Imagine a framework where there are about 1,600 active contributors all working together in making it successful. This is basically React Native in a nutshell and with all its greatness, it definitely hasn’t gone unnoticed by different developers that are looking to make a name for themselves in the cross-platform world.
The growing demand that React Native is slowly getting from different developers is not just a byproduct of a growing industry that has reached a noticeable comparison between both Native & React Native modes of development. The demand is also instigated by the constant updates that furthers the framework’s advancement. Although it’s a really easy-to-use framework, there are a few things that SHOULDN’T be done for you to avoid frustration
What is React Native?
React Native is a specific type of framework that is designed to create a sort of elemental structure coming from the JavaScript code that is used to construct UI. The framework is composed of a series of components that are used to build mobile apps for both the Android and iOS platforms with a very native feel and design. Using the framework to a developers advantage allows easy access to all platforms in order to render the UI.
React Native apps have proven to be a favorite outcome of many developers as compared to other development frameworks’ cross-platform applications. The reason for its fondness lies behind its ability to assist developers in simultaneously building an extraordinary app for both Android and iOS. Of course, it’s easier to say this once the specific benefits have been read.
What Makes React Native a Developer’s Top Choice?
- JavaScript Equipped
Let’s face it, almost every developer starts their career with JavaScript and because the framework relies on this programming language, getting used to the framework is definitely quite easy,
- Native App Development
Despite working on JavaScript, the developer does not use web view in order to render certain React Native components. A strong reason as to why the framework is so good is due to its ability to render real native elements. This, in turn, gives the developers flexibility to utilize the platform specific components like the activity indicator giving the platform a really native-like feel.
- Quick Installation Process
The installation process for this framework is almost a no-brainer simply requiring installation through the basic Node Package Manager. This is extremely easy for those developers that have a JavaScript background.
- Increased Productivity
Accuracy and proficiency should in no way come after speed. But what if there was a way to increase productivity without sacrificing the two? React Native’s reliance on JavaScript in order to make React Native apps in itself makes everything much easier. But what really tops the cake is the live reload feature as well as the freedom to use just about any text editor or IDE of choice.
- Supporting Community Background
React Native’s popularity has only grown ever since its initial launch back in 2015. Both developers and businesses from every corner of the globe and industry backgrounds have all chosen to go with React Native due to the benefits it abundantly offers.
The high demand has produced a widespread community that dedicates itself to adjusting certain pros and cons on a day to day basis.
- Certified Cross-Platform
React Native allows the developer to expand their works towards smart TVs, Windows devices, smart watches, and even penetrate the VR headset! The open ended possibilities make for React Native apps to become truly evolutionary.
Development DON’TS in Creating React Native Apps
Despite the vast amount of benefits that the framework has to offer, there are a few things that should NOT be done in order to develop through React Native smoothly.
Here are a few notable DON’TS when developing React Native apps:
- Redux Store Misplanning
Most designers when given quite an ambitious project oftentimes concentrate on designing the product more than the data handling side. Redux is an excellent tool to securely store the system control states and debugging data provided it be designed correctly.
Things to note when designing the Redux framework is that it is not suitable for projects that are quite small. A tiny change that needs to be made would entail long lines of code.
- Slightly-off Estimations
It is very easy to forget that the iOS and Android layout versions are two completely different things. Although React Native allows access to the two platforms interchangeably, certain elements are still not usable.
A given example of this is that the application page itself differentiates the two platforms. It’s also easy to underestimate the number of codes written during the initial days of programming your own React Native app.
- Missing External Modules
External modules, although not quite appreciated unless in times of need, exist for a really quick and easy creation in order to help expand the application’s functionality. The use of these external modules involve allowing expanding the features and code while still keeping the codebase light.
If these external modules fail to be developed, used, and of course read, this will result in them not working as expected. Make sure to correctly read and execute these modules while operating.
- Forgetting to Optimize React Native Images
This can almost be considered a React Native sin despite not a lot of developers paying attention to its importance. Aside from the massive memory and storage consumption, unoptimized images dramatically decrease the React Native app’s performance
Here is the more effective way of optimizing images
- Use images with smaller dimensions
- Always remember to convert into WebP format images to shorten the loading time and also minimize package and binary sizes for both the Android and iOS.
- Don’t use JPEG, use PNG
- Locally cache images for much faster loading
- Utilizing Stateless Components
There are a few developers that make use of stateless components in order to increase the performance by printing the identical markup that they endorse while using the same credentials.
Why shouldn’t stateless components be used? Well, state components within React Native do not have a native state and also do not extend any class. They just basically return what was programmed to them in the DOM.
Using PureComponent to implement a sort of class-based component and also boost the React Native app’s speed and performance is a technique used by more developers nowadays. If both the state and props are not immutable, PureComponent won’t re-render the component excessively preventing additional re-rendering expenses.
React Native deserves its mainstream success as one of the most commonly used frameworks. This is because the framework walks the talk and provides developers with what they need and more. There’s no need to find that secret framework that not a lot of developers know to speed up the process and get the app running as fast as possible because React Native is already here.
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Sources:
1st photo:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-white-shirt-using-macbook-pro-52608/
2nd photo:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/selective-focus-photography-of-woman-using-macbook-pro-3584996/
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