React Native's popularity as a robust framework for cross-platform app development has already been proven. Several leading brands such as Airbnb, Wix, Facebook, Netflix, Instagram, and many others rely on React Native.
There are examples of quick results in traffic, download volume, and business conversions after switching to React Native. Instagram, for example, became more popular after switching to React Native in 2016 due to its clean user experience.
So the positive impact that React Native can have on mobile app projects is already established. But still, if the role of React Native does not seem convincing enough for mobile app projects, here we will explain the key benefits of using React Native for mobile app development.
Reasons Why React Native is best for Mobile App Development
Code reuse saves time and resources
With React Native, app developers can free themselves from the responsibility of coding separately for iOS or Android. Reusability of the underlying code base leads to faster development. This in turn requires less spending on the hourly rate for developers. React Native ensures faster growth and lower expenses for app projects.
React Native also offers several open-source libraries for building user interfaces and quick access to many ready-to-use components created by other developers. This further reduces development time and ensures greater efficiency and lower costs.
Easy code changes with Hot Reloading
React Native helps developers make quick code changes without waiting for the entire app to reload. Application developers can work on the code and make changes and corrections to the code in real-time while the application is still running.
Once code changes are made, they will be reflected in real-time. Instead of taking the entire application to finish loading, simply inserting code into different areas is reflected in real-time. This also allows for better iterations within application projects.
Support for third-party plugins
At the same time, React Native doesn't offer everything out of the box, but developers always have access to a wide range of native and JavaScript modules for their development needs.
As a React-Native developer, you can always use third-party plugins to integrate new features or features from other apps. This ease of use of third-party plugins helps React Native app projects stay flexible and efficient.
Modular architecture
React-Native enables a modular programming architecture allowing developers to segregate and integrate blocks of code for different feature development needs. These blocks of code, referred to as modules, ensure flexible and efficient development.
This aspect also opens up creative possibilities for developers, as React Native developers can bounce off each other's projects and pick modules to reuse in their apps. This modular architecture also makes updating apps incredibly easy.
Native look and feel
React Native comes with a robust native component repository for iOS and Android that helps developers build user interfaces faster while ensuring optimal app performance agility.
Another great thing about React Native is that it can be easily integrated with native operating system code. This is why, in addition to being used for cross-platform development projects, developers often use React Native to create extensions for existing native iOS or Android apps.
Lower learning curve
React Native has become one of the most popular frameworks for app development also due to its easy adaptability and manageable learning curve. First, it is a JavaScript framework, and JavaScript is very popular as a web development language. Most developers start their careers with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
On the other hand, React Native is modular, component-based, and supported by a huge community of developers around the world. This further reduces the learning curve for developers. You learn by using ready-to-use modules and components while coding less. When you get stuck in certain places, robust community help comes in handy.
React Native uses less memory
Memory consumption is not the only criterion for choosing one application over another. An equally important criterion for developers is choosing one framework over others. React Native uses less memory and device processing power than other cross-platform technologies.
By achieving a native look, feel, and functionality using third-party plugins, apps run smoothly. Most importantly, you don't need to use WebView to connect to a native module. Precisely because no cross-connect is required to connect native modules, it requires less storage space usage of the device. This requires very little device memory and computing power, resulting in uncompromised performance.
The fastest-growing technology
In the end, one chooses React Native because it is the most popular mobile app development framework for several years in a row. Immense popularity, constant value additions and updates, and patronage of the world's leading applications have made React Native the current and future framework. How can aspiring app developers undermine such robust technology?
The huge and ever-expanding community of React Native developers is an all-too-obvious reason for anyone to rely on online support and help during a project. React Native is loved by most app developers who are proactive enough to create new approaches, modules, and components that other developers can use.
The phenomenal growth and popularity couldn't help but entice Microsoft, which has now contributed a new fork called React Native for Windows. This can be used to develop React Native apps for Microsoft operating systems such as Windows 10, Windows 10 Mobil,e and Xbox.
Conclusion
After React Native was born in 2014, the world of mobile apps could never be the same. It completely changed the way cross-platform app development was conceived and practiced. With the way React Native keeps reinventing itself, its dominance is likely to continue for years to come.