Comparing The Top React Frameworks
Comparing The Top React Frameworks
Suraj Vishwakarma
Updated
Originally Published
Navigation Map
Introduction
When learning React, we all start with CRA (Create React App). It's a great place to begin your React journey, but using it to build modern projects today is no longer ideal. Here are a few reasons why CRA is outdated:
- Slower build times compared to alternatives
- Limited control over build customization
- No built-in Server-Side Rendering (SSR)
- No major updates since 2021
Given these limitations, switching from CRA to a modern React framework can offer a much better development experience and performance.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the top CRA alternatives, discussing:
- Each alternative's features
- What types of applications they are best suited for
- Performance metrics: dev server time, build time, deployment time, and first contentful paint
I hope this excites you. Now, let’s begin.
NextJS
Next.js by Vercel is the full-stack React framework for the web.
NextJS has been my go-to CRA alternative for a long time. With every update, it keeps improving, offering features that simplify project development.
Features:
- Server-Side Rendering: Improves performance with pre-rendered pages.
- API Routes: Enables full-stack development directly in NextJS.
- Automatic Code Splitting: Follows project structure for better performance.
- Seamless Vercel Integration: Built by the Vercel team for optimized deployment.
Best suited for building serverless applications with minimal backend integration.
Note: Server-Side Rendering (SSR) is a technique where the server generates the HTML for each page request.
ViteJS
Get ready for a development environment that can finally catch up with you.
Vite focuses on performance and speed. Unlike traditional bundlers like Webpack, it uses a fast development server with near-instant hot module replacement (HMR).
Features:
- Fast Dev Server: Leverages native ES modules for speed.
- Rich Plugin Ecosystem: Easy to extend with plugins.
- Optimized Build Process: Includes tree shaking, code splitting, and other enhancements.
- SSR and SSG Support: Supports both rendering methods for flexibility.
Best suited for performance-first projects like portfolios or blogs.
Note: Static Site Generation (SSG) pre-builds HTML pages, making them load faster.
Remix
A full-stack framework focused on user experience and web standards.
Remix helps build full-stack applications with a better user experience. It resembles traditional MVC frameworks like Rails or Laravel.
Features:
- Data Loaders: Fetches data server-side before rendering.
- File-based Routing: Directory-based routing system, also in NextJS.
- Server-Side Rendering: Built-in support for SSR.
- Forms and Actions: Simplifies form handling with built-in tools.
Best suited for projects needing advanced routing, SSR, and UX-focused development.
Gatsby
A React-based open-source framework built for speed, scalability, and security.
Gatsby is great for building fast static websites and supports dynamic content via APIs and CMS integrations.
Features:
- Static Site Generation: Pre-renders content to static HTML.
- PWA Capabilities: Built-in features for offline-first and app-like experience.
- JAMstack Architecture: Combines JavaScript, APIs, and Markup for efficient delivery.
- CMS Integration: Easily fetch content from headless CMSs.
Best suited for blogs and content-heavy static websites.
Performance Comparison
We evaluated all frameworks on key metrics: dev server startup, build time, deployment time, and first contentful paint using the same project with animations, images, and JSX.
Development Server
Note: Numbers indicate time in seconds.
ViteJS starts the fastest dev server, while Gatsby is the slowest.
Build Time
ViteJS again takes the lead with the fastest build time. Gatsby is slowest, and NextJS is close behind.
Deployment Time
All frameworks were deployed on Vercel.
Vite deploys in 12 seconds. Remix performs consistently well across metrics. NextJS and Gatsby are the slowest.
First Contentful Paint - Desktop
Although all frameworks scored 100 overall on Desktop, slight differences in first contentful paint were observed.
NextJS and Gatsby were the fastest, with Remix and Vite slightly behind (only a 0.1s difference).
PageSpeed Insights:
Connect with Me 🚀
Let’s connect and talk about tech, innovation, and more!
I'm also open to freelance writing opportunities. Feel free to reach out via email or social.
Conclusion
While CRA has been a solid starting point for many React developers, more powerful and modern alternatives now exist.
- NextJS: Great for SSR apps with seamless Vercel deployment.
- ViteJS: The fastest option for development and build times.
- Remix: Excellent for full-stack apps with advanced routing and SSR.
- Gatsby: Ideal for static sites and blogs with rich CMS integration.
Choose the right tool based on your project’s needs. Upgrading from CRA to one of these frameworks can significantly improve your workflow and results.
I hope this article helps you choose the best CRA alternative for your next project!