Summary: In 2025, creating a React app is faster and more flexible than ever thanks to modern tools like Vite and Next.js. This guide walks beginners and advanced developers alike through the best ways to start a new React project, with step-by-step instructions, code snippets, visuals, and expert recommendations.
Why Move Beyond create-react-app?
create-react-app served the community well for years, but as the web development ecosystem matured, developers sought faster build times, better defaults, and more flexibility. Tools like Vite and frameworks like Next.js have gained popularity due to:
- Lightning-fast development servers
- Native support for modern JavaScript features
- Out-of-the-box TypeScript support
- Superior performance and developer experience
Option 1: Using Vite (Recommended for Most Cases)
Vite has become the go-to tool for starting new React projects due to its speed and simplicity.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Install Node.js
Make sure you have Node.js 18 or higher installed:
👉 Download Node.js
2. Create your React app with Vite
npm create vite@latest my-react-app -- --template react
Or with Yarn:
yarn create vite my-react-app --template react
Or with pnpm:
pnpm create vite my-react-app --template react
3. Navigate into your project and install dependencies
cd my-react-app
npm install
4. Run the development server
npm run dev
Your app will be running at: http://localhost:5173/
Option 2: Using Next.js (For Full-Stack and SSR Apps)
Next.js is a full-featured React framework ideal for SEO, server-side rendering (SSR), static site generation (SSG), and full-stack capabilities.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Install Node.js
Node.js 18+ is required.
2. Create your Next.js app
npx create-next-app@latest my-next-app
You'll be prompted to configure:
- TypeScript
- Tailwind CSS
- ESLint
- App Router
3. Navigate into your project and run the dev server
cd my-next-app
npm run dev
Your app will be available at: http://localhost:3000/
Option 3: Using create-react-app (Legacy Option)
If you absolutely need CRA for legacy reasons:
npx create-react-app my-legacy-app
⚠ Caution: CRA is now considered a legacy tool for most new projects.
Beginner vs Advanced Recommendations
| Skill Level | Recommended Tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | Vite | Blazing fast, simple config |
| Intermediate | Next.js | SEO, SSR, full-stack capabilities |
| Legacy Support | CRA | Matches older codebases |
Quick Visual Summary
📦 Vite: Fast, minimal, modern (Best for most)
🌐 Next.js: Full-stack, SEO, hybrid rendering (Best for complex apps)
📦 CRA: Legacy, slower, less flexible (Best for corporate compatibility)
Conclusion
In 2025, React development is better than ever:
- Vite for most frontend projects
- Next.js for full-stack or SEO needs
- CRA only if absolutely necessary
Choose based on your project’s needs and enjoy building with modern React!
If you found this guide helpful:
- 🚀 Share this with your dev friends.
- 🔔 Follow me for more modern web dev tutorials.
- 💬 Comment below if you have questions or want to share your experience!
Top comments (0)
Some comments may only be visible to logged-in visitors. Sign in to view all comments.