React Native is a Facebook-developed open-source JavaScript-based mobile app framework. It allows developers to leverage React with native platform features to power apps for a variety of platforms. It is most widely used for Android and iOS cross-platform development.
It launched like any other cross-platform programming framework, and it was scorned as inferior to native development. Fortunately, as time passed and it became more popular, the technology advanced, and the community that sprung up around it created a plethora of valuable libraries, to the point that a growing number of major players have begun to explore it.
As per the Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2020, RN is ranked 6th overall, with 11.5 percent of the votes polled. Only professional ones are considered, and React Native comes in fifth with 11.8 percent. Of course, among frameworks, libraries, and tools, RN is still one of the most popular. In terms of popularity, React Native has seen significant growth over the past five years.
What Are The Native Mobile Apps?
A programming language specialized to a specific operating system, such as Objective C for iOS or Java for Android. A react native mobile app provides a high level of performance and consistency. They can also use the phone’s various features, such as the camera and address book. Furthermore, it can use many applications without an online connection. On the other hand, such an application is costly since it is linked to a single operating system, forcing the developer to generate duplicate copies that run on other platforms.
In addition to native mobile apps, companies seeking to promote themselves to the smartphone market have the following options:
- Hybrid App: Such an app is cross-platform compatible while allowing access to the phone’s hardware. Sencha, PhoneGap, and Mosync are the platforms used to create it.
- Dedicated Web App: A website designed specifically for use on a mobile device. These are designed for a specific platform and will not operate on other phones, including featured mobile phones.
- Generic Mobile App: A mobile website that runs with all smartphones.
In the early days of the smartphone industry, most applications were designed specifically for the iPhone. However, as Android’s market share has risen, the need for cross-platform capabilities has become a far more critical concern.
React Native Performance Issues & How To Solve Them
Navigation issues
The core react native development team has had to experiment a lot with navigation since the launch of React Native to eliminate the inconsistencies between JS & native thread bridging. There are also a few speed concerns with React Native page browsing that need to be addressed.
Launch time
A slow app start time might result in a small number of inactive users. It’s the most significant contributing factor to user retention. The default implementations of React Native are a vital source of slow app performance and delays in app launch times. We recommend that you take care of the Object. Finalize elements to enhance the app’s starting time. Since finalizers execute on a single thread, all other objects must wait until all finalizers have passed. There are a lot of dependencies, which cause a long wait for the app to launch.
Memory leakage
Memory leaks in your react native app can occur for a variety of reasons. Take, for instance, scrolling in a hybrid Android music application. When you browse down the music list to the third page, the app freezes up RAM on your phone and gradually affects performance. Because both processes are performed on separate portions (one in native, the other in react native js), information is sent between them over a bridge, which takes a long time.
Large app size
A more extensiver application size will have a significant impact on the application’s performance. It is a typical issue with Android apps, which are extremely sensitive to third-party sources, different displays, libraries, and other factors. These additional resources have a direct impact on the application’s size, increasing it. Large apps develop with a defined structure are slow, and here’s how to speed them up:
- Stick to the basics, such as utilizing tools to package your apps properly.
- Make separate application files for different device architectures.
- In the local library, compress pictures and other graphics data-optimized binding.
How Do You Improve React Native Performance?
There are a few points for making your React Native app run faster.
1. Reduce the size of the application.
The application’s size can be reduced to improve performance. Reduce the application’s size if needed. The app isn’t working correctly. Because modern users have so many options for mobile applications, they will not download your software if it is larger or consumes too much storage on their device.
Keep in mind that an application’s performance is inversely proportional to its size. As a result, to minimize the size of the mobile application, try to remove unnecessary elements and reduce graphics.
2. Reducing image size
It is crucial to implement image caching while developing React Native applications to speed up the loading of images. The image cache is only for iPhones and iPads. This characteristic helps users to access images on their smartphones easily.
It is advised that you lower the image size to improve the efficiency of the React Native application. Smaller WebP images also enhance app performance. The download speed of iOS can be increased by 25–30%, while the download speed of Android can be increased by 25%.
3. Caching images
Caching images is a crucial step in improving React Native app’s performance. The fact that React Native only supports image caching on the iOS platform is recognized. Image caching can help to speed up the loading of images. When upgrading an application, libraries with pre-installed images that are not inlined crash. When cache logic is implemented on the JS side, performance suffers as a result.
4. Improve navigation
Navigation is essential to app functionality. It would help to consider how native components and JavaScript will work together to improve navigation and efficiency.
In React Native Apps, there are four essential navigation elements:
- Navigator: It does not give a real application life experience. It is ideal for prototyping and lightweight applications.
- Experiment navigation: It’s favorable to development for an upcoming GitHub project.
- iOS: Toolkit for iOS apps.
- ReactNavigation: Improve the user experience as smooth
- as possible.
5. Animations
React Native offers an excellent animation option and appears to be extremely clear and efficient. React Native programmers may use the animation library to allow their controllers. The use of animation helps in the execution of the primary flow while also providing a soothing experience.
6. Improving the map
The React Native map will frequently slow down while the user navigates the application. To resolve this problem, you may need to wipe the console.log file rather than export the data to Xcode. Developers using React Native may disable automatic location updates. You may also increase the card’s speed by reducing the load on the JavaScript thread.
Famous Apps Built With React Native
Artsy
With over 1 million artworks from over 100,000 artists, Artsy is the largest online art marketplace. It facilitates live auction bidding and the sale of artwork from the user’s collection.
Bitesnap
Take a photo to count calories and nutrients. Bitesnap can identify the ingredients in your meals. It makes developing healthy eating habits a pleasure.
Bunch
Bunch is a social gaming platform that allows users to video chat in groups while playing mobile games.
Coinbase Pro
The app is built for experienced crypto traders, providing them with all of the information and tools they need to trade on the go.
Crisp
Crisp is the Netherlands’ first app-only online grocery, delivering high-quality food directly from the source.
Delivery.com
The platform allows users to place orders for on-demand delivery from local restaurants and retailers. There are around 12,000 firms in an online marketplace with over a million users.
Instagram has been experimenting with React Native since 2016 to enhance its development speed.
Office 356 Apps
According to AppFigures, Microsoft is enamored with React Native, and the majority of its Office apps have been rebuilt in the React Native framework.
Future Of React Native – How Will It Look?
The above-mentioned unique benefits will help React Native keep one step ahead of the competition and make the future appear bright for React Native development services.
In addition, React Native is focusing on Fabric, a large-scale project with a high level of energy. The goal is to make React Native more adaptable, and Fabric will aid in the integration of the RN framework with hybrid JavaScript-based architecture.
The developers of Fabric are proposing three significant changes that will help ReactNative thrive in the future. These modifications are essential.
- New threading model – Fabric will allow developers to call directly into JavaScript on any thread, rather than having each UI change execute on three different threads. Reduce the main thread’s load without sacrificing responsiveness.
- Async rendering capabilities – As a result of this development, React Native will render async. As a result, handling asynchronous data will be more accessible, and different rendering priorities will be possible.
- Simplified bridge – Developers intend to create a new, streamlined bridge that will enhance direct calling between JavaScript and native code. Furthermore, it will implement numerous debugging tools even more manageable.
FAQs
Is React Native good for mobile app development?
If you need to build a react native app that works on both iOS and Android, React Native is the ideal option. It can save you time and money by reducing the codebase by roughly 95%. Furthermore, React Native comes with various open-source libraries of pre-built components that may help you accelerate the mobile app development process even further.
Can existing apps be migrated to react Native?
React Native allows for easy migration from pure native iOS and Android apps. It will shape the future of react native app development, and as a result, many companies are looking to move their apps.
Will my React Native app work on mobile and web?
No. You will be unable to run. Web browsers are used to code the React Native web. Likewise, the React Native code is dependent on the functionalities provided by the mobile platforms. As a result, running the web application on a smartphone and vice versa is not feasible. However, while creating the React Native web, you can use some of the React Native codes.
Will React Native make my app look and run the same way on iOS and Android?
As both platforms have different sets of functionalities, the apps will seem different in most cases. Although it is feasible, developers prefer to follow the platform’s UI specifications.
Should I choose React Native or Native (separate iOS and Android)?
As it is based on JavaScript, React Native may be used on a variety of platforms. A React Native app development company may develop apps for iOS and Android and the web using the same source. You may not only speed up the development process by reusing the same code, but you can save some money by reducing the need for separate iOS & Android teams. It also enables the majority of code to be shared and reused between Android and iOS.