React vs. React Native: 5 Differences
JavaScript has become an essential language for web developers. It has also been used to develop applications for both mobile and desktop platforms, thanks to two popular frameworks—React and React Native. But what are the differences between React and React Native? Let’s take a closer look.
React vs. React Native: What’s the Difference?
Developers widely use React and React Native frameworks, which are both JavaScript-based; however, they have distinct applications and purposes. So, what’s the difference between React vs. React Native?
Facebook developed React as a JavaScript library for building user interfaces (UI). React is capable of developing both web-based and mobile applications.
The main advantage of using React is that it makes building complex UIs simpler and more efficient. Using React along with other libraries such as Redux and MobX can enhance its power and versatility, owing to its JavaScript-based nature.
React Native, on the other hand, is a framework based on React that enables developers to build native apps for iOS and Android using only JavaScript.
This means that developers don’t have to learn different languages or frameworks for the two platforms; they can use the same language and framework across both platforms.
In addition, since React Native uses native components instead of web components like HTML or CSS, it allows apps built with it to look and feel more natural than those built with other technologies.
The most significant difference between React and React Native lies in their approaches to app development. While React focuses on creating web-based applications, React Native focuses on creating native apps for different operating systems, such as iOS or Android.
Thus, when deciding which technology will best suit your project, consider its features and approach toward app development.
Let’s Take A Look At Five Key Differences Between React vs. React Native.
1. Platforms Supported
React: React is a powerful framework that supports multiple platforms and offers developers an efficient way to build dynamic web applications. From creating native mobile apps with React Native to creating desktop applications with Electron, there’s no shortage of options when it comes to leveraging the power of React for your projects. Whether you’re looking for a way to make your existing website more interactive or you’re just getting started learning how to code, getting familiar with these different platforms will help you take your skillset—and your web development projects—to the next level!
React Native: One of the great things about React Native is its versatility. It allows developers to target multiple platforms at once, as compared with developing specific applications for Android and iOS separately. This can be a great timesaver and cost-saver, especially when you consider the difference between building an application with React versus building it with React Native. Whereas React will still allow you to build mobile applications quickly, React Native gives you even more flexibility by supporting multiple platforms like macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS. This means that a single application can work on different devices without needing refactoring or too much code adjustment. So if you’re looking for a developer platform that gives you maximum flexibility when creating mobile applications, consider using React Native to take advantage of its wide support range.
This was the first difference between React vs. React Native. Let’s look at other differences too.
2. Performance
React: If you’ve ever tried to build a web application or mobile app, it is likely that you have considered the difference between React and React Native. The performance of React framework, in particular, has become increasingly popular as an efficient way to create rich user experiences across web and mobile platforms. React focuses on creating dynamic user interfaces for the web, while React Native is designed to build native applications for Android and iOS operating systems. Both platforms rely on JavaScript syntax, however, they use specialized tools to create robust applications with great user experiences. With its ability to help developers create high-performance apps quickly and easily, it’s no surprise that the popularity of React has risen significantly in the last few years.
React Native: React Native is an increasingly popular framework among developers. It allows for the creation of native mobile applications developed using JavaScript and other native platform technologies. The difference between choosing React and React Native lies in the fact that React is used for creating web applications, while React Native targets mobile platforms. Some key benefits of using the React Native framework include its robustness when it comes to performance, which makes it a great choice for software development, as well as how quickly updates and fixes can be made. All in all, the performance of react native remains one of the most attractive features when developing successful projects.
3. Language
React: React is an open-source JavaScript library used to create interactive and multiplatform Front-end user interfaces. It is one of the most popular frameworks currently available and has seen a huge increase in usage over the past few years. React uses a language called JSX, which stands for JavaScript XML. This combines HTML elements with JavaScript functionality, making it easier to code components such as buttons and tabs. The difference between React and React Native is that React only works on web applications while React Native can create native applications for phones and tablets. All-in-all, this makes creating mobile apps much quicker, easier, and more efficient than ever before!
React Native: React Native is a popular way to create mobile apps for both Android and iOS devices, but it uses a unique language compared to its predecessor React. The difference between these two languages lies mainly in the tools used within each framework – React utilizes HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for users to create interfaces with functionality, while React Native allows users to use common components from React such as Alerts and Animations but also provide an additional library of native ones such as ViewPager and Picker. By using the latter in combination with simple JavaScript and native code, developers are able to create powerful mobile applications that have responsive design capabilities tailored specifically for both Android and iOS systems.
4. Libraries:
React: Libraries are an integral part of React frameworks, providing developers with the tools and resources they need to create powerful user interfaces. With a library like Redux, developers can easily keep track of the application state and make global data changes with just one simple line of code. On the other hand, React Native is a native mobile development platform that makes use of JavaScript libraries while also incorporating native elements. With a difference in syntax and styling between the two, knowing when to use each can be confusing for even experienced coders. However, by taking advantage of both libraries, developers now have access to powerful tools and resources that make their work much faster and easier.
React Native: React Native has shaken up the mobile development landscape. Facebook developed a novel open-source mobile framework called React Native, which enables developers to build mobile applications using JavaScript and the React library on both iOS and Android platforms. Libraries are an integral part of this new technology, offering faster building time with fewer lines of code for developers. While both React and React Native utilize libraries, the difference between them lies in their implementation. As React allows for storing components under a single folder structure, libraries used in React are based more on an “all-in-one” approach. On the other hand, libraries used in React Native focus more on a “just enough” approach so you don’t bloat your app with irrelevant resources. Ultimately, it’s all about choosing the best library that can pave the way for a great user experience without draining much of your budget or labor force.
5. Documentation
React: When it comes to documentation done in React framework, the difference between React and React Native is huge. React primarily focuses on web development, whereas React Native targets mobile devices. Both are open-source JavaScript libraries used for developing user interfaces. With its distinct components and capabilities, documentation made with React framework can easily allow developers to create interactive UIs across multiple platforms, making it one of the most popular library choices currently on the market.
React Native: React Native is a JavaScript-based mobile app development framework created by Facebook. It allows you to develop native applications using the same practices and concepts as React, making it easier to build and maintain applications across multiple platforms. One of the biggest advantages of React Native is that it simplifies cross-platform development by enabling developers to reuse their code between different projects.
To this end, building documentation in React Native is both faster and easier than in other frameworks. Not only does React Native offer the benefits of better performance than many other frameworks, but it also provides a difference from React due to its focus on developing for mobile devices rather than web browsers. Furthermore, it utilizes an array of native components that allow for faster app rendering times. All these factors make documentation with React Native a great choice for building multi-platform mobile apps quickly and with limited hassle.
Which one to choose and why?
When deciding between React and React Native, you must consider your requirements. For example, suppose you need a quick development process and the ability to render UI elements quickly without needing to compile.
In that case, React is your best bet. On the other hand, if you want to write apps for both Android and iOS with a single codebase and an API closely aligned with native platforms, then React Native is probably more suitable.
Ultimately, the decision depends on what kind of project you’re working on, so assess each option carefully before committing to either.
Conclusion
In conclusion, as you can see, there are quite a few differences between react vs. react native – from performance levels through language support all the way down to libraries available.
So before you begin any project, be sure to do your research thoroughly to know which platform will work best for you! With all this in mind, we hope this article has helped shed some light on why these two platforms differ from each other – Happy coding!
While both technologies offer great advantages in terms of efficiency and ease of use, they serve different purposes. If you’re looking to create a web-based application, then you should go with React, whereas if you’re looking to create native apps, then you should go with React Native.
Whichever option you choose depends largely on your project requirements, so do your research before committing to one technology over another!
