Every year, React development continues to evolve as new tools, frameworks, libraries, and methodologies emerge to give more modern approaches to development and programming. In 2025, we can expect there to be even more improvements that make a developer's life more streamlined and more manageable. Building modern React apps requires more than just developing functional components. Developers also need to make the best of the most up-to-date technologies if they want to guarantee that their apps are scalable, high-performance, open source and maintainable for other developers to work on.
Build tools like Bun and Vite can significantly improve this process for developers as data fetching and server-side rendering become far more straightforward. The current React ecosystem offers numerous opportunities and strategies for optimal workflows and outstanding user experiences.
This guide will give you an overview of some of the essential tools and tech stacks for building modern React apps in 2025. Whether you're an experienced developer or a beginner, you can use these tools to create a roadmap for success in your ventures.
Design
Every project needs a design before it can be built. Figma is by far one of the best design tools for creating cross-platform applications on desktop, mobile, and other platforms. Its extensive library of plugins, which can be used for code, no-code, and even AI, makes it the design app of choice for designers and developers.
Websites
Programming language
In 2025, TypeScript is likely to become even more essential than it already was back in 2024. If you want to write modern React applications, then learn JavaScript first and then switch to writing TypeScript. You get better tooling and type safety for your codebase.
Websites
Code editors/IDE
This is where the magic happens: our code editors/IDEs let us turn our dreams into reality. These days, it is common practice to use AI-assisted workflows. Cursor and Windsurf are two popular modern tools based on VS Code. VS Code has long been established in the industry and can now be used with a free version of GitHub Copilot, which levels the playing field.
Websites
Cursor
Windsurf
VS Code + GitHub Copilot
Frameworks/libraries
The React ecosystem offers plenty of frameworks and libraries. Astro gained popularity in 2024 and is likely to rise even higher in 2025. Tanstack Start is another framework that is on the rise and worth noting. Next, Remix and Vite are established, so any of them are good choices for your projects.
Websites
Astro
Next.js
Remix
Vite
Tanstack Start
Style management
Tailwind CSS continues to be the most popular CSS framework, and many of the style management frameworks on this list also use Tailwind.
Websites
Tailwind CSS
shadcn/ui
NextUI
Material UI
DaisyUI
Park UI
Aceternity UI
State management
The Context API in React is already quite powerful, but if you want even more choices with better customisation, then these are right up there with the best you can find right now.
Websites
TanStack Query
Zustand
Jotai
Context API
Animation libraries
Animations libraries bring your project to life; these libraries have been around for a while and get used all the time, so they are worth taking a look at.
Websites
Framer Motion
React Spring
GSAP (GreenSock)
Remotion
Anime.js
Forms
React Hook Form is the most popular React form library for when you want to use a pre-made solution instead of writing all of the code yourself from scratch. TanStack Form is a new contender on the market. It is part of the popular TanStack suite of tools that most developers use and know about.
Websites
Tables
TanStack Table is the most popular React table library available, so if you want to build robust tables in your applications, then this is the library to go for.
Websites
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