React Native Framework: Why It’s Commonly Used For App Development

You might be familiar with Swift for developing iOS apps or Java/Kotlin for Android. Learning multiple languages to build native apps can become cumbersome and unreasonable today when many technologies and frameworks are available.

Another popular name that has thus emerged in the app development field is React Native, a light frame framework based on Javascript. It was introduced in 2013 and made open source to the public in 2015 by Facebook. It has become a hit amongst app developers, and React App Development has become a sought-after skill for people looking to develop apps for their companies or businesses.

The best part about React Native framework is that you can make iOS and Android apps using components from the popular Facebook Library React without having to write native platform codes separately. It follows the learn once, write anywhere principle. This helps to deliver a remarkable user experience and is extremely cross-functional. React Native framework has been adopted by giants across industries like Facebook, Instagram, Uber, Airbnb, and quite a few more to develop their apps.

It is evident then that having knowledge about React Native app development is essential if you want to improve your app quality and use the latest technologies to improve your business ventures!

React Native app development — Did you know?

• It can save up to 90% of the time taken to write the code for the native platforms separately
• It’s open source, meaning anyone can view its code and help
• Along with almost the same UI in both Android and iOS, it also gives similar performance as compared to native apps
• React Native is entirely compatible with SEO too!
• More than 6,000,000 developers still use React Native, according to GitHub.

How does React Native work?

React Native App Development uses a single codebase of Javascript and the React library to develop mobile applications. You do not need to know Java or Swift. The coding is done in Javascript, Typescript, and JSX and is 100% reusable.

The primary functioning of how React Native works is with the help of two threads that work simultaneously with each other: main and javascript. These two are asynchronous and never communicate directly with each other.

The Main thread is responsible for handling the user interface and the processes inputted by the user.

The Javascript thread handles the backend, processes these requests, and controls the app’s overall functionality and design.

An essential component that helps in this interaction is the Bridge. The Native Bridge helps communication from the Native code to the Javascript code and vice-versa. Without this, developing applications would have been impossible. Its asynchronous, serializable, and takes messages in batches, avoiding conflict.

Run react-native run-ios on the command line for an iOS view on the stimulator, or react-native run-android for an Android view. React Native App Development’s biggest strength is that the same code can be used for both platforms as it’s not platform specific.

You can also debug it easily with the help of Chrome Developer Tools, which runs the Javascript on the browser instead of the device, making debugging easier.

Pros of React Native

1. Code reusability up to 90%

You do not need to write different codes for iOS and Android, and almost 90% of the code can be reused for both. This thus reduces the development time, puts the product on the market quicker, and requires less effort from the developers.

2. Live reloading

One of the most significant changes of React Native is that you can automatically see the updates when there is a change in the code. Developers can work in real-time, making this process more efficient and debugging easier as the changes are automatically reflected.

3. Native app-like experience

The UI is entirely based on the native components ( combined with Javascript, of course). This gives it a 100% feel of a native app, and it’s hard to differentiate between them. Also, since the codebase for iOS and Android is the same, the feel of the app is quite similar across both these platforms.

4. Cost efficient

It helps to save tons of money during the app development process, as you do not have to hire two separate teams for the different platforms. A single team can be used for both platforms. Third-party plugins are also inherently available, which increases their functionality and efficiency.

5. Strong developer community

React Native is open source and is also backed by Facebook engineers. The developers working on it keep it continuously updated, help each other out, and the community is thus highly active and supportive, making React Native better daily!

Cons of React Native

1. Incompatibility with O/S and lagged updates

Google and Apple continuously work on their O/S and develop new features to improve them. These might not work with React Native unless someone in the community creates a method to work with them. E.g., Face ID.

It’s also not compatible with the older operating systems. Updating a React Native app is also a complicated process.

2. Complex designs not feasible

React Native App development does not support complicated designs and advanced functionalities. It affects the Bridge significantly, and the performance is considerably lowered. Since some advanced features for which there is no substitute have to be created with Java/Swift/Objective-C, these also require additional knowledge of native developers. Otherwise, the app’s performance can be affected deeply.

When to choose React Native framework?

1. When you want to develop apps for both platforms, iOS, and Android
2. When you want to cut down on costs and reduce team size
3. When your developers have already worked with Javascript and are confident with it
4. When you also have an existing web app, you might be able to reuse the code due to similar React components
5. You want to deliver an agile and responsive app that enhances the user experience with live updates

When not to choose React Native framework?

1. When you have a complicated architecture or heavy computation, Javascript is not ready for handling so much on the backend.
2. When you want exceptional functionalities and error-free UI on a single platform, and you want to develop an app for a specific purpose and platform.
3. If your app relies heavily on third-party resources, these can get outdated easily, considering how often React Native is updated.

Why does React Native app development with Markovate make for a wise choice?

Being a react native app development company, Markovate has a team of experienced React Native app developers ready to cater to your every need; from modifying an already made React Native app or making one from scratch, we provide wide-ranging services to help your business skyrocket. Our developers are here to create whatever you need using the latest technology, such as SQL, JSON, XML, or just plain HTML, CSS, and JS.

Our goal is to provide react native app development services to create a highly functional, cross-functional app that uses the latest technology to give the best performance. We understand our client and their needs thoroughly and follow a full process from ideation to the launch and maintenance of the app. Markovate can help you and your business create excellent applications with a fantastic UI, tremendous performance, and seamless collaboration!

FAQs

1. Which type of apps can be developed in React Native?

IOS and Android apps are developed using React Native, from e-commerce to social media to lifestyle.

2. Which popular companies use React Native programming language?

Famous companies such as Instagram, Walmart, Facebook, SoundCloud, and many others use React Native App development.

3. Which language is used in React Native?

React Native is based on Javascript language, which is also used in web development

4. Will React Native replace native?

Even though React Native is extremely popular and promising, it does have some limitations on performance and functionalities, which can be overcome with native app development.

Originally published at https://markovate.com on August 10, 2022.