Native vs React Native: The Battle Still Rages on!
The battle between native app development and React Native continues to rage. We are confident that you have heard of at least one of these technologies, if not both, but many people are confused about how they compare. Therefore, we've created this blog post to help clarify the situation for you. We will examine what distinguishes each approach and which may be beneficial to your business!
What makes React Native unique?
React Native is a JavaScript library that allows developers to build mobile apps using similar syntax to their web code. The apps built with React Native are re-rendering at every state change instead of being re-built at every screen change. React Native was initially released as an open source project, and, in 2017, Facebook made it into an official product within their family of web services.
What is a native app?
A native app is coded for the platform on which it's running. For instance, an Android app is built using Java and Android OS API, and the same goes for an iOS app: Objective-C and the iOS API. These apps are often the most future-proof since they are built to take advantage of the specific platform.
React Native vs Native: Factors to evaluate the Ideal Mobile App Development Strategy
Let’s have a look at some of the prime factors to consider to make the right decision between React Native vs Native mobile app development:-
1. Development Time:
Developing for React Native vs Native Mobile App Development takes different approaches. React Native is a JavaScript library and a toolkit on top of native UI components; you don't need to write all the code from scratch. But, it’s an open-source library, so you will have to analyze your app's requirements and use React Native as a starting point.. On the other hand, native apps require knowledge of the native platform and a team that can support your app throughout its entire lifecycle.
The development time varies depending on the skills of your team and the resources available. In the case of a native app, you need two teams working, one for iOS and Android, which will take more time compared to React Native app.
2. Platform Support:
The support for the platform is another feature to consider when choosing between React Native vs Native app development. Native apps can access all the APIs available on a given OS at runtime. So, you can integrate native libraries with your app easily by using the API provided by your platform. However, it might require learning how to do it properly as a part of your development process.
React Native doesn’t have access to the platform's UI components, but it includes access to the entire JavaScript ecosystem including the DOM and Canvas. So, you can integrate any library like React SDK or Redux with your app and it will seamlessly run in React Native without any issues.
3. User Interface:
Native apps are built using the OS's UI components. So, they can be customized to look perfectly at home on the device they are running on. They also offer more control to developers through access to view hierarchy and other aspects of the platform that aren’t available with a cross-platform framework like React Native. On the flip side, Native development is more time-consuming as you need to build each component from scratch for Android and iOS. That adds up when you consider having separate teams working for both platforms.
4. Speed:
As we have discussed above, React Native is built on top of the native components, so it will take less time to build an app comparatively if you are working with a team that has experience in React Native. However, if you work with a team experienced in React Native App Development, the timeframe may be shorter because there are fewer dependencies and fewer tasks to accomplish.
5. Time efficiency:
When working with React Native, you will be able to deploy your app in a short amount of time and get it out on the market. This can be beneficial if you are planning an app that is in demand right now, but needs to be released as soon as possible. When creating a native app, you need separate teams for both platforms. You will also spend a little more time building UI components from scratch rather than using the ones already there in React Native. Some elements of React Native UI are not as complicated as native UI, though.
6. Code Reusability:
React Native is built on top of the native UI, which means that you can reuse components more easily. When using native app development, you will have to build custom UI components separately for both iOS and Android. Reusability isn't very high in native app development, but React Native makes it much easier to reuse the components.
7. Third-party libraries:
One of the most important factors to consider when deciding between React Native vs Native app development is the availability of third-party libraries. React Native has a huge library of open source code that developers worldwide have contributed, so you will be able to find a solution for almost any requirement that you might have very quickly. However, there are fewer third-party components for native apps, so it can be challenging to find what you're looking for sometimes.
8. Cost Efficiency:
When choosing between React Native vs Native app development, pricing can be one of the leading factors. Native app development is more costly, especially if you are looking to hire experienced developers with a high level of expertise. On the other hand, it’s likely that that the app you build with React Native will not be as customizable and flexible as a native one. But it will be usable quickly and relatively cheaply since much of it is built on top of existing frameworks, so your team won’t need to reinvent the wheel when building your app.
9. Reliability:
One of the main concerns when React Native vs Native app development is security and performance. Native apps are always more secure because they are developed using the platform's standard libraries, while React Native is open source, so it requires a lot more security testing before the app is released. If a vulnerability is found in React Native, it might not impact all the platforms you are using.
10. Design:
You should also consider design for React Native vs Native app development. React Native uses native UI components, which might be helpful when designing your app. Still, they can't be as customizable as you want them to be because they were made by the platform developers and not you specifically. On the other hand, native apps can provide complete control over design because all of the UI elements were explicitly created by your team.
React Native vs Native app development: Key differences
React Native is built on top of the native components, which gives it unique features that can't be replicated using other cross-platform frameworks. For example, when using React Native, you will have access to the view hierarchy and all the available objects at runtime, so you will be able to access any component from anywhere in your app without copying it.
This makes the development process easier as most of the work is automated for you. But if you are working with a team that is unfamiliar with React Native, this feature might not be so helpful as they will have a lot more work to do while they need to integrate the component into their app.
Another advantage that React Native has over native apps is the speed. You will be able to deploy your app in a short amount of time and get it out on the market. If you are creating a native app, then it will take much longer to build and release an app as there are more tasks to do by yourself. The support for platforms like Android and iOS is also another factor that can help you determine better.
React Native vs Native app development: Use case considerations.
The most obvious use case in choosing between React Native vs Native app development might be determining which one is more suitable for your specific problem at hand, but other factors can influence this decision as well.
1. Is it a consumer app?
If the app you are planning to create is used personally by consumers, then the best option might be React Native because it is a good fit for mobile apps which require fluid UI.
2. Is it a commerce app?
Is the app you plan to work on completely dedicated to commerce, or will you also include some other functionalities like social media, maps, and chat? If so, native apps might be more suitable for your needs as they offer better performance and quality.
3. What platform are you targeting?
If you plan to target iOS, it might be a good idea to go with native app development because you will need to consider Swift vs Objective-C when choosing between React Native vs Native app development. If the app you are working on has Android as its primary platform, React Native is a good choice because it uses Java for Android rather than Swift or Objective-C.
4. Is performance important for your app?
For example, suppose the app you are creating will require intensive multimedia work and excellent performance. In that case, it might be better for native apps because React Native uses JavaScriptCore for running applications.
5. Will the app require a lot of synchronization with a server?
If your app needs to make connections with third-party tools so you can build a syncing data solution, then native apps might make more sense as they offer much better performance in this scenario.
6. Will it run on various platforms?
Suppose you need to target multiple platforms and have no preference among them. In that case, you have to consider React Native vs Native app development, as creating an adaptive app for both platforms is easier. However, suppose platform-specific features will be a crucial factor for your app. In that case, native apps are the way to go, as React Native developers cannot access unique system features for individual platforms.
React Native vs Native app development: Market trends
As React Native is still a relatively new technology, not many statistics can indicate its popularity over native apps. But some general tendencies can be helpful when choosing between React Native vs Native app development.
1. Revenue:
There is no official data on the revenue of React Native developers. Still, the number of React Native users has increased during the last few years, so their revenue is expected to increase accordingly during this period.
2. Employment:
There is a strong React Native community, and their number of users is constantly growing, so their employment rate is also expected to increase in the near future. Moreover, React Native gives you access to developers who are familiar with the framework, so it will be much easier for you to find the right quality of employees.
3. Popularity:
The popularity of React Native vs Native app development is also increasing day by day. Many major companies have adopted this technology, and there are over 700 developers that contribute to React Native on GitHub each month.
Who wins the battle?
There is no clear winner if you pick one technology over the other. Still, React Native has a number of advantages over native apps. It gives your app a great performance and lets you work with many other platforms. React Native also has a great user base, so it is not hard to find a app developer who is willing to help you with the project.
Choosing React Native over Native apps also depends on your purpose and the specific tasks you need to perform. For example, if you want to create an app for iOS users and have no idea about programming in Objective-C, then it might be better for you to use React Native even though native apps are more popular. The best way to figure out which technology is more suitable for your needs is by conducting research on the market and talking with developers who have experience working with both technologies.
When you are comparing React Native with native apps, there are many positive things about both of them that can help their users better understand the benefits and disadvantages of each technology. However, some differences might be more important than others.
We at Divum can help you decide between React Native vs Native app development. As we have both native developers and React Native developers in our team, we can assist you in choosing which will suit your needs best.
Summary:
React Native vs native apps will continue to be one of the hottest topics when deciding which technologies are best for your work. Still, when it comes down to it, you will have to make a personal choice about which technology is better for your needs, depending on why you need to use it. React Native and native development can both be advantageous if you know which one to work with for your software product. If it is an iOS-oriented app, native apps are more convenient because they use Swift or Objective-C for creating their applications. React Native is a better choice for cross-platform app development as it is more flexible and fast. However, if you have to create an app for iOS and Android, then native apps might be the best option.
This article provided a brief summary of React Native vs Native app development options and recommendations on which technology will suit your needs better.
If you have decided which technology is more suitable for your situation, our engineers will handle the project’s development in an effective and efficient manner to ensure that it will meet all your requirements within the time frame specified by our contract.
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