Why Create React App is Dead – Use Vite Instead for Faster React Projects

If you are a React developer, you may have heard of Create React App, a popular tool for quickly setting up a new React project. However, in recent years, a new tool called Vite has gained popularity and is now being touted as the better option for creating React projects.

So, why is Create React App dead and why should you use Vite instead? Let’s explore the reasons.

Performance

One of the main reasons why Vite is preferred over Create React App is its performance. Vite leverages modern build tools like Rollup and esbuild to provide instant server start and fast hot module replacement (HMR). This means that your development server starts up almost instantly and any changes you make to your code are applied immediately without the need to refresh the page. This can significantly speed up your development workflow and make you more productive.

Optimized for Production

In addition to its fast development server, Vite also produces optimized production builds. It leverages esbuild to bundle and minify your code, resulting in faster load times for your React applications. Create React App, on the other hand, uses Webpack, which can be slower and less efficient for production builds.

Flexible Configuration

Vite also offers a more flexible configuration compared to Create React App. While Create React App comes with a pre-configured setup that may not suit all projects, Vite allows you to easily customize your build pipeline to tailor it to your specific needs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Create React App may not be completely dead, but Vite has certainly emerged as a more attractive option for creating React projects, especially when it comes to performance and flexibility. If you are starting a new React project or looking to improve the development workflow of your existing projects, it may be worth giving Vite a try.