Create a React app

Applies to: Visual Studio Visual Studio for Mac Visual Studio Code

In this 5-10 minute introduction to the Visual Studio integrated development environment (IDE), you create and run a simple React frontend web application.

Prerequisites

Make sure to install the following:

• Visual Studio 2022 or later. Go to the Visual Studio downloads page to install it for free.
• npm (https://www.npmjs.com/), which is included with Node.js
• npx (https://www.npmjs.com/package/npx)

Create your app

1. In the Start window (choose File > Start Window to open), select Create a new project.

   

2. Search for React in the search bar at the top and then select Standalone JavaScript React Template or Standalone TypeScript React Template, based on your preference.

   

3. Give your project and solution a name.

   If you previously selected Standalone JavaScript React Template, when you get to the Additional information window be sure NOT to check the Add integration for Empty ASP.NET Web API Project option. This option adds files to your React template so that it can be hooked up with the ASP.NET Core project, if an ASP.NET Core project is added.

   

   Please note that creation of the React project takes a moment because the create-react-app command that runs at this time also runs the npm install command

Set the project properties

1. In Solution Explorer, right-click the React project, select Properties, and then go the Debugging section.

2. Change the Debugger to launch to the launch.json option.

   

Build Your Project

Choose Build > Build Solution to build the project.

Start Your Project

Press F5 or select the Start button at the top of the window, and you'll see a command prompt:

• npm running the react-scripts start command

Note

Check console output for messages, such as a message instructing you to update your version of Node.js.

Next, you should see the base React app appear!

Next steps

For ASP.NET Core integration:

Create an ASP.NET Core app with React