What is React Native?

Introduction

Let's answer the question What is react native? React Native is a well-liked JavaScript-based mobile app framework that enables you to create natively rendered mobile apps for iOS and Android. Using the same codebase, the framework enables you to develop an application for a variety of platforms. It is based on React and brings all of its splendour to the creation of mobile apps.

In 2015, Facebook originally made React Native available as an open-source project. It rose to the top of the list of tools used for mobile development in just a few short years. Some of the most popular mobile applications in the world, including Instagram, Facebook, and Skype, are powered by React Native development. In this post, we go into further detail about these and What is react native.

React Native's widespread popularity can be attributed to several factors. The first benefit of utilising React Native is that businesses only need to write one line of code for powering both their Android and iOS apps. This results in substantial savings in resources and time.

Second, when the React native framework was introduced, it was based on React, a JavaScript library that had already achieved enormous popularity. Thirdly, the framework allowed frontend developers to build sophisticated, production-ready applications for mobile devices instead of being limited to working with technologies based on the web.

Features of React Native

After talking about the React Native-built goods, let's move on to the benefits What is react native and the reasons you should use it to create your mobile application.

• Cross-Platform Development: Reusing code is React Native's largest benefit because it shows that apps can operate well across several platforms, something owners of products genuinely value. Ninety per cent of the React Native framework may be integrated, allowing them to reuse the same code for both operating systems. Another fantastic feature is that if both projects utilise React Native, it is feasible to leverage the web app source code for mobile app development. Additionally, because it uses pre-developed components, which are also included in the open-source library, development time is sped up.
• Large Developer Community: React Native is a free and open-source JavaScript framework that enables programmers to add their expertise to the framework's development. Any developer who runs into issues while working on an app may seek assistance from the community (as of mid-2020, there were approximately 50,000 people contributing to the Stack Overflow category for React Native). There will continually be someone who can assist them in finding solutions to their problems.
• Cost Efficiency: Greater cost-effectiveness is a benefit of React Native development. This is because programmers may create programs for both iOS and Android using the same code, as was already noted. It means that a small team will be sufficient to complete your project rather than needing to employ separate iOS and Android development teams. React Native app development is significantly less expensive than producing apps in other programming languages that don't support cross-platform development.
• Fast Refresh: Developers may use the application while installing new updates and making UI changes thanks to fast refresh. The developer is saved from having to completely rebuild the software because changes take effect right away. Because they don't lose any current state while introducing changes into the software, programmers are more productive and save time on the compilation as a result.
• Simple UI: React Native development builds the app's UI using React JavaScript, thereby making it more responsive and quick with less load time, improving the user experience overall. The framework is ideal for creating apps with both straightforward and intricate designs because of its component-based design philosophy and reactive user interface.
• Fast Applications: React Native code, according to some, can negatively impact an app's performance. The speed difference between JavaScript and native code is negligible to the human eye.
• Future-Proof: React Native's future for cross-platform apps appears promising given how quickly the framework dominated the market and how easily it handles development issues. Although it has certain drawbacks, which we'll explore in the following section, its quick growth and ease of use make up for them.

Advantages of React Native

Let's understand What is react native by discussing the advantages of react native:

• Code Reusability: The largest and most compelling benefit of React Native is its ability to create effectively for several platforms at once. Other advantages of using a single code base across various platforms include quicker app development and speed to market, simpler and less expensive maintenance (you just have to worry about one code base instead of many), and easier onboarding for new engineers. If both utilise React Native, the same code may potentially be used for online and mobile applications.
• Hot Reloading: Developers may view changes to their code in real time without having to refresh anything thanks to the hot reloading capability. Because it gives developers immediate feedback on any changes made to the code, this ostensibly tiny change may significantly enhance the development process and increase productivity. Furthermore, it is possible to speed up entire compilations by just reloading particular sections of the code.
• Performance: React Native's "bridge" idea is considered to be groundbreaking when compared to existing cross-platform development approaches. React Native apps are faster than web-based cross-platform solutions since they may use natively developed code. React Native's explicit claim is that it provides "native-like" performance, however, this is not always the case; the more accurate description is "near-native" performance.
• Cost Efficiency: Cross-platform programming is mostly done for cost-effectiveness. You often require a smaller team to complete the project because code may be reused across numerous platforms. Unlike native development, which requires two distinct teams to provide essentially two equivalent operational solutions as opposed to one.
• Growing Developer Community: As of right now, the community behind the open-source framework React Native is thriving and growing. Facebook's involvement is important to note because they are always trying to expand the framework and enhance it. This implies that even if you run across a problem that React Native hasn't yet addressed, you can discover a group of individuals willing to assist you because they care about making the framework more robust and reliable.
• Constantly Evolving: React Native is a relatively young framework that has grown in acceptance among consumers. This indicates that it is always changing and getting better and that fresh additions and upgrades are frequently made. We may anticipate seeing approaches to create apps that are quicker and more effective. It's a fantastic option for the quick-paced mobile app development sector because of the vibrant environment.

Limitations of React Native

Let's understand What is react native by discussing the limitations of react native:

• A Recently Developed Technology: React Native is still a young technology, and as we just discussed, it undoubtedly has certain drawbacks, kinks, and problems that need to be fixed. Because certain custom modules are missing from the framework, it could take developers longer to construct and design brand-new ones from scratch. During the app evaluation phase, your partner business or the programmers should let you be aware of this.
• The Need for Native Mobile Developers: React Native's most advantageous feature—implementing native code for improved performance—means that occasionally React Native developers may require assistance from native mobile app developers. The same applies to the app's publication on the Google Play Store and AppStore. Native mobile developers typically have a better understanding of the process and supporting documentation for a successful launch.
• Complex Designs and Interactions Don't Work Well with React Native: When faced with challenging UI design considerations, intricate animations, and intensive interactions, React Native's performance is pitiful. This is due to the bridge notion once more; all native modules must connect with the JavaScript portion of the app, and too many of these interactions may cause the programme to become sluggish and unusable.
• Reliance on Facebook: Utilising open-source technology from a third party has drawbacks all on its own. Facebook's decision to stop utilising the technology might lead to others stopping as well. Nothing implies this turn of events as of yet, although Facebook uses React Native in the main Facebook app, as well as in Instagram, Facebook Analytics, and the Ads Manager app. The community surrounding the framework is continually growing, and more significant businesses are entering the fray.
• Near-native Performance Remains Inferior to Native Performance: Although we've spoken about how React Native's speed is better than other cross-platform options, it is still somewhat slower than developing native apps. It is advisable to address React Native's effect on your app's performance with the developers on your team. For the vast majority of apps, it is a negligible uptick, hardly apparent, but it may become more pronounced if the app is handling a lot of data or "bridges".

Companies Using React Native

• Facebook: Without Facebook, React Native's original author, the list of firms that use it would be lacking. They wanted to bring the advantages of web development—rapid iterations, a single team working on the whole project—to mobile. The Facebook team described how they started by converting just one element from HTML to React Native and were able to double the startup speed. Because the enhancements were made at the framework straight, the app would instantly get advantages when upgrading to the most recent React Native version.
• Instagram: React Native is used by more than only Facebook's iOS and Android apps. Instagram began experimenting with React Native in 2016, and in a blog post, they stated that it enables their product teams to release features more quickly on both the iOS and Android platforms. They also disclosed the proportion of code that was shared throughout the applications, which was done to increase developer productivity.
• Walmart: A series of supermarkets are run by the American multinational retailer Walmart. Their app provides product search, in-store pricing comparison, and online buying. Currently, React Native is used to write 95% of the code used in their app.
• Bloomberg: When Bloomberg released the first iteration of their new app in 2016, they hopped on the React Native bandwagon fairly early. Users of the Bloomberg app get access to tailored news representing a certain time of day in addition to material that is localised for them. It soon evolved into a business transition with ambitions to use React Native in further Bloomberg products.
• Tesla: Tesla provides very little information on their decision to use React Native. For all Tesla vehicles, the app acts as an assistant and travelling companion. The app lets users operate and monitor practically all Tesla functions, including the charger, panoramic roof, lights, locks and horn, and it syncs with both Android and iOS smartphones.
• Shopify: Shopify recently declared React Native to be the company's mobile future, claiming it will help improve and enhance the app experience on both iOS and Android platforms. To support their efforts and contribute to the creation of a thorough cross-platform mobile experience, they also collaborated with Facebook and are funding prominent members of the React Native community.