The End of an Era: Create React App (CRA) is Being Sunset – What’s Next?

If you’ve been building React apps for a while, chances are Create React App (CRA) was one of the first tools you used to get started. It was simple, required zero configuration, and made bootstrapping React projects a breeze. But as the JavaScript ecosystem evolved, CRA started feeling… well, a bit outdated. And now, it’s official—Create React App is being sunset. The React team has announced that they are no longer maintaining CRA (official blog:https://react.dev/blog/2025/02/14/sunsetting-create-react-app). This decision was expected, given the rise of modern build tools that offer significantly better performance and developer experience. Why is CRA Being Sunset? Let’s be real—CRA hasn’t been the best choice for a while now. Here’s why: Slow Builds & Development Server – CRA’s reliance on Webpack made it slower compared to newer tools. Lack of Active Maintenance – CRA was falling behind in adopting modern React features and build optimizations. Better Alternatives – Tools like Vite, Next.js, and Parcel are faster, leaner, and more developer-friendly. The Best Alternatives to CRA If you’re wondering, "What should I use instead?", here are some solid choices: Vite – The Go-To Replacement Blazing Fast: Starts almost instantly thanks to ESBuild. Better DX: Hot Module Replacement (HMR) is crazy fast. Native ESM Support: Uses modern JavaScript modules efficiently. First-Class React Support: With vite-plugin-react, setup is seamless. To start a new React app with Vite: npm create vite@latest my-app --template react cd my-app npm install npm run dev Next.js – If You Need More Than Just a Frontend If you’re looking for server-side rendering (SSR), static site generation (SSG), or API routes, Next.js is a great choice. npx create-next-app@latest my-next-app cd my-next-app npm run dev Remix – If You Want a Fresh Approach Remix is another cool framework that takes a progressive enhancement-first approach with fast-loading pages and better UX. Parcel – A Zero-Config Alternative If you liked CRA’s "no-config" nature but want faster builds, Parcel is worth checking out.

Feb 18, 2025 - 06:37

The End of an Era: Create React App (CRA) is Being Sunset – What’s Next?

If you’ve been building React apps for a while, chances are Create React App (CRA) was one of the first tools you used to get started. It was simple, required zero configuration, and made bootstrapping React projects a breeze. But as the JavaScript ecosystem evolved, CRA started feeling… well, a bit outdated.

And now, it’s official—Create React App is being sunset.

The React team has announced that they are no longer maintaining CRA (official blog:https://react.dev/blog/2025/02/14/sunsetting-create-react-app). This decision was expected, given the rise of modern build tools that offer significantly better performance and developer experience.

Why is CRA Being Sunset?

Let’s be real—CRA hasn’t been the best choice for a while now. Here’s why:

Slow Builds & Development Server – CRA’s reliance on Webpack made it slower compared to newer tools.
Lack of Active Maintenance – CRA was falling behind in adopting modern React features and build optimizations.
Better Alternatives – Tools like Vite, Next.js, and Parcel are faster, leaner, and more developer-friendly.

The Best Alternatives to CRA

If you’re wondering, "What should I use instead?", here are some solid choices:

Vite – The Go-To Replacement

Blazing Fast: Starts almost instantly thanks to ESBuild.
Better DX: Hot Module Replacement (HMR) is crazy fast.
Native ESM Support: Uses modern JavaScript modules efficiently.
First-Class React Support: With vite-plugin-react, setup is seamless.

To start a new React app with Vite:

npm create vite@latest my-app --template react
cd my-app
npm install
npm run dev

Next.js – If You Need More Than Just a Frontend

If you’re looking for server-side rendering (SSR), static site generation (SSG), or API routes, Next.js is a great choice.

npx create-next-app@latest my-next-app
cd my-next-app
npm run dev

Remix – If You Want a Fresh Approach

Remix is another cool framework that takes a progressive enhancement-first approach with fast-loading pages and better UX.

Parcel – A Zero-Config Alternative

If you liked CRA’s "no-config" nature but want faster builds, Parcel is worth checking out.