It is a sure-fire way for your business to take advantage of this explosive growth by building a mobile app. While the requirements vary from business to business, a user-friendly, economical mobile app development framework that is compatible with both iOS and Android platforms is always a good choice.
Within this blog post, we will look at a development solution that has proven to be very efficient and effective- React Native, and why it is an ideal framework for developing business mobile apps.
Let’s get started!
What is React Native?
A popular open source framework for building mobile applications, React Native was launched by Facebook in 2015. Cross-platform mobile applications with native capabilities can be developed using JavaScript. This allows you to develop natively-rendered mobile apps simultaneously for iOS and Android.
The capability behind React Native has made it one of the most popular app development frameworks in the industry. In the Stack Overflow Survey 2021, 58.08% of developers reported that they preferred to work with React Native last year and would continue to do so moving forward.
Why Choose React Native?
JavaScript is the primary technology behind React Native, which is a web development platform. As a result, JavaScript developers are able to easily develop mobile apps using React Native. Additionally, this saves developers from having to learn complex programming languages like Objective-C and Java in order to develop apps.
Additionally, JavaScript components are built on iOS and Android components, so developers don't have to create the same app again for another platform. The React Native mobile app development framework is a great tool for businesses that want to save time, effort, and money.
How does React Native work?
React Native Works on Three Threads-
UI Thread- The main application thread that has access to the UI of the application
Shadow Thread- The thread that calculates the layout of the application using the React library in the background
JavaScript Thread- Execution thread in which React (JavaScript) code is executed The first thing that's done is to create a layout using the JavaScript thread. This layout calculation is then offloaded to the shadow thread, which builds a tree of this layout with the help of a layout engine called Yoga.
In order to communicate between the two threads, React Native uses a bridge, which serializes the data in JSON and transfers it to the UI thread once yoga has rendered the markup. Afterward, the main thread renders the UI after the data has been deserialized and Completes the mapping between the browser and React Native.
Benefits of Development in React Native
There are several benefits to using React Native when developing mobile apps.
1) Saves Time and Money
Approximately 95% of the code is cross-platform, which means it runs on both Android and iOS, so developers only need to build one app and end up with two apps. As a result, we save time in development, which in turn saves us a lot of money that we would have spent on constructing separate apps. Businesses can have both apps built at the same time by using React Native, which costs about half of what it would to build just one.
Due to the costs involved in developing two separate apps, companies no longer have to decide which version to build and launch first. Additionally, maintenance and updates are performed on both apps simultaneously, so once both apps are built and launched, future costs are reduced.
2) Great Performance
A React Native app performs nearly identically to a native app that was developed for the specific iOS or Android platform. React Native apps are also very fast since they are written using mobile-optimized software. React Native apps take advantage of the graphics processing unit (GPU) rather than the central processing unit (CPU). Cross-platform hybrid technologies are slower compared to React Native apps.
3) Increased Flexibility
As a result of the interface used in React Native, it is easy for developers on a team to pick up where someone else left off and continue building. Team flexibility therefore increases, as does the ease of updating and upgrading the mobile app. Testers are also able to create testing scenarios much more easily because of this. Furthermore, these advantages contribute to saving time and money as well.
4) Moveable
In the future, app developers are not required to start over in order to migrate the application to another framework. Using Android Studio or Xcode, app developers can export the React Native app and move it there. React Native is incredibly flexible and adds to its benefits for mobile app development.
5) Immediately View Changes
In React Native, there is a feature known as "live reloading" or "hot reloading," which allows developers to view changes to the code in another live preview window at the same time as the changes they have made to the code. Developers benefit greatly from the real-time feedback provided.
6) Publish Updates for Your Apps Faster
It used to take a lot longer for developers to publish updates for their apps, having to go through the build process once again with each app individually. The React Native environment has streamlined this process. Not only can both apps be updated simultaneously, but the process is much simpler and faster.
Users use the app while you make improvements and updates, which are implemented through over-the-air (OTA) updates. The user will be able to download the update the next time she opens the app. Apple and Android's approval process is no longer required when updating the app directly from the app stores, saving time and streamlining the process.
7) Augmenting an Existing App
Have an existing app but want to enhance it in a cost-effective manner? It is possible to insert React Native UI components into an existing app without having to rewrite it. If you want to enhance existing apps without fully rewriting them, this can be incredibly helpful.
Why We Use React Native
As a result of its many advantages, we use React Native for our clients. Developing and maintaining the mobile app are both easier with this method. By providing two apps for less than what it would cost to build one, our clients save money, and they maintain them less. Due to the fact that it is native, it performs well on mobile devices, and it can be moved if necessary in the future.
Benefits for Mobile Application Development
We'll now discuss React Native's advantages and why businesses should use it for their mobile app development now that we know what React Native is.
1. Code Reusability
React Native offers developers the biggest benefit of removing the need to create code separately for Android and iOS. Approximately 90% of the code on both platforms can be reused, thus increasing development speed and efficiency greatly. Consequently, you can go to market faster and require fewer maintenance efforts.
2. Native Look and Feel
The components of React Native are identical to the components of native development. It incorporates native user interface components with JavaScript, giving the app a native appearance. Also, since Android and iOS follow the same building blocks, the app is also similar in its appearance and feel.
3. Live Reload
Real-time viewing and editing of changes is made possible by React Native's live reload feature. When you edit the code while the app is loading, it will be reflected in the app with an automatic reload. Additionally, you can reload a particular area that has been changed to save time on the compilation process.
4. UI Focused
By using the React JavaScript library, React Native creates responsive and fast app interfaces. Component-based design makes it easy to design both simple and complex user interfaces using its great rendering abilities.
5. Cost-Efficiency
As React Native code is reusable, it can save you up to 40% on development costs. There is no need to hire two separate teams to develop the app for Android and iOS. In addition, React Native offers many prebuilt components, which further streamline the development process.
6. Third-Party Plugins
With React Native, you can use third-party plugins to make your app more appealing, such as JavaScript-based and native modules, to reduce the expense associated with building an app from scratch. A third-party plugin eliminates the need for specific web view functions and enhances the app's performance.
7. Large Community Support
The development of React Native actually began because of the developer community's needs. Over 50,000 active contributors have contributed to its community-driven approach. With the availability of such enthusiasts, it is easier to get expert support at Facebook from engineers who are always developing and updating the platform.
What Apps Can You Build in React Native?
The beauty of React Native is that it can be used for almost any mobile app. Most applications can be built using React Native, except for fast-paced, graphic intensive games that would benefit from native code.
With companies like Instagram, Facebook, Tesla and many others using it, it has proven itself as an application development framework that is reliable, fast, and scalable. Here are some examples of React Native Mobile Applications Development.
Apps Built in React Native
There are many popular brands that use React Native to develop mobile apps due to its popularity and multiple benefits.
- Uber Eats
- Skype
- AirBnB
- Discord
To Wrap Up
After being released a few years ago, React Native has become one of the most popular Mobile App Development frameworks. Developers benefit from it, businesses benefit from it, and end users benefit from it because it is a framework designed for efficiency. If you want to create a cross-platform mobile app, then React Native is the right choice.