Today, we are going to have an extensive difference between two technologies i.e React vs React Native which is currently used in most popular web apps and Android App Development.
React and React Native sound similar, isn’t it? Yes, indeed they have several similarities between them, but that doesn’t make them identical Because despite having identical properties, there is a significant difference in their functionality and critical purposes and that’s the reason, the point of comparison came.
So if you are getting confused between React and React Native and which one to use? then don’t worry we will cover all your answers to your queries. Keep reading till the end
Before moving into the comparison of Reactjs vs React Native, we must look out for its quite interesting history.
React vs React Native – History
Actually, React and React Native both belong to the Facebook community, and there is an interesting story behind the born of these two technologies. In 2011, when Facebook was evolving and adding new features while at the same time it was facing a lot of issues and one of these was, that the continuous update was decreasing its productivity rate. Content cascading updates resulted in the re-design of an entire app.
At that time, one engineer at Facebook, name Jordan Walke came to resolve these issues, he used XHP to develop FaxJS (Now React.js) was the first prototype of React.js. This is the time when React.js was first deployed for the FB timeline.
React was the first concept to resolve those issues, and later on, it has signified the development of React Native as a framework with enhanced functionalities
So let’s move into the difference between React and React Native, and find out the difference
React vs React Native – Technical Perspective
What is React JS?
As we have already mentioned earlier, React.js is the Javascript library that is used to build interactive User Interfaces for mobile and web apps. Additionally, React.js can update and render the components when your data changes and has support for both the front end and back end.
React.js Offers Features:
Super Fast Application :
Its virtual DOM (Document Object Model) implementation really boosts the performance of an application, React builds an in-memory cache first, then examines the differences and updates it in the browser which seems like the entire page has been affected by each change but actually, only components are changed.
Easily Creates Dynamic Application
React allows you to create applications, which need customization like dynamic applications, which can be easily created with React.js with fewer lines of code only. This feature reduces the cost of Hire react.js developers.
Front-End Developers can create an App too
As React.js is built using the javascript code, it becomes easy for the front-end developers to grasp the technology with the basic knowledge of Javascript, native API, and other designing patterns which allows the non-programmers to Develop React.js applications efficiently.
One-Way Data Binding
One-Way data binding provides easy maintenance by reducing errors because you don’t need to change the entire section to modify any minor changes and provide code stability.
Component-Based Architecture
React.js is component architecture, you can create multiple components as per your need, and can pass data throughout the application, without affecting the component.
SEO-Friendly
React applications are SEO friendly because they provide faster indexing in the search engine, as the websites are indexed faster it provides more leads to the business owners. These characteristics may be helpful to your SEO Expert for Fast Ranking.
What is React Native?
React is an open-source framework of Javascript, which is used to build applications on multiple platforms like Android, and iOS, as well as web applications. It is based on React and that’s why it enhances all its features and built interactive mobile applications. It offers a variety of features and reusable components.
React Native Offers Features:
Can be integrated with any Mobile Apps
React Native can be easily accessible on mobile which indicates that developers can easily use its API to enhance its performance and integrate it with other mobile applications.
Easy Architecture
It has excellent architecture, so code can be easily maintained by the hire react native developers.
Use of Javascript
Though Javascript is the primary language of React Native, it has a steep learning curve because it provides easy learning.
Code Reusability and Money Saving
React Native enables you to share your code on multiple platforms or the same code can be used for the deployment of both iOS and Android, saving significant time and cost in hiring react native developers. As per the latest calculations, 90% of the code can be reused between Android and iOS.
Strong Performance on Smart Phones
React Native is very well suited for mobile architecture and that’s why GPU(Graphical
Processing Unit) and as compared to hybrid technology, React Native is very fast.
Live Reload
React Native provides live reload features in mobile application development which provides two screens at the same time, one for the code modification and other to view the modification.
React vs React Native – Head-To-Head Comparison
Let’s look at the Key Difference between React and React Native –
| React.js | React Native |
| React.js was released in 2013 and it is used to build web applications. | React Native was released in 2015, and it is used to build mobile applications. |
| It enables the developers to build high-performance React web apps | It’s an entire framework to build any cross any platform, like iOS, Android, or Web apps |
| React.js offers better animation | React Native offers fewer animation |
| React.js uses the virtual DOM to render the browser codes | React Native uses native APIs to render the codes |
| React applications render HTML in UI | It uses JSX for rendering UI |
| React.js is best to build any dynamic applications and responsive UI interfaces | React Native is best if you want to provide Native feelings to mobile applications |
| It provides higher security | As Compared to React it provides less security |
| Some of the popular apps currently using React.js are:
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Some of the popular apps currently using React Native are:
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React vs React Native – The Benefits
How can React.js benefit the Business?
Increases its working efficiency:
While using React.js with JSX, increases the Web application’s performance and speed. It also works with HTML which renders the subcomponent smoothly. So the combination of both JSX and React increases the speed, and simplifies the writing process, which saves a lot of time.
Easily Manage High-Load Application
High-loading applications can have a negative impact on the business, and that’s why React.js prevents high load using its Virtual DOM, which helps the user resolve issues quickly. That’s why many big companies like Facebook, Instagram, and Netflix are using React to manage their high-loaded application smoothly.
Enhances SEO Performance
SEO(Search Engine Optimization) is the key factor for quickly generating leads by indexing the business in various search engines like Google. Therefore React helps in expanding the business SEO performance by providing quick indexing. It also handles search engine failure to read the applications and enhances app ranking.
Also, read – Advantages of Using React.js
How React Native can benefit the Business?
If you want to give a native look to your Mobile applications, then React Native is the best example because this framework is best suitable to build high-quality mobile applications
Code Reusability
The biggest advantage of React Native is, that its code can be used on multiple platforms (iOS or Android), and you don’t need to separate codes that in turn increases the development speed and efficiency simultaneously.
Cost-Efficiency
Around 90% of the code is reused between two different platforms increasing the speed and reducing the development cost by 40%, and you don’t need to hire two different iOS or Android developers. Moreover, it has additional features which can fasten the development process.
Readymade UI Libraries to Implement
React Native has a huge support of inbuilt libraries for a smooth UI experience which saves a lot of time in building an application because you don’t need to build the library from scratch.
React vs React Native – The Drawbacks
Limitations of React.js
Development Pace
React.js is a continuously evolving framework and its development pace depends on the working users, It often updates might be advantageous for those, which make their work easy and benefits their business while might be a limitation, for those who don’t want to relearn the process of how to work with React. As the React.js API has become more stable in recent years but its continuous updates have affected its library and features.
Focussed on UI
Unlike other frameworks, React.js is not the complete solution for Web app development as it only focuses on the view part i.e UI. Therefore developers have to rely on other tools for creating models and controllers. Even if you want to implement complex functionalities, then you will need to opt for other tools, API, and Routing as well
Over Costs & Time
Sometimes it becomes mandatory to download other components of React.js, which increases the cost as well as heads the time. For eg: if developers working with a carbon framework then it is necessary to download carbon components
Limitations of React Native
Difficult to Learn
React Native can be difficult to learn in the beginning, especially for beginners in developing applications with JSX. Besides this, developers need to be skilled in native coding too. Developers who don’t have the knowledge of working with multiple platforms may find it difficult to between iOS and Android.
Low-Security
Security is an important part of any application and comparatively, React Native provides low security, and developers find it challenging to keep the app secure. That’s why it is not well suited for financial apps like banking,
Complex UI
React Native is not perfectly applicable to applications that need complex features like animations, screen transistors, and many other required features.
Conclusion
Both React.js and React Native is suitable for mobile or web applications as per their functionality and features. React.js is JS library while React Native is an entire framework for building cross-platforms.
React.js is good for creating Web applications with complex features and high functionality while React Native is capable to provides a native look to your mobile apps.
Like every framework React and React Native has their own set of benefits and limitations so the choice is totally yours and you should do a thorough study of your project and choose the technology as per your requirement
Still, if you are getting confused, then please feel free to contact the developer team, we would be happy to help you.