Difference between Next.js and Create React App (CRA)
17:15 10 Mar 2026

I'm trying to figure out the difference between Next.js and Create React App (CRA). I know both are there to make our life easier while developing our front-end applications using React.

After exploring some articles on Google, I found that the main difference is

Next.js provides server-side rendering (SSR) while Create React App provides client-side rendering (CSR) and SSR improves the performance of application loading.

But what about other parameters from a development perspective, like the following?

  • Maintainability and scalability of the web application developed with Next.js or CRA

  • TypeScript and React hooks/Redux support

Is it a wrong comparison?

create-react-app