Create React App Deprecated: What Modern Development Practices to Use Instead

The React team has officially marked Create React App (CRA) as deprecated after years of the broader ecosystem shifting toward more efficient modern development practices. This decision acknowledges that CRA's technology stack has become outdated compared to newer, more performant solutions. For developers starting new React projects, this raises important questions about the best path forward.

What Was Create React App?

Create React App served as a blueprint for creating basic React single-page applications. It provided developers with a development server, production build capabilities, and testing infrastructure. CRA was particularly popular between 2017 and 2020, offering a standardized way to bootstrap React projects without dealing with complex configuration.

The Rise of Vite as a Modern Alternative

Vite has emerged as one of the most important modern development tools, offering significant improvements over the webpack-based approach used by CRA. As a versatile build tool, Vite supports multiple frameworks beyond just React, including Vue, Angular, and vanilla JavaScript/TypeScript projects.

Creating a new React project with Vite using npm create vite command

Starting a basic React project with Vite is straightforward. By running `npm create vite` and selecting React with either JavaScript or TypeScript, you get a minimal but functional starting point. This approach provides a development server and production build capabilities similar to CRA but with significantly faster performance and a more modern architecture.

BASH

# Create a new React project with Vite
npm create vite my-react-app --template react

# Or with TypeScript
npm create vite my-react-app --template react-ts

Basic vs. Framework-Based React Development

When using a basic Vite-based React setup, you'll need to install additional libraries as needed. Common additions include React Router for navigation or TanStack Query (formerly React Query) for data fetching. This approach gives you flexibility to add only what you need, making it ideal for learning React or building simpler applications.

For more complex requirements like server-side rendering or full-stack applications, frameworks such as Next.js or Remix (now merged into React Router) provide more comprehensive solutions. These frameworks offer additional features out of the box but come with their own learning curves and opinions.

The React Team's Controversial Stance

The React team's blog post about deprecating Create React App

Curiously, despite sunsetting Create React App, the React team isn't explicitly recommending Vite as the primary alternative for basic React applications. Instead, their official documentation guides newcomers toward framework-based solutions like Next.js, even for simple projects that don't necessarily need such comprehensive tools.

This stance has created confusion in the React community. While frameworks like Next.js are excellent for production applications, they introduce additional complexity that can be overwhelming for those just learning React or building straightforward single-page applications. The added complexity of these frameworks can obscure core React concepts for beginners.

Recommended Approach for Different Scenarios

Developing simple React projects with Vite provides a clean starting point

When choosing a modern development setup for React projects, consider your specific needs:

For learning React or building simple SPAs: Use Vite with React template
For applications needing routing: Add React Router to a Vite project
For complex data fetching: Add TanStack Query to a Vite project
For server-side rendering or full-stack applications: Consider Next.js or Remix
For production applications with SEO requirements: Use a framework like Next.js

Migrating From Create React App

If you have existing projects built with Create React App, there's no immediate need to migrate. However, as CRA becomes increasingly outdated, you might consider these options:

Migrate to Vite using tools like cra-to-vite for simpler projects
Consider upgrading to Next.js for projects that would benefit from its features
Continue using your CRA setup until a natural refactoring point, as it will continue to work

Embracing Modern Development Practices in React

The deprecation of Create React App reflects the broader shift toward more efficient modern development practices in the JavaScript ecosystem. Tools like Vite represent significant improvements in developer experience with faster build times, better hot module replacement, and more streamlined configurations.

While frameworks offer comprehensive solutions, they aren't always necessary for every project. The ability to start with a minimal setup and add only what you need is a powerful approach that aligns with modern software development practices. This modular approach allows developers to keep their applications lean while maintaining the flexibility to scale as requirements grow.

Conclusion

The deprecation of Create React App marks an important transition point for React development. While the React team's guidance toward framework-based solutions may be confusing for some, the community has largely embraced Vite as the modern development tool of choice for basic React applications.

For those learning React or building simpler applications, a Vite-based approach offers the right balance of simplicity and modern features. As your project requirements grow, you can either add libraries to your Vite setup or migrate to a more comprehensive framework. This flexibility represents the best of modern development practices, allowing developers to choose the right tools for their specific needs.

Create React App Officially Deprecated: Modern Development Practices for React Projects