How React Native Boosts the Demand for Cross-Platform App Development?

Juned Ghanchi
Product Coalition
Published in
3 min readSep 24, 2020

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Mobile apps have become the focal point of interaction and engagement in today’s fast-paced digital world. Large and small businesses have recognized the potential of apps as digital storefronts and tools for branding, customer engagement, and more. The mobile app landscape, however, is divided mainly between two giants, iOS and Android. Naturally, businesses want to tap into both platforms’ user bases without blowing budgets. This is where cross-platform development, especially with React Native, comes into the picture.

Understanding Cross-Platform Development:

Before diving deep into React Native, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of cross-platform development. Cross-platform development builds software products or services for multiple platforms or environments. Instead of writing different codes for different platforms, developers can reuse the same code across multiple platforms. This saves a tremendous amount of time and resources, providing many businesses with an efficient route to market.

React Native: A Revolutionary Framework:

Enter React Native, a brainchild of Facebook, aiming to merge the best parts of app development into a unified solution. React Native isn’t just another of the many cross-platform solutions; it stands out and has, over the years, proven to be the most efficient for many reasons.

Code Reusability:

A primary advantage that React Native offers is the reusability of code. Developers write once and run everywhere. This doesn’t mean a blanket application is thrown over all platforms. Instead, about 90% of the code can be reused between iOS and Android, speeding up the development process and ensuring faster market reach and, consequently, quicker returns on investment.

Native Performance:

React Native, unlike many other cross-platform solutions, offers nearly native performance. The term ‘native’ here refers to the inherent default behavior and performance expected on a platform. Even with a shared codebase, the app feels, operates, and interacts as if it were built specifically for that platform.

Rich User Interface:

A mobile app’s success isn’t just about its functionalities but also its user interface. React Native, being component-based, allows developers to build apps with a more agile, web-style approach to development than most hybrid frameworks. This means apps have a smoother feel and are much more responsive to user interaction.

Flexibility and Adaptability:

React Native is highly adaptable. It offers the flexibility of integrating with third-party plugins, meaning the framework does not cover if you need specific functionality. Still, you can easily integrate a third-party solution without many complications.

A Vibrant Community:

Behind React Native’s success is a vast and active community of developers who consistently contribute to the framework’s betterment. Being open-source, the framework enjoys regular updates and improvements. The community-driven environment ensures that developers can access many resources and that any issues or challenges are promptly addressed.

Cost-Effective Development:

The financial benefits of React Native are hard to ignore. The same team can develop, test, and maintain apps on both iOS and Android. This means you’re hiring fewer people, taking less time to market, and ensuring consistent performance across platforms.

Simplified UI Design:

Designing the user interface becomes more straightforward with React Native. Since it’s component-based, developers can employ individual components for different OS-specific designs, ensuring consistency and enhancing the overall user experience.

Future-Proofing with React Native:

Technologies evolve, and so do user preferences. React Native’s modular architecture means integrating newer technologies, whether it’s Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, or any other futuristic tech, becomes more seamless. Moreover, as businesses and developers prioritize mobile experiences, having a framework that promises quality and rapid development cycles will always be in demand.

In Conclusion
React Native has reshaped the realm of mobile app development. For businesses looking to create top-notch apps that cater to a broad audience without compromising on quality or performance, React Native is a boon. With its continually evolving nature, backed by industry giants and an active community, React Native’s dominance in the cross-platform world seems destined to grow. As we move forward, harnessing the power of React Native will be crucial for businesses and developers aiming to leave a mark in the app universe.

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Juned Ahmed is an IT consultant by profession and is working with IndianAppDevelopers, a leading Android app development company.