React Native (RN) is a key cross-platform framework for a wide array of solutions.
It has been used to develop thousands of products, including names like Facebook and Instagram.
This article will cover everything you need to know about this framework and answer some FAQs.
We'll also get deep into its stand on React, Flutter and Swift. Let’s dive in!
What is React Native?
Released by Facebook in 2015, React Native (RN) is an open-source JavaScript (JS) framework.
It's specifically designed for natively-rendered cross-platform mobile and web app development.
The framework was built based on the React JS library, which we will look at later in this article.
React Native allows you to use the same codebase across different platforms, which saves time and money.
How does React Native work?
React Native relies on JavaScript to produce interfaces, as well as JXL, the JS syntax extension.
What's more, it covers JS and native threads with a "bridge" to connect products written in different languages.
What is React Native used for?
We mentioned Facebook and Instagram as examples of what React Native can do.
But what exactly is React Native used for?
This section will cover a handful of examples of RN in mobile development projects.
- Facebook. Facebook Ads was the first RN product. Built for Android, it was able to handle different currencies, date formats and time zones.
- Instagram. The social media platform started integrating React Native in 2016, with its Push notification view.
- Walmart. By rewriting its iOS and Android apps, 95% of Walmart's code is now written in RN with the same test suite in both OS.
- Bloomberg. In 2016, Bloomberg became an early React Native adopter, giving users personalized content according to interests and location.
- SoundCloud. The platform for music creators was developed with React Native to synchronize releases more easily.
Pros and Cons of React Native
Now that we’ve covered the React Native basics let's get into the nitty-gritty and look at its advantages and disadvantages.
Pros of React Native
- Code Reusability. Since it's cross-platform, devs don’t have to write code several times, as you would for dedicated development.
- Faster Development. React Native's hot reload feature also cuts dev time, reloading products instead of recompiling them.
- Cost Efficiency. With no need to hire separate teams for the different operating systems, companies can significantly reduce costs.
Cons of React Native
- Relatively Young. Since it was launched not long time ago, React Native still has some issues that are being addressed with multiple upgrades and releases.
- Native Development. React Native’s cross-platform advantage also still requires native developers since it doesn't replace JS or native code.
- Compatibility and Debugging. As RN is still a young tech piece, teams might run into some compatibility and debugging issues.
Comparing React Native
React Native vs React
Also known as ReactJS or React.JS, React is an open-source front-end JS library used to build user interfaces for the web.
While created by Facebook for internal use, it was released to the world in 2013.
On the other hand, React Native is an open-source, cross-platform framework built on top of ReactJS and released 2015.
Given that people often think of React as a framework, it is sometimes mixed up with React Native.
However related React Native vs. React may be, they serve entirely different development purposes.
While React is used to create web interfaces, React Native is used for developing native mobile apps.
React Native vs Flutter
Flutter is another cross-platform framework, this time developed by Google.
According to StackOverflow, Flutter, and React Native are pretty close in popularity.
To sum it up, they're the two top contenders in the cross-platform framework category.
There is no straightforward answer if you are wondering which one is better, it all comes down to the specific project.
Let’s take a look at what sets the Flutter vs React Native apart.
- Language. React Native works with JavaScript, while Flutter uses Dart, making RN more accessible to learn and use.
- Performance. This point goes to Flutter, which can show quite a performance improvement over React Native.
- Interface. While Flutter uses custom widgets to build interfaces, React Native uses native interface controllers.
- Community. As RN is more established, it has better community support than Flutter.
React Native vs Swift
Across dev-driven circles, a question often arise.
Can React Native truly replace Swift for iOS development?
We can’t predict the future, but it's unlikely that React Native will replace Swift.
RN can be easier to use and learn than Swift, yet being specialized iOS language gives Swift more than a fighting chance.
Although Android holds almost two-thirds of the market share, there are more apps available for iOS devices.
Moreover, as native development, Swift offers better performance than React Native.
Conclusion
React Native is, without a doubt, a fantastic cross-platform framework to work with.
It reduces development costs and your product’s time-to-market.
Not to mention, it has an incredible community behind it!
Ready to build cross-platform disruptive solutions? Reach out!
