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.
🛠 What If You Still Have CRA Projects?
If you have existing CRA projects, don’t worry—they’ll still work! But since CRA won’t receive further updates, migrating to Vite (or another tool) is a good idea for future-proofing.
The React team has even provided a migration guide to help you move from CRA to Vite with minimal hassle.
💡 Final Thoughts
The retirement of Create React App marks the end of an era, but it’s also an exciting step forward for the React ecosystem. We now have better tools that make development faster, easier, and more enjoyable.
If you’re still using CRA, now’s the time to make the switch and enjoy the speed boost!
What do you think about CRA’s sunsetting? Have you already moved to Vite or another tool? Let’s discuss in the comments!
Top comments (3)
I have enjoyed using vite.
I hope caching, state management, and form handling settles down to one main library for each and routing settles into two main solutions - one library for client only routing and one framework for full stack routing - so then vite react template can default to a batteries included client side stack or let people use another tool for full stack.
🫡🫡🫡Though I use Vite mostly now, I wouldn't be here without CRA.🫡🫡🫡
// React + Vite + Tanstack Router,
// i just watch the youtube video by Jack Herrington today.
npx create-tsrouter-app my-app