Create React App is a widely used tool for setting up a React application, offering support for essential features like JSX, ES6, and a development server with just three dependencies: react, react-dom, and react-scripts. This tool simplifies the creation of a React app by generating an initial project structure and managing numerous dependencies through react-scripts, which handles configurations such as Babel, ESLint, and Webpack. Users can upgrade dependencies easily, set up custom linting rules with ESLint and Prettier, and configure environment variables that begin with REACT_APP_. The tool allows for proxy configuration for server requests, and service workers can be managed for progressive web app features. Testing is facilitated through Jest, with coverage reports available, while deployment involves building a production version that can be served on various platforms. Although Create React App is highly popular, alternative frameworks like Gatsby and Next.js may suit specific project needs better, and users can opt to "eject" the app for more customizable configurations, although this action is irreversible.