On this page
example.com and www.example.com are separate hostnames. They can use different DNS records, certificates, redirects, origins, and crawler response paths.
That is why a setup can appear correct on one URL and fail on the other.
Quick answer
If the server already sends complete HTML, you probably do not need Prerender Buddy. If visitors see a complete JavaScript page but bots receive thin HTML or an empty app shell, Prerender Buddy can help by serving rendered HTML to search engines and AI crawlers.
Common mismatch patterns
| Result | Likely direction |
|---|---|
www renders correctly; root returns app shell | Root bypasses the protected hostname or redirect |
Root redirects to www, but every path lands on homepage | Redirect does not preserve path/query |
Root works; www fails HTTPS | Certificate or validation record is incomplete for www |
| Browser works; crawler request differs | User-agent routing or proxy path differs |
| Search Console tests another version | Property, sitemap, canonical, or internal links use the other hostname |
Test both hostnames without assumptions
curl -I https://example.com/pricing
curl -I https://www.example.com/pricing
curl -I -A "Googlebot" https://example.com/pricing
curl -I -A "Googlebot" https://www.example.com/pricingCompare:
- final URL after redirects
- HTTP status
- certificate validity
- response headers
- title, canonical, H1, and readable content
- whether a matching request appears in render logs
Pick one canonical public hostname
If www is protected by Prerender Buddy, a common structure is:
example.com/pricing
-> 301 https://www.example.com/pricingThe canonical tag, sitemap URLs, internal links, Open Graph URL, and Search Console setup should support that same choice.
DNS and redirect checks
- Confirm which provider is authoritative for DNS.
- Check that the protected hostname points to the expected target.
- Remove conflicting A, AAAA, or CNAME records only for that hostname.
- Confirm the root redirect preserves path and query string.
- Wait for public DNS propagation before repeatedly resetting setup.
- Run Verify Installation against the final hostname.
Origin loop check
The separate origin must not be the protected public hostname. If Prerender Buddy receives www.example.com and forwards to www.example.com, requests can loop.
Use a builder, deployment, staging, or dedicated origin hostname that remains independently reachable.
Read the Root vs www guide, Origin URL guide, and DNS pending troubleshooting.
Who this is for
- SaaS founders with already-shipped JavaScript websites
- React, Vite, Vue, Lovable, Bolt, or Base44 users
- SEO freelancers checking crawler-readable HTML
- Agencies maintaining client sites without rebuilding them
You may not need Prerender Buddy if
- Server HTML is already complete.
- Static pages crawl correctly.
- You are already rebuilding with SSR or static generation.
- You only need an audit, not a rendering fix.
Final recap
Root vs www hostname mismatch comes down to what search engines and AI crawlers actually receive from your site.
Prerender Buddy does not guarantee rankings or AI citations. It helps with one specific technical problem: making sure crawlers receive readable rendered HTML instead of a thin JavaScript shell.
The first step is to check what bots see.
Check your website
Check what crawlers see to test whether the site sends readable HTML to search engines and AI crawlers.