The world of mobile app development is enormous. While the growing technology has brought everything to our fingertips, it has also made the lives of developers difficult. Today, there are numerous options available for mobile app developers that finding the right one could be a tough task. A majority of the global population uses smartphones of which some are Android while other iOS. An app creator often finds himself torn between the two--iOS or Android? Native apps for iOS & Android platforms have been popular & offer multiple benefits but can only enjoy a limited audience. For this reason (and many more), recently React Native has turned out to be a popular choice. In this blog post, we’ll explore everything you need to know about React Native apps, including features, comprehensive comparison with other technologies, and much more. Scroll down to know.
Powered by Facebook, React Native is an open-source mobile app development framework created as a follow-up to their extremely popular React web framework. It is used for cross-platform apps. This means that apps developed using this technology are compatible with both iOS & Android systems, unlike Native technology that is specifically designed for use by only one of two systems. While we had other cross-platform app development technologies as well before React Native, it’s the first to truly bridge the gap between native & hybrid apps. Let’s understand it better.
Features of React Native App
While there are many cross-platform or hybrid app development platforms, React Native sets itself apart with its excellent features that tend to distinguish the only drawback of hybrid apps in comparison to native apps. Native apps have enjoyed a special position for its friendly & powerful UX (User Experience) by integrating applications with the in-built features of host devices like notification, calendar, flashlight, location, etc. That’s why the coding for Native apps is unique to one platform (iOS or Android). React Native technology has changed the dimensions by making it possible for hybrid apps, too, to integrate with local features & deliver a native-like experience with a single coding for both platforms. Let’s dig in deep to better understand its features:
User Experience
The biggest drawback of cross-platform apps was that they could not provide the User Experience of a Native App. Native apps had the power to integrate your app with the host device features and create a user-friendly design that replicates the OS. React Native app bridged this gap by delivering a native-like User Experience to an app that compatible with multiple OS. It does not use web components for the purpose. It is built with native APIs independently & directly, and boats of high performance, quick load time, smooth navigation & aesthetic appeal.
Code Reusability
With React Native technology, we do not need to develop separate codes for different platforms (iOS or Android). It uses Javascript for both. This code reusability enhances the efficiency & speed of the development process, and also reduces cost. To achieve platform-specific milestones (like the difference in design implications for iOS and Android), you can use extensions that detect the device’s OS system & deliver desired results.
Secure Plugins
Being one of the most popular app development frameworks, React Native is advancing with more features every day. That said, you cannot find everything in it to suit specific business requirements. Thus, it is backed up with a huge library of secure extensions that you can deploy to tailor-make the application for your users. For instance, if you need to integrate your app with Google Maps, all you need to do is explore its library of third-party extensions and find the best one for yourself. It provides you with the flexibility to customize and make your app stand out of the crowd.
Time- and Cost-Effective
Developing Native apps can be both time-consuming & expensive as it would require a committed developer to code natively. For instance, iOS app development requires the knowledge of Objective-C, Swift, and Android needs Java. With React Native, instead of developing two separate codes, you could use one for multiple platforms and save both time & money.
Hot & Live Reloading
React Native supports live reloading and hot reloading. Live reloading automatically reloads the entire application once a change is made while hot reloading only reloads the specific area of change. This feature eases the development & testing process by allowing developers to track changes in real-time. This further justifies the previous point by making the app development faster, efficient & intuitive.
Community Support
React Native technology is used by some of the biggest brands like Facebook, Instagram, Walmart, Skype, Airbnb, Myntra and the list goes on. With so many badges, it goes without saying that the technology enjoys huge community support. The biggest benefit of strong community support is the aid available for developers. You can find libraries of relevant information to exploit for developing a React Native powered application.
Conclusion
React Native has powered some of the most popular global brands like Facebook, Airbnb, Walmart, Instagram, and many more. React Native is widely used and accepted, however, your choice of technology largely depends on your business idea. For instance, if you are planning to develop an Android ARTKit, then developing an Android-specific app would be the perfect solution.
Also, in React Native, the implementation of advanced features may require the help of native developers and can be challenging if you’re planning to take on the project with a small team. Nonetheless, the future of React Native is full of opportunities since the advantages seem to weigh over the disadvantages. It improves the speed of the development process and there are no two sides to the coin here. Also, as aforementioned, the response for React Native technology has been extraordinary as huge eCommerce and social networking giants vouch for its credibility & efficiency.
