React is one of the most popular JavaScript libraries in the field of web development.
As a front-end developer, I have personally worked with React in my projects and will probably continue to do so in the future. One of the steps that many people struggle with is the installation/configuration process of React.
So let us start with the basics.
In this post, you will learn how to easily install and run a React application.
When it comes to building React applications, developers are often faced with the decision between various tools and frameworks.
In this article, we’ll explore two popular options for bootstrapping React projects: Vite and create-react-app.
Introducing Vite: The Lightning-Fast Build Tool
Vite, a French word for “fast,” lives up to its name by providing an incredibly rapid development experience. Developed by Evan You, the creator of Vue.js, Vite aims to revolutionize the way developers build modern web applications.
At the core of Vite’s speed is its innovative use of native ES module imports. By leveraging the browser’s built-in module system, Vite is able to serve dependencies in their native form without the need for bundling during development. This approach drastically reduces startup time and enables blazing-fast hot module replacement (HMR), allowing developers to see changes reflected instantly without page reloads.
Setting up a new React project with Vite is a breeze. With just a few simple commands, you can initialize a new project and start coding right away. Vite provides a minimalistic project structure and offers built-in support for modern JavaScript features like JSX and TypeScript.
Exploring Create React App: The Battle-Tested Starter Kit
On the other hand, create-react-app has been a staple in the React ecosystem since its inception. Maintained by Facebook, create-react-app abstracts away the complexities of configuration and provides developers with a standard project setup out of the box.
With create-react-app, you get a robust development environment with features like hot reloading, optimized production builds, and a built-in testing setup powered by Jest. The tool takes care of setting up webpack and Babel under the hood, allowing developers to focus on writing code rather than configuring build tools.
Creating a new React project with create-react-app is as simple as running a single command. Once the project is initialized, you can start the development server and begin coding immediately. create-react-app promotes best practices and conventions, making it an excellent choice for beginners and experienced developers alike.
Making the Choice: Which Tool Should You Use?
When it comes to choosing between Vite and create-react-app for your next React project, there are a few factors to consider.
Speed and Performance: If you prioritize speed and instant feedback during development, Vite is the clear winner. Its lightning-fast build times and HMR capabilities make for a highly productive workflow.
Ease of Use and Familiarity: On the other hand, if you prefer a more familiar and battle-tested setup, create-react-app may be the better choice. Its convention-over-configuration approach and comprehensive documentation make it accessible to developers of all skill levels.
Project Requirements: Consider the specific requirements of your project. If you need advanced features like server-side rendering (SSR) or static site generation (SSG), create-react-app offers more flexibility and options out of the box.
Ultimately, the choice between Vite and create-react-app depends on your personal preferences, project requirements, and workflow preferences. Both tools are excellent choices for bootstrapping React projects, and you can’t go wrong with either one.
In conclusion, whether you’re a seasoned developer looking to streamline your workflow or a beginner getting started with React, Vite and create-react-app offer powerful solutions for building modern web applications. Choose the tool that best suits your needs and embark on your journey to creating stunning React projects.
How to download and install Node.js
First of all, you need NPM (or alternatively Yarn). For this example we use NPM.
If you don’t have it installed on your system, you need to go to the official Node.js website to download and install Node, which also includes NPM (Node Package Manager)
React project installation using Vite:
Install Node.js: Make sure you have Node.js installed on your system. You can download and install it from here.
Create a new directory for your project: Open your terminal and create a new directory where you want to create your React project.
mkdir my-vite-react-projectNavigate into your project directory:
cd my-vite-react-projectInitialize a new project: Run the following command to initialize a new project with Vite.
npm init vite@latestFollow the prompts to configure your project. Choose “react” as the template when prompted.
Install dependencies: After the project is initialized, navigate into the project directory and install the dependencies.
cd my-vite-react-project
npm installStart the development server: Once the dependencies are installed, start the development server using the following command:
npm run devThis will start the Vite development server and you can access your React application at http://localhost:3000.
Using create-react-app
Install Node.js: If you haven’t already, install Node.js from here.
Create a new directory for your project: Open your terminal and create a new directory where you want to create your React project.
mkdir my-cra-react-projectNavigate into your project directory:
cd my-cra-react-projectInitialize a new project: Run the following command to create a new React project using create-react-app.
npx create-react-app .This will create a new React project in the current directory. The . represents that react app will be installed in previous created folder. If there is no previous created folder just type
npx create-react-app testprojectStart the development server: Once the project is created, navigate into the project directory and start the development server using the following command:
cd test project
npm startThis will start the development server, and you can access your React application at http://localhost:3000.
In conclusion, whether you’re a seasoned developer looking to streamline your workflow or a beginner getting started with React, Vite and create-react-app offer powerful solutions for building modern web applications. Choose the tool that best suits your needs and embark on your journey to creating stunning React projects.
