React native pros and cons in app development
In this blog post, we answer the question "What are the advantages of react native for app development?" We figured out the disadvantages and benefits of using react native.
Consider various options before deciding on the final technical stack for the development of your app. Analyze all the benefits and drawbacks of both: React Native and iOS/Android native development. Thus, you’ll manage to flesh out a realistic perception and modify your goals accordingly.
The difference from native development and why RN is so money and time-saving
The primary difference between RN and native development lies in the relative simplicity and speed of the development. Right in the app-building stage, the React Native framework automatically adjusts your app to iOS and Android specifics, so you can target users of both platforms with a single codebase.
Still, you cannot completely do without some manually written native modules. As UX/UI of Android and iOS applications must be convenient and understandable for their users, for instance, concerning modal window, Apple/Google Pay. That’s why it is better to hire RN developers with prior experience in iOS or Android native development.
This does not, however, mean that we are going to build totally different apps for iOS and Android, as it is highly unproductive and requires a lot of time. So, with React Native, we are mostly looking for common solutions for both platforms and adding only a few the most critical features for iOS and Android separately. That is exactly what makes RN so money and time-saving.
Native iOS/Android development is the right option if your application needs very complicated animations with which RN can’t cope, like, for instance, in a mobile game. Also, if you need integration with default apps on the phones of your potential users, like calendar, notes, etc. Yet, you’ll have to hire a bigger team to build separate native apps and invest more money and time. However, compared to RN, the native application you’ll get as a result will be faster. This is clear, as all the effort and time spent on the native development should somehow pay off.
Native development is also your path if you want to build an app only for iOS or Android. This way, you cover a smaller audience, but it may be that you are interested only in the owners of Apple or Android devices.
App examples for which RN is a better option
It is a common misconception that with React Native, you can develop only very simple and plain applications. This is a very flexible framework that upgrades frequently and has an open-source environment, allowing developers to improve it on the go. So, to be more accurate, we should say that RN is an optimal variant for mobile app development, requiring less financial resources and suitable for almost any app idea.
Facebook is the most prominent example of the RN app, whose invention this framework is. The app is highly downloadable on both app stores. Skype is another example of React Native development, functioning perfectly well on every device. So, it is not so much the app compatibility with separate platforms, but rather a relevant to the users' app idea that matters the most.
So, decide on React Native if:
- You want to save money and time;
- You plan to target users of both platforms (iOS and Android) with relatively similar apps in terms of functions and design;
- You quickly need to build an app with a vast set of features, smooth navigation, and elaborate animations;
- You do not mind updating your RN app in the future more frequently as compared to the native one;
- You prefer to spend an equal amount of time on both stores: AppStore and Google Play, for the app release and its future updates.
Our Sports&Management app GoHeja for athletes, coaches, and sports clubs is a great example of how React Native gives a chance to target vast audiences. The app has many intricate features, like smart payment integration, live training tracking, instant chat updates, etc.
Here is also a Secure Digital Banking app, ndPay, we’ve built with RN as well, which supports integration with various bank accounts, and makes international money transfer possible in any part of the world. In the article How to launch a standout messenger app in 2020, you can read more about our other RN app.
When you should not choose RN
React Native is not the best option if:
- Your app needs to operate at its maximum performance;
- You want your app to have lots of very intricate animations, like in a mobile game;
- You can allow plenty of time and budget for the development;
- You target either iOS or Android platform separately;
- You want your app to integrate with the default apps on the users’ phones: GPS, camera, microphone, calendar, notes, etc.
How the React Native framework operates
To cut it short, the development of your app in React Native begins with writing a JavaScript code, which RN framework interprets through React Bridge into native languages: Objective C/Swift for iOS and Java/Kotlin for Android. Thus, these interpreted native languages will launch on every platform (iOS and Android) as separate apps.
For instance: there is an I construct on Swift/Objective C, which understands the iOS platform. Then, we write an R construct on React Native, and the framework automatically knows that the R construct correlates with the I construct for iOS. For Android, we build an A construct, and the React Native platform makes the conversion of the R construct to the A construct. Here is the formula we get in the end:
Final thoughts
Even though React Native significantly loses out to iOS/Android native development when it comes to speed of the application performance, its 60 frames per second animations load relatively fast. RN applications can be translated to Android, iOS, Web, Windows, and macOS, have diverse functionality, and can be easier maintained after deployment. Hence, this flexible and ergonomic framework offers quite a lot at a very reasonable price.
