React is a popular JavaScript library for building user interfaces. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps to build your first React app in just five minutes.
Prerequisites
Before getting started, make sure you have Node.js (version 12 or higher) installed on your computer:
Step 1: Create a New React App
To create a new React app, open a terminal window and run the following command:
npx create-react-app my-app
Replace my-app with the name, you want to give your app.
‘npx’ is a tool to run Node.js packages without having to install them globally. Use ‘npx’ over ‘npm’ for simplicity and to avoid version conflicts.
Step 2: Navigate to Your App Directory
Once the app is created, navigate to the app directory by running:
cd my-app
Step 3: Start the Development Server
To start the development server, run the following command:
npm start
This should open a new browser window with your React app running.
Step 4: Modify the App
You can now start editing the src/App.js file to modify your app. The development server will automatically reload the page whenever you save your changes.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you have created your first React app in just five minutes! With this foundation, you can now start building more complex applications with React.