Friday, April 2, 2021

Which is better React Native or Native iOS and Android Development for building Mobile applications ?

 

React Native vs Native (iOS, Android)

 

Properties/Feature

React Native

 

Native (iOS) – Swift / Objective C

Native (Android) – Java / Kotlin

Development Environment Setup Steps

In addition to Node server Development environment, Native Development Tools (iOS and Android) would also be required.

 

As it doesn’t completely remove the need of going native.

 

Online Development using browser without any system setup is also possible using https://snack.expo.io

 

Requires just installing XCode from Apple App Store as per this URL- https://developer.apple.com/xcode/

Simple Installation steps (see URL below for details):  https://developer.android.com/studio

Development Tools

Tooling mostly based on open source projects and comparatively less advanced than that for native development

 

Developers can choose from many Web Development Tools

 

React Native extension for Visual Studio is very popular.

XCode - Good support from Apple.

 

Mostly Proprietary from the platform vendors.

Android Studio - Good support from Google.

 

Mostly Proprietary from the platform vendors.

Multi-Threading Support

No (React Native Core is currently based on single threaded JavaScript).

 

However parallel execution with hamsters.io is also possible

Yes (https://developer.apple.com/documentation/dispatch)

 

Yes (https://developer.android.com/training/multiple-threads)

Refactoring & Static code analysis

Refactoring is difficult (due to JavaScript).

 

Using TypeScript can bring in support for advanced refactoring and static code analysis along with advanced development tools.

 

React Native projects may also include code written in ObjectiveC/Swift for iOS and Java/Kotlin for Android.

 

XCode has good Refactoring Support for both Swift and Objective C.

Android Studio has good Refactoring Support for Kotlin and Java.

Low Level Hardware Access

No

Yes

 

Yes

Cross Platform

Code Sharing possible between iOS and Android.

 

JavaScript could be slightly inconsistent on platforms or you may want different UX in different platforms (requiring platform specific React Native coding)

 

Targets only Apple Devices

Targets only Android Devices

App Center Code Push

 

Can be quickly updated via Code Push without involving App Store

 

 

 

No (Requires tedious App Store approval process for submitting an app updates with bug fixes or new features.)

No (Users needs to update the app via Play Store for getting latest updates from the app developer)

Faster Development[AB1] [TT2] [TT3] 

Yes (Due to following Reasons)

-          JavaScript & JSX usually requires lesser lines of code

-          React Native Code Updates could push faster to clients (both Dev and Prod) using features like Hot code reload or code push updates.

-          Debugging & Development Tools are Faster

-          Plenty of Code Generators and Boilerplate code Templates

-          You may also need some platform specific code which will be bundled for iOS or Android specific bundles.

No

No

Hot Reload Supported

 

Yes (Saving code changes reflects immediately in Device)

 

Using live reloading the app could be reloaded every time the code is changed without having to rebuild it manually.

No

No [AB4] [TT5] [TT6] (Instant Run for Android is similar but for many cases it might need Cold Swap or Warm Swap, where reload of Activity and Application is required). Refer: https://medium.com/google-developers/instant-run-how-does-it-work-294a1633367f#.8j91tz11c

 

Simpler Component Lifecycle

 

React Component Lifecycle:

 

https://levelup.gitconnected.com/componentdidmakesense-react-lifecycle-explanation-393dcb19e459

 

 

iOS Component Lifecycle:

 

https://docs-assets.developer.apple.com/published/f06f30fa63/UIViewController_Class_Reference_2x_ddcaa00c-87d8-4c85-961e-ccfb9fa4aac2.png

 

 

 

 

Android Component Lifecycle:

 

https://developer.android.com/guide/components/images/activity_lifecycle.png

 

Platform Maturity

~ 5 years

10+ years

10+ years

 

Runtime Initialization & Initial Render Time

React Native Bridge API is required to communicate between react native and native.

 

Initialization Time (runtime needs to be initialized) — it’s difficult to use in launch screens.

 

 

 

Faster

Faster

CPU & GPU Usage

React-Native uses the GPU of the iPhone slightly more effectively than Swift

 

Swift uses the CPU of the iPhone more efficiently than React-Native

 

(See URL below)

 

Lower than React Native

(See URL below)

 

Memory Usage

React-Native somehow leverages the iPhone’s memory much more effectively than Swift does

 

Comparing Performance between Native iOS with Swift and React Native

 

https://medium.com/the-react-native-log/comparing-the-performance-between-native-ios-swift-and-react-native-7b5490d363e2

 

 

Marginally Lower than React Native

https://thoughtbot.com/blog/examining-performance-differences-between-native-flutter-and-react-native-mobile-development

Crash Log

Crash Monitoring (third party tools like

https://www.bugsnag.com/ might be required)

 

Supported by iOS Platform

Supported by Android Platform

Debugging Across Platforms

Debugging React Native crashes are more challenging if the issue spanned across React Native and native code as stack traces won’t jump between React Native and native.

 

Not Required

Not Required

Gesture Supports

Low

Better

Better

App Size

Slightly bigger (by ~ 8MB) than Native App.

 

There is an ongoing Lean Core initiative to reduce it. https://github.com/facebook/react-native/issues/23313

Usually smaller than that of React Native App

Usually smaller than that of React Native App

Required Development Skills

Web (HTML, CSS and JavaScript) and React (including Node) Development along with some native mobile app development.

 

React Native enables Learn-once/write-one-ish/run-many strategy for delivering functionality to our customers.

Swift and Objective C

Kotlin and Java

References

·         React Native at Airbnb - https://medium.com/airbnb-engineering/react-native-at-airbnb-f95aa460be1c

·         The (not so) hidden cost of sharing code between iOS and android - https://blogs.dropbox.com/tech/2019/08/the-not-so-hidden-cost-of-sharing-code-between-ios-and-android/

·         React Philosophy & Patterns

o   https://levelup.gitconnected.com/react-component-patterns-ab1f09be2c82

o   http://lucasmreis.github.io/blog/simple-react-patterns/?utm_source=mybridge&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=read_more

o   http://krasimirtsonev.com/blog/article/getting-from-redux-to-state-machine-with-stent


Android Studio has a feature called Instant Run that is able to apply some changes without building a new APK. [AB4]

 

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Which is better React Native or Native iOS and Android Development for building Mobile applications ?

  React Native vs Native (iOS, Android)   Properties/Feature React Native   Native (iOS) – Swift / Object...

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