The Demise of Create React App: Exploring Alternatives for Scalable Applications
Published: 2023-03-24 01:00:31

## What is CRA?

Create React App (CRA) is a popular tool used to create React applications. It is an excellent choice for beginners and those who want to create a simple application quickly. However, as the project grows, there are some limitations to CRA that developers may encounter. In this blog post, we will discuss those limitations and the solutions provided by other frameworks such as Next.js and Remix.

## What are Frameworks?

Frameworks are collections of tools that make it easier to build an application. They help with things like routing, state management and styling.

## Expectations from Create React App

CRA provides an easy way to set up a React project with pre-configured settings. It includes a development server, a build system, and a configuration file to manage the project’s settings. With CRA, developers can create a new project within minutes and start coding right away.

## Limitations of Create React App

**Limited Customization:** Although CRA provides a basic 
structure to start a project, it is limited in terms of customization. Developers cannot modify the webpack configuration or add additional libraries or frameworks easily. As a result, developers may face difficulties when trying to add new features to their application.
**No Server-side Rendering:** CRA is only a client-side rendering tool, which means that the entire application is rendered on the client-side. This results in slower loading times and poor SEO performance. Additionally, it can be difficult to implement certain features such as authentication and authorization, as it requires server-side rendering.
**Poor Performance:** CRA generates a large JavaScript file, which can cause slow loading times, especially on slower devices or with poor network connections. This can result in a poor user experience and negatively impact the application’s performance.
Solutions provided by Other Frameworks

**Next.js:** Next.js is a framework that builds on top of React and provides server-side rendering out of the box. It also allows for easy customization of the webpack configuration, making it easier to add new features and libraries. Additionally, Next.js has built-in support for static site generation, which can result in faster loading times and better SEO performance.

Run the following commands to get started:

```
npx create-next-app my-app
cd my-app
npm run dev
```

This will start the server and launch your app in your default web browser. You can then begin building your React components and pages using the Next.js framework.

For more information and documentation on how to use Next.js for your React projects, you can visit the official Next.js website at https://nextjs.org/docs.

**Vite:** Vite + React is a faster and more efficient alternative to Create React App (CRA). Vite, built on esbuild, provides superior performance and faster development time. It uses browser-native ESM to parse and compile code on-demand, eliminating the need for a separate build step. Vite also supports absolute imports, environment variables, and extensive plugin compatibility. Our company website was built with Vite + React and we are pleased with its static build + Islands architecture support, allowing for quick deployment to Vercel.

Run the following commands to get started:

```
npm create vite@latest
After the script finishes, you will be prompted to enter a project name:

? Project name: » vite-project
/* After entering your project name, Vite will prompt you to select a 
framework: */

? Select a framework: » - Use arrow-keys. Return to submit.
Vanilla
Vue
> React
Preact
Lit
Svelte
Others
/* After selecting the React framework, Vite will prompt you to choose the 
language type. You can use JavaScript or TypeScript to work on your 
project. */

? Select a variant: » - Use arrow-keys. Return to submit.
> JavaScript
TypeScript
JavaScript + SWC
TypeScript + SWC
/* Starting the Development Server */

cd vite-project
yarn
npm run dev
```

For more information and documentation on how to use Vite for your React projects, you can visit the official Vite website at https://vitejs.dev/guide/

**Remix:** Remix is another framework that builds on top of React and provides server-side rendering. It also provides a more flexible routing system, making it easier to implement complex routing features. Additionally, Remix has built-in support for code splitting, which can result in faster loading times and better performance.

Run the following commands to get started:

```
npx create-remix@latest --template remix-run/indie-stack blog-tutorial
? Do you want me to run `npm install`? Yes
npm run dev
```
For more information and documentation on how to use Remix for your React projects, you can visit the official Vite website at https://remix.run/docs/en/1.14.3/tutorials/blog.

## Conclusion

While Create React App is an excellent tool for beginners and small projects, it has its limitations when it comes to scalability and customization. Other frameworks such as Next.js and Remix provide solutions for these limitations, making it easier for developers to create scalable and performant React applications. When choosing a framework, it is important to consider the project’s requirements and choose a framework that provides the necessary features and flexibility to meet those requirements.