Using React Native in Production App

After using React Native for about two months to develop TakeMeTour app, I would like to share about the experience using React Native compared to other app development tools/frameworks.

What caught our eyes?

Our stack is extensively based on JavaScript, like NodeJS and ReactJS. Our JavaScript engineers are already used to React and Redux kind of stuff. When it’s time to develop our mobile application. React Native undoubtedly is a first option to consider. The fact that Facebook actually uses React Native in their Ads Manager production app also gives us more confidence on React Native.

How it is using React Native?

I have some experiences developing mobile app using hybrid (Ionic) and native apps (both Android and iOS). And I think that React Native sits perfectly between native apps and hybrid apps. The performance is far better than Ionic app, thus leads to better user experience. And cross-platform feature makes us think twice before choosing native app.

React Native takes quite big space between Ionic and native apps. So big that I advise you to ditch Ionic unless you are already familiar with AngularJS and know nothing about ReactJS.

On the other side, native apps are not dead yet. You should consider developing native mobile app when some of these are your requirements:

• Natively fast
• Slick and fancy animation/transition
• UIs are not straightforward and requires some hacks
• Utilizes OS’s new released features

There are prices to pay when you decide to go for native app. The development resource you need will be doubled. Also, you have to maintain the codebase in 2 more languages, which means you need an iOS developer and an Android developer in you team.

Code sharing between platforms is the key that makes me think twice whenever I consider about moving to native app. Our interns took my iOS version of React Native app and converted into Android app in 2 days!

What about downsides?

None.

Just kidding. React Native is still young and evolving. Number of good quality components on GitHub is still far from web version of React. It is also hard to implement slick and fancy UIs design we received from our designer who has more than full of creativity.

When should I use React Native?

If you are an early-stage startup and looking to use Ionic, I would recommend you to use React Native instead. You will get native-like performance with cross-platform code. It should be enough until you go for Series A.

If you are a software development company and your client cannot afford native app, React Native is also a good alternative rather than Ionic.

Especially if you are already familiar with React/Redux. It’s a no brainer. Just use React Native.