The create-react-app imports restriction outside of src directory

The package react-app-rewired can be used to remove the plugin. This way you do not have to eject.

Follow the steps on the npm package page (install the package and flip the calls in the package.json file) and use a config-overrides.js file similar to this one:

const ModuleScopePlugin = require('react-dev-utils/ModuleScopePlugin');

module.exports = function override(config, env) {
    config.resolve.plugins = config.resolve.plugins.filter(plugin => !(plugin instanceof ModuleScopePlugin));

    return config;
};

This will remove the ModuleScopePlugin from the used WebPack plugins, but leave the rest as it was and removes the necessity to eject.

Remove it using Craco:

module.exports = {
  webpack: {
    configure: webpackConfig => {
      const scopePluginIndex = webpackConfig.resolve.plugins.findIndex(
        ({ constructor }) => constructor && constructor.name === 'ModuleScopePlugin'
      );

      webpackConfig.resolve.plugins.splice(scopePluginIndex, 1);
      return webpackConfig;
    }
  }
};

This is special restriction added by developers of create-react-app. It is implemented in ModuleScopePlugin to ensure files reside in src/. That plugin ensures that relative imports from app's source directory don't reach outside of it.

There is no official way to disable this feature except using eject and modify webpack config.

But, most features and its updates are hidden into the internals of create-react-app system. If you make eject you will have no more new features and its update. So if you are not ready to manage and configure application included to configure webpack and so on - do not do eject operation.

Play by the existing rules - move assets to src or use based on public folder url without import.

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However instead of eject there are much unofficial solutions, based on rewire which allows you to programmatically modify the webpack config without eject. But removing the ModuleScopePlugin plugin is not good - this loses some protection and does not adds some features available in src. ModuleScopePlugin is designed to support multiple folders.

The better way is to add fully working additional directories similar to src also protected by ModuleScopePlugin. This can be done using react-app-alias

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Anyway do not import from public folder - that will be duplicated in the build folder and will be available by two different url (and with different ways to load), which ultimately worsen the package download size.

Importing from the src folder is preferable and has advantages. Everything will be packed by webpack to the bundle with chunks optimal size and for best loading efficiency.