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What Makes React Native the Future of Hybrid App Development?

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Presently, numbers of mobile app developers have started using React Native to develop mobile apps. From a new startup to fortune 500 companies, it provides excellent experience for developers to use this open source development platform. It allows you to create an app using JavaScript. React Native is a JavaScript library useful in developing user interfaces as described by its creators. It mainly focuses on the view part of your app. It means that when you write a react native app, your view code comprises writing react components which are nothing but small portions of your code that portray the portion of your app look like based on the set of input data. Apps created using react native includes Facebook App, Instagram, Facebook Ads Manager, Bloomberg, UberEATS, Vogue, Walmart, Airbnb and many more in which some of them are React Native/Hybrid Native Apps. When it comes to developing an app, it requires deciding whether need a native app or a hybrid app to develop. Native apps include an alarm clock, an address book, a calendar, a browser and other programs which are built-in in your device by default. When a mobile app developer starts developing apps using specific platform and programming language such as Java for Android or Swift/Objective-C for iOS, the application is known as a native. It can access features of operating systems of a mobile phone such as calendar, camera, media files, accelerometer and many more. Cross-platform apps are designed in such a way that users can access it without connecting internet. Such apps support all platforms and adapted to most of the devices. The platform such as Cordova, Ionic, PhoneGap and other are used in developing hybrid apps that allow an app to access the features of software and hardware platform. Hybrid app is growing popular as it eases development as well as enhances user experience. React Native is an efficient tool from Facebook to benefits developing a hybrid app for Android and iOS. It is designed to make interaction with native API platform and based on the ReactJS library. The Benefits of React Native in Hybrid App Development Highly Portable Facilitates developer to port almost half of the app code to another platform. Developer can migrate all of the app’s logic, other than the view elements for display information templates on the screen. Firstly, it supports only iOS, but now facilitated support for both Android and iOS, the library can provide mobile UIs for these both platforms. Compatible with the Third Party App It allows integration with the third party, hence, the functionalities of the third party app can be benefited by the device. Moreover, the integrated APIs do not make any additional load on the device causes operation smoother. Memory usage also minimizes during the time in order to maintain the best performance. Reutilization of Code The key advantage of React Native is that it facilitates developers to reutilize the code which was written for a specific platform. Hybrid app developers need not to write the code from the scratch. The primary goal of React Native is ‘Write Once and Use Everywhere’. Thus, it saves valuable time of developers to concentrate more on their product rather than striving on coding. Furthermore, they can also use their code written in any platform which becomes highly beneficial for mobile app developers to focus on other things rather than writing the same code each time when developing a new app. Make the App Development Efficient Using ReactJS, high speed and responsiveness as well as agility, effectual processing and best user experience makes possible in offering app users, native app experience. React Native covers popular UI library of Facebook, ReactJS for web applications. It carries DOM abstractions, best performance of an app and makes the programming simple for hybrid app development. A Mobile UI – a Key Focus Designing a mobile UI is the key focus of the React Native. It is like a JavaScript library than just a framework that enables the UI more responsive and makes the processes to run smoothly because of the synchronization of the native environment and the framework. This makes possible for users to minimize loading time compared to a traditional hybrid app and give excellent experience to them. Better Scalability In React Native, there are wide API interaction with native elements and several modules ready-to-use of third party developers as well as the opportunity to write your own native modules. Besides, the problem of browser compatibility needs not to face using React Native as it renders native views and not Webview. It gives developers an opportunity to concentrate on other important app development process by preventing their time in solving bugs for hours or days. With native views it gives better performance and with smooth animations, it gives the feeling of native. You can also update your app anytime using ReactJS library. Conclusion React Native is popularly used for hybrid app development due to its number of benefits. Even fortune companies also use react native apps for their businesses to provide their end-users excellent experience for using their app. Reusability of code, highly portable, focused UI, compatibility for third party app integration as well as enhance the efficiency of developers has made react native popular for Hybrid app development. Blog Source- https://www.mindinventory.com/blog/what-makes-react-native-the-future-of-hybrid-app-development/

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Which One to Choose – Native or React Native for Mobile App Development

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Often the app developers; both Android and iOS are perplexed over the choice of platforms, frameworks or tools. But the key selection they have to precisely make is regarding the platform – React Native or Native. If you are an experienced app developer, you should be well familiar with both these used application tools; however, if you are a newcomer then it would be viable to upgrade your knowledge comprehensively, before diving deep into the water. As you know that both Android and iOS are strong competitors, the same can be said about Native and React Native. So, first let‘s briefly discuss both the platforms and then make a comparative study by going into the details: The Native Application is developed for a specific platform and the app developer has to make use of a particular tool for developing the apps. For instance, the Android app developers need to do coding in Java or Kotlin with the help of Android Studio as the environment. On the other hand, iOS app developers will have to make use of Objective-C or Swift. Xcode is the Integrated Development Environment (IDE) here. Therefore, it has been seen that in both popular Operating Systems, (Android or iOS), you get different programming languages and environments. If we talk about the React Native, it is an open source framework that has been developed by the Facebook. It introduced the concept of web development into mobile app building using the JavaScript. React Native offers you the opportunity to create applications simultaneously at one time and so you don’t need to develop two different applications. Only a single code is enough for both the Android and iOS platforms. In fact, it can be said that the User Interface (UI) of mobile applications got better with the arrival of React Native as it brought improves the graphical elements so as to match with the platform. Which is Easier – React Native or Native as Programming Language Well, if you take an expert opinion from a professional app developer, then yes, the answer straightforwardly is React Native. The reason – JavaScript is a much simpler programming language both in terms of learning as well as debugging. The errors during the compiling tend to get hidden inside the codes, which you can detect later. Talking of Objective-C or Swift, it is considered a hard and strict language but becomes easier to catch with the faults at an early stage while compiling. And also, Objective C and Java are getting upgraded to match the standards of the modern language. React Native again is a winner as it reduces the time of app development and the cost because the app developers can develop one app for two platforms. Comparison on the Basis of Documentation Well, here in this segment both React Native and Native applications actually give a tough competition to each other. The Swift has been cordially received by the app development industry, in spite of the fact that, it has just made an entry. So, far it is doing a good job as far as documentation is concerned. On the other hand, React Native is equally matching its levels by providing code samples, tips, and regular docs. So, here the match seems to be tied. Integrating Functionality Through API or Third Party Library Well, now in this round the Native Application exceeds over the React Native. When you are developing an app using Native and adding functionality, you will get full support from API or third party library. The third party element does not require any further integration. Apart from that if you are choosing a hybrid platform for app building, you won’t face any such limitation as in case of React Native. Another disadvantage of React Native is that it does not support APIs. The issue will be only be sorted out if the native modules are embedded in React Native. But for that to happen, you first have to code Android and iOS, which is a daunting task. Again the native application is a time and effort saver when it comes to using APIs in the app. React Native provides you the option of developing a customizable app for optimal performance. Issues Related to Web App: Who’s the Winner When it comes to web app development, React Native yet again steals the show from Native Application. It has been mentioned earlier that programming in React Native is simpler. Here too, a good comprehensive knowledge of web app development will prove beneficial as debugging flows and toolset architecture becomes easier. Plus, if you are also teaming up with a React.js developer, you don’t need to do web programming. As far as Native Application is concerned, it has got no link with web development. Comparison on the Basis of Community Size You know that React Native has been developed by none other than the top-notch social media platform Facebook. Therefore, the name is adequately enough to describe the number of members active on the React Native Community, which is at present somewhat close to 32k. The React Native also provides you the scope of using the reusable components in your applications because of its open source nature. The native applications does not enjoy the support of such large community and support from peer engineers. The Battle Over Performance of the Apps So, when you compare both programming languages on the basis of performance, Native Applications outclasses React Native. Of course, you can develop simple apps using the React Native, but as soon as you try to implement the advanced technologies such as AR/VR, IoT or Blockchain, it will start creating difficulties. This is where native applications provide a smooth passage for the developers, as incorporating the techniques becomes easier. Publishing on the App Store Once the app development is complete and tested, it’s time for it to get published or released on the App Store; Google Play and Apple Store. However, if you are apprehended whether your app will be accepted

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Steps to Optimizing the Performance of the React Native Applications

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React Native developed by Facebook has indeed become one of the most preferred JavaScript library code frameworks for creating cross-platform applications. Although the initial launch was just five years ago in 2013 on GitHub but it has created more buzz in comparison to Xamarin and Ionic. The one aspect that literally goes into the favor of the React Native is that it allows the developers to develop mobile and web applications at a much faster pace. Moreover, you can build both the Android and iOS apps by sharing and reusing the codes easily. Another advantage that React Native offers is that there is not much of a difference between completed apps created using Objective-C or Java and React Native. React Native also enjoys the support of a great network of experienced developers. However, it also has a few drawbacks as well. One of the major pitfalls of React Native is that it has got its limitations and as such it is still on the way to improvement. You won’t find some of the custom modules, which means you have to invest some more time to create your own module. Therefore, we would be readily discussing some of the vital ways using which you can improve the performance of your React Native apps. Before we can shed some light on how to fix the performance based issues related to React Native, you need to understand well that the performance of this JavaScript library depends on the architecture to much extent. The increase in the number of navigation controls, the animation and tabs slows down the speed of the user interface in the application. In addition, during the upgrading the application, the version tends to get changed and it can also become a key bottleneck in the application’s performance. The React Native basically communicates with native thread with the help of a bridge. And the architecture of the React Native can be categorized into two categories namely; the React Native developed on Java, Swift or Objective-C and the native created on JavaScript. So, we can focus on these vital parameters to improve the performance. Reducing the Size of the Application The JavaScript framework apps depend largely on the native components and third-party libraries. The more use of the components enhance the size of the application. Therefore, if you have to reduce the size of the application, you have to use ProGuard and also develop apps of variant sizes for an array of device architecture. In addition, please do focus also on the graphic elements and images. You can also take some other steps to curtail the size such as shifting the components from native to react native, reduce the size of the bridge that JavaScript uses to interact with native. You can also go through the open-source libraries to check its stability before using it. Do not use the main thread to pass the components relying on heavy message queues. Reducing the Size of the Image If you want to optimize the performance of your React Native applications, you also need to necessarily reduce the size of the image apart from lowering the size of the application. You should note that the images tend to consume a large part of the memory. There are many ways to achieve your ends. The first is using the smaller size photos. Secondly, you should give preference to the PNG file format for image uploading in comparison to the widely-used JPG or JPEG format. However, it would be best to convert your image version to WebP format. This is because WebP offers a number of benefits such as increasing the loading speed up to 28% and reducing the binary sizes of iOS and Android by 25%. Apart from that, it also cuts down the CodePush bundle by 66% and makes the transition of the navigator smooth. Image Caching The image caching is regarded as an important step when you are planning to improve the performance of React Native applications. It helps in swifter loading of the images. However, the React Native supports the image caching only for the iOS platform. As far as the Android OS is concerned, you get the assistance of the npm libraries for the image caching, but they do not offer optimum performance. Besides you can also face a few other issues such as failure of libraries for not being able to bring the preloaded images when the page of the app gets refreshed. This is known as cache miss. Another problem that might prop up is performance draining when the cache logic is operating towards the JS side of the application. Bettering the App Release Time Bettering the release time of your React Native application should also be a prime target of the developer. However, this can be a daunting task as you need to check each of the components to improve the performance of the libraries. So, if you want a desirable result here you should focus on the Object.Finalize element, which has been regarded as a key obstructer in decreasing the app performance. Thus, even if you are employing a subtle use of the finalizers, you will have to face the problems related to memory crash or errors, even after having sufficient memory space. The main reason why finalizers become barriers is because they operate on a single thread. So, if there are several finalizers that need to be run, you can simply image how much time they would eat up in this entire process. The Improvement in JSON Data The mobile applications are in search for a load resource getting it from the service or a remote URL with the intention of obtaining the requests to pull the data from the server. The data which they receive from the private or the public API are usually accessed in the form of JSON having some compound nested objects. The performance tends to slow down because the programmers store the same data to get an access to the local

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React Native Vs Ionic: The Battle of Two Cross-Platform App Development Frameworks

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The mobile application market is surging up and according to the current statistics; the number of apps has already exceeded 8 million as per the first quarter of 2018. The competition for the mobile app development industry is becoming more challenging and it really has a daunting task to engage customers. Most developers would agree upon the selection of platform or framework plays a vital role in increasing the customer retention and enhancing its popularity. And there is no paucity of choices as far as number of platforms is concerned. If you are planning to develop a cross-platform app, the story there is no different. With plethora of options such as Flutter, React Native, Ionic etc., you can pick the best framework that perfectly suits your project requirements. However, here we would be making a comparison between two most popular platforms; Ionic and React Native. But before we begin with the main battle, let’s start with a short introduction about both React Native and Ionic. React Native React Native made its first appearance in the year 2015, developed, and extensively supported by Facebook. It is a JavaScript framework used for creating native mobile and web applications using JavaScript. It thoroughly supports both Android and iOS platforms and uses designs similar to React, offering an interactive mobile user interface. However, remember that React Native does not offer any support to a hybrid or HTML5 app. Ionic Ionic is one of the popular open-source platforms employed for building outstanding hybrid mobile applications. It was initially introduced in 2013 by Drifty Co. As such, the apps built with JavaScript, CSS, and HTML5 basically opt for the Ionic. The framework uses Apache Cordova and Angular, which makes a preferred choice for the developers. Like React Native, it also supports the cross-platform app development. The tools like SaaS and CSS etc. further aid in the development process. The Major Difference – Native and Hybrid It is evident from the short introduction of the React Native that it only used for developing the native mobile and web applications using JavaScript. The developers can share the codes across the dais by rendering the native components. The User Experience works in close proximity with the other native apps following the models offered by the Operating System. The React Native also offers improved performance as well as seamless animations. However, you would only get the desired result if the bridge components are written for the native components and offers a default. On the other hand, Ionic is a staunch supporter of the hybrid application development framework. It usually makes use of the web-based technologies for writing and rendering the application and chooses Cordova or PhoneGap for the assessment of native features. It also comes with a feature Ionic Native. But don’t think that you can create native apps using this feature. It is also known as the ngCordova, which proves helpful in utilizing the existing Cordova and PhoneGap plugins. The Difference in Technology Stack If we talk about the React Native, it is based on the principle ‘Learn once, write anywhere’. This means that the developers will have to follow the set of rules and make use of the native components. React Native emphasises keenly on the UI with the presence of the UI components. For instance, you know that Android has a highly customizable toolbar, which is absent in iOS. So, you can use something else. A number of components have equivalents and if isn’t there you can simply segregate the platform-specific logic. The theme of the Ionic is ‘Write once, run anywhere.’ It offers a comprehensive Software Development Kit to help create hybrid apps. As told, it gets the fuel from web technology and is built on the top of Angular. You can create multi-platform apps using minimal codebase. The well-experienced Angular developers will find no problem whatsoever when working on with the Ionic framework. It also offers built-in components, which simplify the process of app development and enhances the speed as well. What about the Performance If we have to tell you who the better performer is amid the two competitors, then certainly, React Native is the winner. The reason is that it is known for its closer resemblance with native and comparatively faster. However, the developers need to make some changes in the platform-specific component. React is also known for its stability and ideally suitable for developing large-scale apps. On the flipside, building native apps are costly than the hybrid apps. Ionic is slower than React Native due to the presence of the WebView. It mainly uses the mobile-optimized HTML, CSS, and JavaScript components. When you want to add that hybrid factor in your native apps, you can choose Ionic. In addition, it is also good at developing faster prototypes. The bottlenecks in the performance also occur due to the presence of a number of callbacks in the native codes. The Ease or Difficulty of the Language The Ionic framework is closely related to the Angular, which is another very popular JS framework. It follows the Mode-View-Controller model clearly and has got the logic completely separated. It utilizes the HTML view for its views. React Native also is based on JS framework and its code is similar to HTML, known as JSX. The JSX is quite an easy codebase to work with. However, if you are not working in a team or if there is a lack of collaboration, then you might find it difficult as it wouldn’t be as easy as editing the template files and writing CSS. There’s a difference between JSX and HTML as the former does not offer the theories of CSS entirely. Community and Plugins You would be delighted to note that while working with React Native, you would come across several plugins accessible on the NPM. In fact, the plugins are also available while using the PhoneGap or Cordova allowing you to straight away receive lot of plugins from other communities as well. Again, if you compare the

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The Advantages and Disadvantages of Using React Native as Cross-Platform App Development

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The cross-platform app development is seemingly becoming popular as the stratum of competition is exceeding higher up the order. And beyond any doubt, React Native has been identified as the most preferred cross-platform solution for the creation of both Android and iOS apps respectively. With React Native, you can work on two different Operating Systems using a single platform. React Native is a Facebook developed open-source framework that lets you create native mobile applications using the JavaScript programming language. You can develop apps using React Native similar to what you do while employing Java or Kotlin for Android and Objective-C or Swift for iOS. React Native also proves helpful in building attractive User Interfaces, which cannot be distinguished from a native app. The React Native may be a popular option, but it isn’t the best choice as it has some drawbacks as well. Therefore, we would be highlighting the major pros and cons of the React Native, so that you can get an idea when to use the platform and when to avoid it. The Benefits of React Native Known for Optimal Performance Undeniably, React Native is a real asset when it comes to improving the performances through native control and modules. The React Native gets connected to the native components for both the Operating Systems and generates a code to the native APIs upfront and freely. Now the performance enhances due to the fact that it makes use of a different thread from UI and the native APIs. You can also other alternatives such as opt for the WebView, but it will decline the performance level. Can Reuse the Codes and Pre-Developed Components One of the biggest benefits that you can gain from React Native is the advantage of code reusability. The developers feel blessed and thankful to Facebook as they don’t have to develop a separate mobile app for each platform. In fact, you integrate 90% of the native framework for reusing the codes for both the OS. It is because of this unique feature that the developers tend to save a lot of time and also curtail the cost of app development as well. What’s more pleasing to note that you can also reuse the web application codes for creating a mobile app, if they are written in React. React Native also accelerates the speed of development due to the presence of the pre-developed components available in the open-source library. It simply means that the codes are already written in advance and you are just required to implement it according to the app requirements. You are absolutely free to use it. Large Community of Developers The Fact that React Native is an open-source JavaScript platform where every developer is free to contribute to the framework and it’s easily accessible to all. So, you can take full advantage of the community-driven technology. This means that if any developer gets stuck somewhere while developing an app, he is free to take the help of the community members who would guide him in this regard. The support of a large community is also useful as it allows you to share your experiences and portfolios so that you can go for better coding. There is one platform GitHub React Native Community, which encourages the developers to share their experiences whenever they learning something new about the React Native. They also receive the feedback and reviews on the same establishing better communication with the community members. Don’t forget that React Native has been introduced by Facebook, the King of Social Media. So, you would also receive extended support from the social media giant. Indeed, Facebook has created a particular platform to help out the developers initiating the long interactions where you can share your issues and best practices. Advantage of Live and Hot Reloading The React Native is known for its support for Live and Hot Reloading. Don’t get confused as both are different features. If we talk about Live Reloading then it’s a tool that helps in compiling and reading the file where the developer had made the changes. It also offers a new file to the stimulator, automatically reading the app from the beginning. The Hot Reloading is based on the Hot Module Replacement (HMR) and made its inception after the initial reloading process. Although there is not much of a difference in functions and features, but the main aspect comes into play during saving the changes. The HMR inter-mediator will put the updated files into the specific place even if the app is still running. The key plus point of Hot Reading is that it allows the modification of the source code and as such, you don’t need the app recompilation for viewing the codes. Thus, if you have a couple of open windows including that of code and the app screen, you would be able to view the outcome instantly after making changes in the code. In fact, Hot Reading also plays a crucial role in reducing the waiting time for changes. React Native is a Cost Effective Solution We have already discussed in the earlier paragraph how the code reusability in React Native helps to reduce the cost of the app development. The developers don’t need to use separate codes for both the platforms as both OS can be coded with single programming language. Now, this makes your project cost more affordable as you don’t have to employ a large team and different developers for getting the job done. This is another benefit of React Native as a small team size is sufficient to carry out the task. The developers gave in-depth experience and establishing better communication with each others. Offers Simple User Interface The React Native also offers a simplified mobile User Interface, That is why it is more known as a open-source JavaScript library rather than being a framework. If you have developed an ideal app, it’s important to get the sequence right, and React Native is just the optimum choice for getting it.

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The Difference Between iOS and Android App Development Using React Native

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We as a nation are obsessed with mobile apps. Do you realize how much you are dependent on them? In 2017 alone, over 197 billion apps were downloaded. In 2016, 90 billion Android apps and over 25 billion iOS apps were downloaded by the masses. Therefore, getting into app development is an excellent way to earn profits and deliver what customers want. However, the job isn’t easy. There are various decisions you have to take. For instance, do you want to develop an app for Android or iOS users? Or, maybe you want something for both? Do you want an excellent UI as well as UX, developed according to the platform? Or maybe, you want to take the easy way out and make an app that is supported on different types of platforms? If you aren’t willing to develop an app separately for iOS and Android from scratch, React Native is your best option. This framework uses only Javascript. This allows the developed app to be supported by both iOS and Android platforms. This is bound to reduce development time. Importance of React Native The good thing about using React Native is that it allows you to alter the user interface of the app for both iOS and Android app development. Open-source Framework The framework is open-source in nature. It is believed that the structure will become compatible with both Windows and MacOS soon. Moreover, rather than rewriting codes from scratch when developing an Android or iOS version of your app, you can instead reuse the one you made. You can do so by incorporating the React Native’s components in the code of the app you developed or reuse the same code. To do the latter, it is essential that your app is built on Cordova. Quick Development App development isn’t easy. Doing so from scratch and learning how to code Java and Swift can seem like a hassle. With the help of React Native, rather than gaining the technical expertise in two types of script, you are required to know one, i.e., JavaScript. This makes the development process very quick. Focus on the User Interface The major reason for the popularity of React Native is the fact that it delivers a smooth and easy to navigate user-interface in both operating systems in one go. Previously, you had to give preference to one type of platform while the other got the short end of the stick. However, the app developed via React Native is equally smooth in both iOS and Android. How Does App Development in Android and iOS Differ? App development in iOS and Android significantly differ from one another. These differences arise when you develop your app using React Native as well. Here are the primary aspects where the development process differs. Operating System When developing an app, there aren’t any official operating tools available for you to test your app in iOS. There are a few tools available, but since they aren’t delivered by Apple itself, one cannot expect them to be reliable. On the other hand, Android apps can only be checked via Android Studio. This is the only official tool that is provided by Android. So, if you want to test the validity of your developed app and check if it will work on the operating system, the tools are limited in number. While React Native allows you to build applications that work with both operating systems, when it comes to adequately test whether the app developer works on the given system, you will face difficulties if you use a Windows computer. The XCode of iOS only works on macOS. Native Elements The React Native Library has various elements for you to use to develop your app. However, the result the elements produce will differ according to the platform they are used on. For instance, Picker component would lead to a different outcome in an Android emulator and a different one in an iOS simulator. Supporting Styles The styles you add on your app using React Native will also look different in iOS and Android. For example, let’s say you wish to have a shadow style in your app. This style will be visible when you run the application in iOS. However, this won’t be the case in Android since the operating system doesn’t support the given style. Linking Libraries Do you wish to add third-party libraries in your app using React Native? Well, the differences between iOS and Android systems mean that you can’t just use the react-native link called “library name” to get the job done. Instead, you will have to link third-party libraries manually. Now, this won’t be an easy job using React Native. Why? This is because you will need distinct knowledge about the coding of Android and iOS. To manually link libraries on these systems, you would have to use Java and Objective C language. If the library you are using has the required documentation, you might not be required to do anything manually. But, in case it doesn’t, you must know this intrinsic difference between iOS and Android systems to develop your app. Designs While you can use React native to simplify the development of iOS and Android versions of an app, the fact remains that you can’t share the code in its entirety. One key difference that stops this from happening is the differences in design in iOS and Android systems. Think of iOS apps. You might observe that all of them are very minimalistic. While Android too is moving towards material design ideas, it is still more extravagant in its design than iOS. As an app developer, you must keep this in mind to ensure that thetwo versions of the app suit well to the operating system they will run in. Let’s take an example of a given design element to signify the difference in development, i.e., multitask panels. iOS apps feature small windows for the task panel. Android has tabs that can be interchanged. However,

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React Native: A Cost-Effective Way for Cross Platform Mobile Apps Development

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Before we proceed any further, here are some facts and figures for you to chew on: The number of smartphone users worldwide is 2.71 billion and that of tablet users is 1.23 billion. By 2020, this number is predicted to reach 2.87 billion for smartphone users and 1.26 billion for tablet users. Global Internet users stand at 4.39 billion in 2019. This is 9% higher than last year. 3.986 billion users are active on mobile devices. Mobile Internet usage is surpassing desktop Internet usage. In 2018, 58% of site visits were reported to be coming from mobile devices. 205 billion mobile apps were downloaded in 2018 compared to 178 billion in 2017. Of these, 105 billion mobile apps have been downloaded via Google Play Store and iOS App Store. By 2020, this number could reach 250 billion. The mobile app industry is projected to earn $188.9 billion revenue by 2020. If you have eyeballed the figures carefully enough, you would know the mobile app industry is currently running the show. Because the market is hyper competitive, app penetration is deepening at a steady pace without any sign of slowing down. This is great news for developers as well as companies because app development in present times carries all the potential of dynamic pricing. But, are we also going to discuss the research and development costs that come along? As app makers, ask yourselves these six questions: How do we meet the rising demand for mobile apps without going over the odds when it comes to investments? How do we convince SMBs to put money in app development when they are well aware of the high costs? How do we build an incredible mobile app that does exceptionally well with the audience without breaking the bank? Do we work on iOS and Android separately or go for hybrid apps with cross platform compatibility? Is there any way to decrease the development time and use as fewer resources as possible without diluting the UI/UX? How do we cut costs without cutting corners? The answer is – with React Native! Before we explain why, let us talk about cross platform compatibility first. How is a Mobile App Developed to be Cross Platform Compatible? A mobile app created to be functional across multiple mobile operating systems with equal efficacy is known to have cross platform compatibility. Such an app can be developed in relatively less time and at a cost that is significantly lower. In other words, this one is a cost effective way of developing apps. Also, because this is the age of WORE (Write Once, Run Everywhere), the process of developing these apps usually involves just a single round of coding. In modern times, this has become a business imperative instead of a choice. With mobile operating systems diversifying and apps needing the best of all platforms, this is a middle ground that delivers neutrality. How Does Cross Platform App Development Reduce Costs? Not many years ago, app development was an idea strictly limited to platform nativeness. Whenever a client approached app development company, a quick query used to follow – which platform first? – iOS or Android? And god forbid if the client chose both the platforms, development would cost a bomb. And that did not even include the annual maintenance charges! However, times have changed now. Today, it is possible to avoid the high costs of developing native apps. With the concept of cross platform compatibility, developers can now use a single code to customize the mobile apps for both the platforms. Maintenance, too, is easy, quick, and affordable as the need to shut down operations temporarily is dismissed. Basking in the convenience of WORE, the codes are now reusable. Developers can simply use them over and over again, never writing new unique codes that complement separate platforms. This saves time and effort by 50 to 80%. It allows rapid app development at costs that do not burn a hole in your pocketbook. So, if yours is a blueprint for a feature rich app, cross platform compatibility ensures it gets developed in no time. React Native: A Breakthrough Technology Ever since programming came into being, coding has given people sleepless nights, regardless of whether they are programmers or non programmers. With programming languages and platforms rapidly mushrooming, the job is getting even more complicated. The code of native mobile applications needs to be ‘fixed’ every now and then, which makes development cumbersome and slow. Therefore, it has always been a developer’s dream to learn one language and wrap up everything using it – much like a ‘one size fits all’ formula. However, cross platform app technologies have not been able to come up with something worthwhile; only apps with funny interfaces and scrappy compatibility throng devices. In response to this chaos, Facebook introduced React Native in 2015 – a major breakaway from traditional app development tools. This open source framework comes with an amazing ability to develop cross platform mobile apps that work on Android as well as iOS devices. It makes use of collective libraries of app development frameworks such as PhoneGap and Xamarin, which lets it deliver apps much faster. Additionally, it allows developers to write the code in JavaScript and reuse it across devices. Thus, cross platform apps developed using React Native are as good as native apps. Because this framework is efficient and enables building complex mobile apps with total scalability, it is a choice among mobile application developers. No wonder it is being used by biggies like Tesla, Pinterest, Instagram, Skype, Uber, Myntra, Discord, Vogue, and Walmart! 8 Ways React Native Contributes to Affordable App Development Of all the benefits offered by React Native, cost efficiency is paramount. Of course, to develop mobile apps using the platform, a developer needs to consider multiple platforms so the outcome is an application that can manifest high performance. But, this still is a time saver! Let us study how React Native contributes to affordable app development. Reusable

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How to Create PWA With React Native?

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It was the summer of 2008 when the Apple App Store made its debut with 500 applications. In just one week, the App Store saw more than 10 million apps downloads. The tech slang ‘App’ became so popular that it was voted as the ‘Word of the Year’ in 2010 by the American Dialect Society. This sums up the user’s preoccupation with apps since they entered the digital landscape. Today, the developments in mobile technology and the prevalence of high-speed mobile internet have fueled a whole new level of app innovation. One such innovation is the introduction of a new web app development methodology called Progressive Web App or shortly PWA. Introduction to Progressive Web Apps Who wouldn’t like to add a website to the home screen at the click of a button? And browse its content even you do not have internet? A progressive web app makes all this possible. It allows you to install a mobile app from the browser window without the need to visit the app store. Once you install the app, you can now access it like a native app on your mobile, both online and offline. While the web app development practice came into the limelight just recently, it soon became a widely used strategy. PWAs combine the features of mobile applications and regular web pages, which results in web apps similar to mobile apps. It provides a seamless experience identical to a native mobile app with features like background sync and push notifications. For an app to be a PWA, it must meet certain guidelines and principles as provided by Google. Reliable: The web app must be reliable and accessible even when the device is not connected to a network. PWAs use service workers to ensure offline connectivity. Engaging: A PWA provides a delightful user experience. It makes use of push notifications to engage users and keep them informed. Fast: A PWA benefits from quick page loading times and responds quickly to user input. Integrated: PWA is integrated with the users’ device and uses all its capabilities to render an improved experience. Installable: A progressive Web App should be installable even without visiting the app store. PWAs are usually added to the users’ home screen as they click the ‘Add to Home Screen’ banner that pops up on the browser windows. How to Build a Progressive Web App using React Native? PWAs have rapidly been growing in popularity due to the benefits they bring to the table. However, to make an app progressive, there is no need to rewrite the entire application. Here we will explain the method and minimum requirements for developing a progressive web app using React Native. Secure your network connection HTTPS adoption went from 45 percent to over 90 percent when Google started marking the standard HTTP web pages as insecure. It is an essential checklist for a PWA because it adds security to your app and builds trust among your users. HTTPS comes in handy when using service workers in PWAs and allowing the option of home screen installations. Implement ‘Add to Home Screen’ experience After serving the web app on HTTPS, you should make sure that there is an ‘Add to Home Screen’ option for the users. It enhances the user experience as well as the conversion rates for brands. This option can be achieved by adding a Web App Manifest or manifest.json file to your progressive web application. Web app manifest Including the manifest.json file in the app’s root directory makes your application installable on mobile devices. It contains a name, description, icons, and a splash screen for the app. The manifest.json contains the metadata in a public folder and controls the appearance of your app and how it looks on the user’s home screen. You can either write the manifest file yourself or use a tool to do it for you. Here is a preview of the code. Below is a brief analysis of the code: Short_name: It is the name of your app (‘Visor’ in this case) when it is added to the user’s Home screen Name: This is the name that the browser used to prompt the ‘Add to Home screen’ banner. It looks something like, “Add Visor to Home Screen.” Icons: It is the icon of the app displayed on a user’s home screen Start_url: This specifies the URL where the PWA starts Theme_color: This controls the toolbar color of the browser Background_color: Here you can change the background color of the splash screen when the app is launched Display: This allows you to tweak with the browser view. You can make the app run on a full screen or a separate window. Implement a custom splash screen When a user launches a PWA, the android displays a white screen until the app is ready. Unless you have implemented a custom splash screen, a user may see a white, blank screen for longer than necessary. A custom splash screen allows you to use a custom background and icon for your PWA, which gives it a native app-like feel. Service Worker A service worker is a script that runs in the background without interacting with the actual app. It intercepts background network requests and cache information for offline usage. It controls activities like push notifications, installations, caching, and other tasks. Audit the Code with Lighthouse Lighthouse is Google’s open-source, automated tool that allows you to monitor the performance of your web app. Lighthouse conducts a series of tests against a web page and generates a report on how well it performed. The generated report looks something like this. The results help the developers improve the weak areas of their progressive web apps. It gives insights into four key areas of the web app. They are: Progressive Web App Performance Accessibility Best Practices Each section expands into sub-sections, and each sub-section breaks out technologies that you can modify to improve the performance of your app. Lighthouse not only tests your app but also

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