React fragment shorthand failing to compile

Question

The project in question is using React-16.2.0 which has the capability to use Fragments and the Fragment shorthand.

https://reactjs.org/blog/2017/11/28/react-v16.2.0-fragment-support.html

While the full-length syntax works fine...

import React, { Fragment, Component } from 'react';  class TestingFragment extends Component {     render() {         return (             <Fragment>                 <span>This is a fragment of text </span>                 <div>Another part of the fragment</div>             </Fragment>         )     } };  export default TestingFragment 

The shorthand fails to compile and I am at a loss as to why this is. Fore example...

import React, { Component } from 'react';  class TestingFragment extends Component {     render() {         return (             <>                 <span>This is a fragment of text </span>                 <div>Another part of the fragment</div>             </>         )     } };  export default TestingFragment 

Which fails to compile as follows...

Failed to compile ./src/testingFragments.js Syntax error: Unexpected token (6:4)    4 |   render() {   5 |       return ( > 6 |           <>     |            ^   7 |               <span>This is a fragment of text </span>   8 |               <div>Another part of the fragment</div>   9 |           </> This error occurred during the build time and cannot be dismissed. 

Is there something here I am missing about the Fragment shorthand syntax?

Answer 1

I think this is a reason:

https://reactjs.org/blog/2017/11/28/react-v16.2.0-fragment-support.html#support-for-fragment-syntax

screenshot

create-react-apps currently use Babel 6.26.0 for full support React.Fragment is needed Babel v7.0.0-beta.31 and above

======================= EDIT

It's working now with create-react-app v2 https://reactjs.org/blog/2018/10/01/create-react-app-v2.html

Answer 2

You can use the poor man's fragment shorthand as a quick fix: [ , ]

render(){   return [     <div key="f">foo</div>,     <div key="b">bar</div>   ] } 

as array of nodes is a valid jsx element. You need to add a key prop to each of them manually though as Anarno pointed out.