Create-react-app stuck on v4.0.3, cannot create a new app

[rydwhelchel]

Describe the bug

When attempting to use npx create-react-app <app-name>, I get the following error:

You are running `create-react-app` 4.0.3, which is behind the latest release (5.0.0).

We no longer support global installation of Create React App.

Please remove any global installs with one of the following commands:
- npm uninstall -g create-react-app
- yarn global remove create-react-app

What I have tried to fix it:

1. Run npm uninstall -g create-react-app to uninstall any global versions of create-react-app
2. Run npm i -g npm@latest to update npm
3. Run npm uninstall -g create-react-app && sudo npm cache clean -f to try and clean any cached information regarding create-react-app.

Below is a gif showing the issue in real time.

Which terms did you search for in User Guide?

Latest release

Environment

Unfortunately, the npx create-react-app info command ends up with the same error.

I am currently on Mac v12.0.1. Please request more info if needed.

Steps to reproduce

1. Attempt to run npx create-react-app <app-name-here>

Expected behavior

A React app is created.

Actual behavior

create-react-app errors due to incorrect version.

[Newbie012]

run

npx create-react-app@5.0.0 app-name

[rydwhelchel]

Dang it's that simple huh. Thanks, that worked like a charm!

Is there something I can do on my end to set default behavior of create-react-app to use the newest version? That way I don't have to specify a version any time there is an update?

[Newbie012]

Sadly not that I know of

[Runejm]

I faced the exact same issue today - fixed it by running
Step 1: npm uninstall -g create-react-app
Step 2: npm -g create-react-app@latest

Followed by:
Step 3: npx create-react-app my-app

let me know if it helps.

[labnol]

run

npx create-react-app@5.0.0 app-name

Thank you. That worked!

[mryechkin]

Is there something I can do on my end to set default behavior of create-react-app to use the newest version? That way I don't have to specify a version any time there is an update?

Make sure you don't have create-react-app installed globally, and then just run npx create-react-app any time you need to use it. If you have it installed globally, it'll use whatever version is installed locally on your machine, rather than pulling the latest.

[mryechkin]

I faced the exact same issue today - fixed it by running
Step 1: npm uninstall -g create-react-app
Step 2: npm -g create-react-app@latest

Followed by: Step 3: npx create-react-app my-app

let me know if it helps.

FYI you don't need to have create-react-app installed globally if you're going to use npx to run it. That's the whole point of npx - it pulls the latest version from NPM whenever you run that command. There's no need for Step 2 above

[jestrickler]

That's the problem. npx is NOT pulling the latest version. The workaround npx create-react-app@5.0.0 app-name will let you create a react app. But if you go back to the standard npx create-react-app my-app it goes back to this broken looping behavior where it is globally installing 4.0.3, then telling you to uninstall it... rinse... repeat

[Runejm]

Agree, but if you use the method I listed above, npx does not default back to broken behavior.

So @mryechkin might be right in saying that: it is not needed to install "create-react-app" globally. however I found this to be the only way to "clear" the faulty behavior.

[jestrickler]

@Runejm right, but you have to have the @latest installed globally, which you shouldn't with npx. If you run npm uninstall -g create-react-app it goes right back to 4.0.3 broken behavior.

[janhavi-ai]

run

npx create-react-app@5.0.0 app-name

During set-up I got the following error:

npm ERR! code ETARGET
npm ERR! notarget No matching version found for @babel/plugin-transform-react-jsx-development@^7.16.5.
npm ERR! notarget In most cases you or one of your dependencies are requesting
npm ERR! notarget a package version that doesn't exist.

[jestrickler]

Actually npx create-react-app@latest my-app works and should continue to work with a newer release..?

[Runejm]

@Runejm right, but you have to have the @latest installed globally, which you shouldn't with npx. If you run npm uninstall -g create-react-app it goes right back to 4.0.3 broken behavior.

Ahh, yeah that is correct.