React is an open-source JavaScript library renowned for its simplicity and performance in creating interactive user interfaces, widely adopted by developers and companies. The tutorial provides a step-by-step guide on automating the deployment of a React application to Microsoft Azure Web Apps using a continuous deployment pipeline with CircleCI. It involves setting up a basic React application that fetches data from JSONPlaceholder, deploying it locally using Azure CLI, and establishing a CI/CD pipeline for automated deployment. Essential tools and accounts include Node.js, GitHub, CircleCI, and Azure, with additional steps to configure Azure web app services and CircleCI for streamlined deployment. The tutorial emphasizes the automation benefits, such as reducing human error and enhancing development efficiency, and offers a comprehensive approach to deploying React applications in a professional environment.