Building Scalable React Native Apps: Tips for Optimizing Performance

Recently, React Native (RN) has made a splash in the global world of mobile app development. How is such a tremendous popularity explained? This framework has caused a revolution with its single codebase that runs on multiple platforms. In other words, it allows for developing React Native apps that are genuinely native for both iOS and Android simultaneously. What has been unreal earlier is now possible with React Native.

What other gains, apart from accelerated development, does this framework offer? In this article, we will answer this and many other topical questions you might have about React Native mobile apps development. Discover the basics and learn how to optimize your processes.

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Exploring React Native

React Native is an open-source JavaScript-based framework widely utilized for developing natively-rendered mobile apps for iOS and Android as well as web applications. 

RN has gained popularity for its concept of using only one paradigm. This means the same codebase is used in building open source React Native apps for diverse platforms. 

The framework was released by Facebook back in 2015 as a solution for the problem of maintaining two code bases for an app. Not only did this tool resolve their most pressing trouble, but it quickly became adopted by developers all over the globe. The biggest mobile apps including Instagram, Skype, Airbnb, and more are developed with React Native. 

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Effective solution for cross-platform development

React Native stands close to the notion of cross-platform development. This framework comes as an excellent choice for creating apps compatible with multiple platforms synchronously. 

The cross-platform method allows building a codebase once and then reusing it for as many platforms as necessary while maintaining the native performance, look, and feel of React Native apps. This results in faster time-to-market and significant cost savings associated with development and maintenance.

Pros & cons of React Native apps development

More and more large companies opt for developing apps that use React Native and it’s no wonder as the framework offers a number of advantages. Above, we reviewed some of them superficially so now let’s take a closer look at them. 

• Reusable code. This is the best thing about React Native. It enables developers to run most of the code across several platforms. Thus, apps made with React Native perform seamlessly on different operational systems. Furthermore, using the same codebase results in accelerated development and easier maintenance – there’s no need to take care of two separate codes. As you can avoid hiring two teams to manage each version, you also save expenses. 
• Fast reloading. This allows developers to see how changes affect an app’s performance in real time. As each update is immediately visible, the framework saves the time needed for full compilations and makes the debugging process faster and simpler.  
• Native-like performance. React Native apps do not differ from exclusive iOS or Android apps in terms of performance as the framework uses native APIs to render UI. 
• Enjoyable user experience. React Native allows for crafting intuitive and responsive interfaces made with native components. Such UIs ensure fast loading and therefore enhance the overall user experience. 
• Resource-efficiency. Time and cost saving is at the heart of React Native apps development. It takes less time to build applications with the same code and deliver it. Development and maintenance are also half the price of building and updating separate apps. Besides, you can do it with one small team and reduce overhead costs.  
• Global developer community. React Native has a large and constantly thriving community where everyone is free to bring their expertise to the framework’s development. This drives effective experience sharing – in case of a problem, a developer can always find someone to ask for help. This not only has a positive impact on the app development process but also improves an individual’s skills. 
• Rapid evolvement. Though RN is a relatively new framework, it has been making impressive advances. It’s being regularly updated thus ensuring more exciting opportunities for cross-platform development in the near future. Soon, we can expect many more new apps using React Native. 

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As mentioned earlier, React Native is under constant improvement, however, there are still challenges to address. Before getting started with React Native apps development, it’s important to thoroughly examine drawbacks and potential risks. 

• Native developers should still be involved. Incorporating native code into the RN codebase might be challenging for specialists lacking expertise in native development. At this moment, the assistance of Android and iOS developers is vital for smooth React Native apps development.
• Dependence on Facebook. The framework is currently supported by Facebook. If the company decides to break it off, others will massively reconsider using the tool too. However, this scenario seems rather unreal now.  
• Creating complex interfaces. RN isn’t efficient enough for handling advanced interactions, complex animation, screen transitions, etc. Complex applications in React Native apps may experience some performance issues compared to fully native apps. This is explained by the difference between the iOS and Android touch subsystems. In some cases, utilizing a unified API is too difficult. 
• Debugging issues. This framework requires using both JavaScript and native code. This potentially complicates the process of detecting and fixing bugs in React Native apps. 
• Lack of third-party components. As a relatively young framework, there are not many third-party components supplied by React Native. Adding these components is resource-consuming and often challenging for developers. 

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The most popular React Native example apps

React Native development is adopted by numerous industries. As it poses no specific constraints, a lot of well-known companies have made their decisions in favor of React Native apps. Here, look what apps use react native. We bet you know most of them (if not all). 

• Facebook. As the company is the inventor of React Native, their app was the first RN case. The company brought the framework to the world and showed its benefits thus making other companies follow their path. 
• Skype. Using React Native in the Skype app development resulted in advanced performance, faster updates, and even integration of fun features like Giphy that allows users to search for and send animated GIFs. 
• Instagram. It is another bright example of React Native apps. The framework was integrated into the existing native app to achieve enhanced performance and user experience and speed up the delivery. 
• Walmart. The retail corporation has managed to improve user experience and introduce advanced technologies with React Native to ensure strong competitiveness. 
• Airbnb. React Native helped them to move faster with development and ensured a seamless user experience regardless of the platform. 
• SoundCloud Pulse. They chose React Native to cope with the problem of lacking skillful iOS developers. This decision helped them to avoid a huge gap between the iOS and Android releases and resulted in a positive experience. 

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Want to know more about our experience? Look through some of the best Fivecube Works. 

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Wrapping up

Now, React Native comes as a compelling option for cross-platform development. This tool streamlines the process of building scalable mobile apps that provide an excellent native-like user experience. Even though the framework still has some drawbacks, it opens up a wide range of possibilities for easy and fast development across platforms. 

As you can see, there are a lot of tech giants preferring apps built with React Native, so it indicates that this tool is here to stay and evolve for a long time. 

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Are you looking for a dedicated team experienced in React Native apps development? Fivecube can become your reliable partner! Our digital design agency has a proven track record in building top-notch mobile apps that run on different operating systems seamlessly. 

Reach out to us for more information.