Not able to use create-react-app 4.0.3

From a node:17-alpine Docker image:

/ # npx create-react-app@4.0.3 test
Need to install the following packages:
  create-react-app@4.0.3
Ok to proceed? (y) y
npm WARN deprecated tar@2.2.2: This version of tar is no longer supported, and will not receive security updates. Please upgrade asap.

You are running `create-react-app` 4.0.3, which is behind the latest release (5.0.1).

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

The latest instructions for creating a new app can be found here:
https://create-react-app.dev/docs/getting-started/

npm notice
npm notice New minor version of npm available! 8.5.5 -> 8.6.0
npm notice Changelog: https://github.com/npm/cli/releases/tag/v8.6.0
npm notice Run npm install -g npm@8.6.0 to update!
npm notice

It would be very handy to be able to use 4.0.3 while 5.0.X issues are worked out.

[testacode]

I had the same issue, the solution that worked for me is to clear the cache

npm cache clean --force  

but wait for it to clear, the clearing process will not show you a loading bar of cleaning, so you may think it is not responding and ( ctr c ) the process, I was doing that, Then try again

npx create-react-app projectName  

If still not working try

npx clear-npx-cache

then

npm cache clean --force  

This just installs the latest version which comes with latest react version (18), not suitable for me. I need version 17.

[dsv-sergey]

I had the same issue, the solution that worked for me is to clear the cache

npm cache clean --force  

but wait for it to clear, the clearing process will not show you a loading bar of cleaning, so you may think it is not responding and ( ctr c ) the process, I was doing that, Then try again

npx create-react-app projectName  

If still not working try

npx clear-npx-cache

then

npm cache clean --force  

This just installs the latest version which comes with latest react version (18), not suitable for me. I need version 17.

We created a custom template that needs react version 17, but CRA does not provide mechanisms to fix react and react-dom versions