Why React Native Is a Game Changer for Mobile App Development

(Source: React Native)

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As the world of mobile apps expands beyond comprehension, demand for faster and better apps rises, which is where React Native comes in.

In the first part of our blog series, we discussed the differences between React Native and Flutter. In part two of our React Native blog series, we focus on why React Native is a game-changer in the mobile app development industry.

On the one hand, businesses want apps that perform flawlessly and are attractive to the eye. But, on the other hand, businesses need apps that are faster to deploy and take less time in developing.

These two requirements are often in competition with each other – because high performance comes with native apps that take time to develop, and faster deployment comes with cross-platform apps that compromise on performance.

What is React Native?

React Native is an open-source JavaScript library for building native apps with JavaScript. Similar to React, React Native is a library for building user interfaces using JavaScript. So, technically, React Native is a JS library used for building apps developed in JavaScript rather than Java.

React Native enables the development of applications that use JavaScript to interact with Native APIs. It is entirely possible to integrate React Native into applications developed using Java. React Native works on both iOS and Android, but for this article, we’re focusing specifically on why React Native is a game-changer for mobile app development.

How React Native Works

React Native uses a combination of JavaScript and native Android and iOS programming. The benefits of this combination can be seen clearly in the first feature of React Native – performance. The promise of native apps is clear – they perform better than apps that are written in JavaScript.

With React Native, you’re able to harness the power of native tools and still build cutting-edge apps that work without compromising on performance. React Native can help convert your legacy apps into native ones.

React Native’s Impact on Mobile App Development

React Native takes an app and combines it with web technology to make it faster and thus faster to develop as well. This allows developers to develop mobile apps that can seamlessly run on both iOS and Android devices. This cross-platform support is of immense value to companies that don’t want to abandon one platform and migrate to another as there are no specific guidelines to follow.

For example, the main benefits of React Native could be seen in the following app, Facebook. React Native was first made available for Facebook’s platforms with React Native Kit (a.k.a. “Native Kit”), which allowed developers to create mobile apps using only web technologies.

The Popularity of React Native in the Market

React Native is continuing to rise in popularity – seen as a convenient and reliable solution for building cross-platform mobile apps with less strain on your budget. But how popular is React Native, exactly?

According to the statistics shown, 14.85% of the top 500 apps in the US are built with React Native.

Why React Native Is a Game Changer

To help organisations break through the technological and traditional thinking barriers, React Native gives organisations an edge over the competition with their mobile apps.

With React Native, software developers get their hands on some of the most advanced techniques in software development that haven't been used on a mobile platform before. These techniques help create highly-polished mobile apps that are fast to deploy and achieve remarkable performance.

Reasons Why React Native is Best for Mobile App Development

1. Cross-Platform Code Iteration

Making your mobile app compatible with different platforms can be challenging. To do so sometimes ends up with having to develop different versions of the same app for different platforms – resulting in writing code in multiple languages.

React Native makes the task non-repetitive. One piece of code can be used for multiple platforms, and so only one code is needed to test and run mobile apps.

2. Community Driven

Community is essential in maintaining and developing the structure of app development platforms. The React Native community started as a hackathon back in 2013 to create an advertising platform. And after its success, Facebook released it for the general public, just for iOS and then made it available for Android and other platforms.

Like GitHub and other open source communities, JavaScript enthusiasts continue to add components to the repository that React Native developers worldwide can use.

3. Better Development Experience

React Native derives most of its capabilities from React, a development technology designed for building web-based one-page apps. Therefore, debugging and error-handling features first available for Chrome and Safari are also available within React Native.

React Native developers can use the popular ReactJS UI (User Interface) library from Facebook, which was originally developed for web applications and can be useful for mobile app development too.

4. Faster App Updates

Update releases are typically a lengthy process. Often, you need to submit the change to the relevant app stores (like the Google Play or Apple App Store) and then have users manually update the apps.

The React Native platform handles the routine updates of your mobile app via OTA (Over the air). Using the Publish feature, you can send updates directly to Amazon S3, and the update asynchronously downloads to users’ devices.

5. Simplified UI

Creating a UI that works seamlessly on all mobile devices is a big challenge when designing a cross-platform mobile app. This is exactly where React Native proves to be a huge asset.

Unlike JavaScript frameworks like AngularJS and MeteorJS, the JavaScript in React Native helps developers build a smooth and efficient UI.

6. Easier Readability

The decorative style of code means easier readability. Every function is explicitly named and declared, making it easier for the developer.

By even just glancing at the code, you can easily understand what it is going to achieve for you rather than having to figure it out yourself.

7. Performance

React Native gives you 60 frames per second, according to Facebook. Therefore, this enables mobile app developments to function smoothly across iOS and Android devices.

Unlike other native web development platforms that rely on the power of the CPU (Central Processing Unit), the React Native architecture is specifically designed for building apps for mobile devices.

Getting Started With React Native

In the next part of our React Native blog series, we’ll be discussing the process of getting started with React Native. Whether you’re a business looking to invest in your new mobile app or a soon-to-be developer becoming familiar with the React Native platform, learning the essentials of React Native will be nothing short of beneficial.

If you’re looking to develop a responsive mobile app, React Native is the platform to rely on. But more than having the right platform, the right React Native developer will make the process seamless.

We’re an app development agency based in Queenstown, specialising in the React Native platform. Contact us today to discuss your next React Native app development.