React Native Component Libraries: Accelerate Your Development
Choose the right library to help you build beautiful mobile apps
Introduction
Sometimes, depending on how much time you have to deliver a project, you want to be as efficient as possible to achieve the desired estimations. Having a proper team structure is key, but relying on third-party component libraries can be highly beneficial. These libraries provide different components out of the box, so you just need to care about the functionality and not the style. Here, you can find a comparison of the most used!
Comparison Table (as of February 2024)
Who doesn’t like a comparison table? Below, you will find an overview of the most commonly used component libraries for React Native, along with some statistics that will help you make a decision much more easily.
Please note that these numbers might vary depending on when you read this article, but they can give you a glimpse of what to expect.
1. react-native-elements
react-native-elements is probably the most used and well-maintained components library available for React Native. It has been around for as long as I can remember (I started my React Native journey in 2017) and I’ve used it on multiple projects. It can be used with Expo, has excellent web support for building universal apps, supports theming, and boasts a useful VSCode extension to make your coding experience easier and faster.
2. gluestack-ui
gluestack-ui (formerly known as NativeBase) is one of the most widely used component libraries out there. The team behind it has done incredible work rewriting and rebuilding the old NativeBase library to address performance and maintainability issues. You can read more about this migration here.
Although it is relatively new compared to its predecessor, you can expect a great team supporting it. It features a modern look, compatibility with Expo, web support, theming, and much more. Similar to the previous library, you can install a VSCode extension from the marketplace to assist you in autocompleting your code.
3. react-native-paper
react-native-paper brings Android’s Material Design to both Android and iOS, providing high-quality components that make your app look and feel native, as the team has covered most interactions and gestures.
If Material Design is not to your liking, this might not be the library you are looking for. However, if you are inclined towards this design system, you will be choosing a great library. react-native-paper can be used with Expo, offers web support, theming, accessibility, RTL support, and a variety of additional features.
4. react-native-ui-kitten
react-native-ui-kitten is the pet you didn’t know you needed. Based on the Eva Design System specification, widely known and used on the web, it offers high-quality components that will help you save development time while providing a smooth app experience.
You can switch themes at runtime without changing the source code of the components. It also boasts browser support, allowing you to create universal apps, RTL support, and a host of other features.
5. Tamagui
Tamagui may not be as well-known as the previous libraries, but it offers a complete suite of tools and components that unify React Native and the web.
Thanks to its multi-faceted optimising compiler, you can quickly make apps responsive on any device. It is also automatically fast, thanks to its partial evaluation, tree flattening, hoisting, and dead-code elimination. Additionally, you can create universal animations that work seamlessly on both React Native and the web. It makes creating universal apps as smooth as butter!
6. react-native-ui-lib
react-native-ui-lib is the least starred but the most extensive components library in this article, offering over 60 components for you to use in creating beautiful apps.
In contrast to the previous libraries, there is no mention of web support in the documentation, so this might not be the best choice if you intend to create universal apps. However, if your focus is solely on iOS and Android, you will find a great cross-platform library that supports accessibility out-of-the-box, RTL, theming, and a bunch of other cool stuff.
Conclusion
Whether you choose a component library to speed up your development, or go the classic way and define the components yourself, your choice is always dependent on the project you are tackling, which will determine the path you want to take.
If you want to build something quickly and easily, and you don’t depend on clients or a design team to make decisions, any of the libraries mentioned in this article will help you achieve your goals.
On the other hand, if you need to create a specific UI where everything needs to be pixel-perfect in accordance with a Figma file, styling and customising these libraries might be as tedious and complex as creating the components yourself, so choose wisely.
