I'm trying to figure out the difference between NextJs and Create React App. I know both are there to make our life easier while developing our Front-end Apps using ReactJs.
After exploring some articles on Google, I found that the main difference is
NextJs provides server side rendering (SSR) while Create React App provides client side rendering (CSR) and SSR improves performance of Application Loading.
But what about other parameters from development perspective like
Maintainability and Scalability of the Web App developed with NextJS or CRA?
Typescript and React Hooks/Redux support?
Or you can even Guide me if I'm doing a wrong comparison?
React is just a JavaScript library, and on the other hand, Nextjs is a React framework. SSR is one of the benefits of Nextjs, But there are many other benefits. Nextjs can do everything react does, and on top of that, it has features that react alone doesn't have. Checkout the documentation for nextjs here: https://nextjs.org/docs/getting-started
Create React App is just a React project creation engine to help you setup your React project quickly. After running the CRA script npx create-react-app <appname> you will get a nice and clean single-page application that you can run. Under the hood you also get things like babel, eslint, jest, webpack already setup so it's a really convenient way to start doing React development. And in case you'd need more control over the configuration of those tools, you can still use npm run eject.
Next.js on the other hand is a framework based on React to build Node.js server-side apps. This means you will use the same component-oriented logic to build pages and leverage the Next.js routing engine for page to page navigation. Server-side rendering will allow loading time to be more spread over time, so perceived performance will be probably better. Redux can be used as well but there will be some additional steps to make it work properly (see https://github.com/kirill-konshin/next-redux-wrapper)
Whatever you choose, in the end, it will be React coding. Components, JSX, TypeScript support, React hooks, and all other core aspects of React will be supported either way. Therefore, you can expect similar degree of maintainability. On the other hand, scalability depends on your choice: if you choose Next.js you will host the app on a server infrastructure which should be sized according to your audience whereas React bundle created with CRA just need to be statically hosted somewhere.
biggest difference is purpose of both projects. NextJS : JAM Stack or Static Site Generator Create React App : is an officially supported way to create single-page React applications.
This conundrum is true for many opensource projects. Seem alternative of other but they have key differences. For Example in this case Although both projects use ReactJS as front end and produce webapps. the problem they solve are very distinct. there are some overlapping features themes/templates in js. but development and future work will be to enhance project such that it helps solve there problem statement in better way.
i.e. NextJS will try to include if there are any new Markdown features developed. which won't be the case in CreateReactApps.
from your question it seems you are looking these projects for developing React Native Apps. So I will suggest go with Create React App.
your comparison should primarily be whether this project align with Problem I am solving. then compare. Maintainability, Scalability, Typescript and React Hooks/Redux support.
In case needed more info do comment.