In recent times, there is a very high demand for experienced developers who specialize in mobile app development. Those who want to prepare themselves for mobile app development should familiarize themselves with technologies such as React js and React Native as soon as possible. From this article, you will learn how the mentioned technologies differ and what their greatest strengths are.
What is React js?
React is one of the most popular JavaScript programming language libraries. This technology is primarily used to create user interfaces for many different applications. React js is valued not only by developers but also by users themselves. The biggest advantage is the speed of implementation. It is largely thanks to the React js library that it is possible to build a dynamic interface.
Where is React js used?
React js library is used primarily in web applications. It is worth mentioning that it is the React library that is used by services such as Netflix or PayPal. Simple and lightweight interfaces automatically adapt to any device, which is why they are so popular. The React js library is very easy to use and, most importantly, does not require advanced programming knowledge. It is a great choice for people who are just learning to program.
What is React Native?
Simply put, React Native is a special platform that allows developers to write native mobile apps in the popular JavaScript programming language. Thanks to this multifunctional tool, it is possible to write code for many different applications using the same code sets. The main advantages of such a solution are not only a huge saving of valuable time but also an unprecedented saving of costs related to the creation of a given project. From a practical point of view, this means that developers do not need to program separate versions of their applications for Android and iOS.
Main differences and usage examples?
First of all, it should be made clear that React Native is not another version of React. React Native is a custom rendering engine for React. The vast majority of React code for the web is based on features that are only available in web browsers. From a practical point of view, this means that React apps will not work properly on mobile devices. As for React Native applications, they will similarly not work properly on the web.
What kind of application?
React Native will work great primarily for those applications that rely heavily on the user interface. This is because, with a little effort from the developer, interfaces can be adapted to work on iOS and Android in a very short time. This is a very practical and extremely convenient solution. It should also be remembered that React Native uses Flexbox for layout, which, as it is commonly known, works the same not only on Android and iOS but also on the Web.
When is it worth betting on React Native?
As mentioned above, React Native is based on JavaScript, which is one of the most popular and widely used programming languages. It is very important not to use React Native to design quite complex applications for single platforms. Keep in mind that the framework was designed primarily to optimize the product development process on many different platforms. This means that it will be very difficult to use its huge potential only in the case of one platform. React Native will be perfect when you need to prepare a simple application in a very short time. The simpler the mobile application and generated interface, the more common the code will be for Android and iOS.