React Announces the Sunset of Create React App: What Does This Mean for Developers?
On February 14, 2025, the React team announced a significant change that will affect many developers: the deprecation of Create React App (CRA). CRA has been the go-to tool for many beginners and professionals who built their first React applications with it. But what does this change mean for the future of React apps, and what should developers do now? Let’s dive into all the details!
What’s Changing?
Create React App (CRA), which was widely used for starting new React projects, is now being deprecated for new apps. Going forward, the React team recommends migrating to other modern tools or frameworks, such as Vite, Parcel, or RSBuild. The reason for this shift is the growing use of frameworks that offer more functionality and an optimized development experience.
Additionally, the React team is providing detailed documentation on how to migrate to a framework, or if you’d rather build your own setup, there’s guidance for learning how React works by creating a custom build solution from scratch.
Why Migrate to a Framework?
Modern frameworks like Next.js, Expo, and others are more than just build tools. They offer a complete, optimized structure for developing React apps. By choosing a framework, you not only gain a set of ready-to-go production features, but also benefit from better performance and more maintainable code.
These frameworks support client-side rendering (CSR) and single-page applications (SPA), and can be easily deployed to a CDN or static hosting service. Transitioning from CRA to these frameworks comes with many advantages, such as:
- Improved performance and scalability.
- Optimized build and bundle processes.
- Easier integration with advanced features like routing and API calls.
How to Migrate to a Framework?
The good news is that the React team has not left developers hanging. If you already have a React app built with CRA and want to migrate to a framework, there are detailed guides available to help with the transition. Here are a few options:
- Next.js Migration Guide: Next.js is one of the most popular frameworks in the React ecosystem and offers excellent support for both SSR (Server-Side Rendering) and CSR. Check out the CRA to Next.js migration guide to see how you can integrate your app.
- React Router Framework Adoption Guide: React Router, widely used for navigation in React apps, also has a guide focused on migrating to frameworks.
- Expo Webpack to Expo Router Migration Guide: If you’re using Expo for React Native development and also relying on CRA, the guide to migrate to Expo Router is the way to go.
What if a Framework Isn’t the Right Fit for Your Project?
If you prefer not to migrate to a framework, or if a framework solution isn’t ideal for your project, React is also providing resources for developers who want to build their own build system or understand how the library works internally.
If your goal is to learn how React functions behind the scenes, building your own solution from scratch, or just diving deeper into the internal workings of React, now is the perfect time to explore how to create a React app “from the ground up.”
What Does This Mean for Developers?
The change in React reflects the evolution of modern development needs. While Create React App served as a fantastic tool for beginners, modern frameworks now offer more features, optimization, and flexibility. For developers looking to stay up to date with best practices, migrating to one of these new tools has become essential.
At the same time, for those who prefer to learn how React works under the hood, the new documentation provides an excellent starting point for building custom solutions and gaining a deeper understanding of the library.
Conclusion
Although Create React App will no longer be the go-to tool for new projects, the shift towards more powerful frameworks is an exciting development for the React ecosystem. Whether you’re migrating an existing app or choosing a new framework for a fresh start, the React team has provided plenty of resources to make this transition smooth. And if you want to dive deeper into React, there’s no better time to learn by building your own custom solution. The future of React development is evolving, and now is the time to embrace the change!
Reference
https://react.dev/blog/2025/02/14/sunsetting-create-react-app
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