The size and scope of the mobile app development market have grown significantly over the last few years. It goes without saying that getting an app developed for your business is the definitive way to ensure its growth.
But, just the decision to build an app is not enough. The next decision involves choosing the right technology and the kind of app you are looking to develop. Of course, the technology will always depend on the kind of business requirements, but an intuitive and user-friendly mobile app development framework compatible with both iOS and Android devices will be the best choice.
In this blog, we will explore React Native, and also tell you why we feel that it is one of the best mobile app development frameworks for your next mobile application.
What is React Native?
Developed by Facebook and launched in the year 2015, React Native for mobile app development is an open-source platform. The framework makes use of JavaScript to build feature-rich applications that work across multiple platforms with native capabilities. When we say native capabilities, it means that these mobile apps can be developed for both iOS and Android at the same time, with a common codebase.
How does React Native Work?
The major work of React Native revolves around three threads:
- UI Thread: It is the main application thread with access to the app’s UI
- Shadow Thread: It is the background thread that makes use of the React library for calculating the app’s layout
- JavaScript Thread: It is the execution thread containing the React code
React Native for Mobile App Development: The Benefits
We list down some of the most prominent benefits of using React Native for mobile app development with the advantages that are in store for you with this framework.
Let’s have a look:
Code Capability
One of the biggest benefits of React Native is its code capability, where around 90% of the same code can be reused between different platforms (iOS and Android), helping you to boost the development speed and efficiency to a large extent. The results are quicker market times and reduced maintenance effort.
Live Reload Feature
React Native’s Live Reload feature allows users to see and make changes to the work in real-time. These changes can be made in the code when the app is loading, which will be automatically reflected once it gets reloaded. This saves a lot of time in the compilation process.
Focused on Better UI
React Native makes use of its JavaScript library for developing app interfaces that are responsive and quick in their operations. The framework has supreme rendering abilities, using a component-based approach to make it easier to create simple and complex UI designs.
An Overall Native Feel
The mapping of React Native with native components is done in a manner that the overall feel of the app is that of a native one. This is made possible as it combines multiple business blocks from a native UI through its own JavaScript, offering it its visual appearance. Interestingly, because the building blocks for iOS and Android are the same, the look and feel are also the same throughout the devices of both operating systems.
Cost Effective Development
Its reusable code helps reduce React Native app development costs by around 40%, as there is no need to hire two different teams to build iOS and Android mobile applications. In addition, React Native also comes with several built-in components to boost the development process further.
Solid Community Support
React Native has a large community of developers who consistently contribute to developing this framework. This translates into easy access to resources, multiple libraries, and tutorials to solve any issues encountered during development. The community is also pretty active in updating the relevant documentation and sharing best practices so developers are aware of the latest trends in the React Native ecosystem.
Third-party Plugins
Developing an app from scratch can be an expensive proposition, one that is not suited for everyone. This is another important benefit of using the React Native framework, as it offers multiple third-party plugins that include JavaScript and native modules. These plugins also go a long way in eliminating the requirement of pointed web view functionality, enhancing the overall app performance in the process.
Wrapping Up
In just around a decade since its release, React Native has become the favorite mobile app development framework in the industry, and for good reason. It is efficient, profitable for businesses, and offers a great solution to end-users as well.
With its robust performance, cost-effective development, and ability to create seamless, high-quality applications, React Native continues to attract developers and enterprises alike. The React Native benefits we mentioned above may not be exhaustive, but they offer a fair bit of insight into why this framework is enjoying the popularity it has today. This is only going to grow, thanks to the continuous improvements, extensive library support, and active community contributions that enhance its capabilities and ensure a future-proof development experience.
