the error A Module Cannot Have Multiple Default Exports in your React project, you've likely run into a common issue where a module has been configured with more than one default export. This guide aims to help you understand the cause of this error and guide you through the steps to fix it.

The Core of the Issue

In JavaScript, modules are files, each with a distinct scope. A module can export multiple values using named exports and a single value using a default export. The key point here is that a module can only have one default export. This is baked into the ES6 module system and enforced by module bundlers like Webpack.

Here's a quick refresher:

Default Exports

Default exports are used to export a single element from a module. When you import a default export, you can give it any name you like:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Named Exports

Named exports, on the other hand, can be several within the same module, and they must be imported with the specific names they were exported with:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Why Does the Error Occur?

The error A Module Cannot Have Multiple Default Exports occurs when you mistakenly try to export multiple elements as default exports in a single module. For example:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This is invalid because a module cannot manage more than one default export.

How to Fix It

To resolve this error, you need to ensure that your module has only one default export. If you need to export multiple entities, use named exports for the rest.

Example Fix

Suppose you initially had:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

You need to modify it to have one default export and the rest as named exports:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

And then, in your import statements:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Conclusion

Understanding the difference between default and named exports is essential for avoiding the A Module Cannot Have Multiple Default Exports error. By following the best practices of module exports in JavaScript, you can keep your code clean, maintainable, and error-free. Remember, a module can have multiple named exports but only one default export. Happy coding!