The benefits of using React Native for your startup.
We often read about native developers making the transition to React Native, but what does it mean for a company as a whole?
Disclaimer: I am the co-founder of App and Flow, a digital agency from Montreal focusing on Reactjs/React Native development.
Yep, this is another article praising React Native. As many others who were iOS or/and Android developers when React Native was unveiled, I wasn’t too excited about the announcement. “Great, another Ionic/PhoneGap…” But of course, Janic Duplessis, App and Flow’s co-founder, was. Not only was he toying with it, he also began contributing and is now part of the Core Contributors group. So after a couple of months of hearing him constantly talk about React Native on Discord (their mobile app is built with React Native! More here -> Discord on React Native), I finally decided to give it a try.
Boy did I love it. But this article is not about a developer who fell in love with React Native, it is about the benefits you and your company gain by using it.
At App & Flow, we have the chance to work with startups and act as their technical team or as an extension of it. We build MVP’s, we jump on board with existing teams to accelerate the development of their product or we create full fledged products from start to finish. Our only goal is to make great software and help making the team we are working with and it’s product successful. React Native allows us to offer clients an application that will target both Android and iOS and use native UI components while bringing down the cost by about ~40% of what it would be if we went the native Android/iOS way.
Facebook’s approach with React is simple: “learn once, write anywhere.”. Not only will your team be able to focus on one codebase for the mobile application, but after a little while they will also be comfortable handling the front end side of the web application built with Reactjs if you have/ever decide to have one, or a desktop application using Electron! There definitely is a learning curve when transitioning from native iOS development using Swift/Objective C to React Native (I’m sure it is the same way for Android developers), but when taking the opportunity cost in consideration it is a no brainer in terms of both development and financial efficiency.
But rest assured, you or your team didn’t waste any time learning Android and iOS development. It is very useful to have this knowledge when working with React Native, because sometimes you might want to use some native functionalities that are not yet implemented. However, this is a pain point that the team at Expo.io is solving. (Another disclaimer: we are actively working with their team) By using Expo, you are able to build an application just as you would using vanilla React Native, but without having to open XCode or Android Studio. That means your team can focus on Javascript and only Javascript, no messing around with native modules. The team is constantly adding in new features and modules but if you notice that an important one is missing feel free to send the team a heads up @ support@expo.io. Oh also, if you want to try it out, just visit https://snack.expo.io/ (Edit: Expo Sketch became Expo snack) and have fun :D
So, you made it this far and feel like React Native would have been a great choice, but you initially decided to go the native iOS/Android way or you even started your project before it was open sourced. Well once again, it isn’t too late! AirbnbEng has recently shipped new features built with React Native in their two native applications. Instead of maintaining these new features both in the Android and iOS codebase, or if they want to add in new features, they will only have to write the code once. More information can be found here -> https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/communication-ios.html
One last little thing, in the near future when we will all live with a Rift strapped to our faces (or your headset of choice), you’ll want to build VR experiences. Well, you’ll already have it covered with React VR -> https://facebook.github.io/react-vr/
Have a great day!!
