“If your app doesn’t make people’s lives better, it’s not worth building.” – Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn Co-Founder.

We live in an age where mobile app development grows exponentially, leaving everyone involved flabbergasted! The mobile app industry has crossed the 4 million apps where 3.48 million apps are available on the Google Play Store. Read in this blog, React Native vs. Native App Development pros and cons in 2022.

This growth has prompted the need to create mobile apps for everything. In short, the mobile app world is at its peak. 

However, many business owners have a tough time recognizing the different mobile app development approaches to choose from. Not only that, sometimes the names used in app development processes like React Native vs. Native App Development lead to confusion.

So, let’s take a deep dive into React Native vs. native app development to know the difference.

What Is React Native?

React Facebook developed native in 2015. The aim was to create a cross-platform mobile app development framework that was easy to work with and productive. Since its entry, React Native has been a trendy choice for app developers worldwide. 

According to a survey, 42 percent of software developers today use React Native.

Image Source: Statista

It’s being used by big names, such as Facebook, Airbnb, UberEats, Instagram, etc.

However, to develop an efficient React Native app, an experienced React Native developer is a must. Also, you must choose the best React Native development company.

Pros of Using React Native

There are many benefits to opting for React Native, some of which are mentioned below:

1. Quicker Time-To-Market & Cost Efficiency:

To begin with, React Native enables the growth of a cross-platform mobile app in a shorter time. Also, the cost involved is less as compared to native app development. React Native uses one codebase for both Android and iOS apps.  

In addition, React Native is a JavaScript-based framework, which is highly popular among developers. According to a Stack Overflow survey, JavaScript completes its ninth year in a row as the most commonly used programming language.

So, it’s not challenging to find React Native experts, resulting in a quicker build time.

2. Hot Reloading & Live Reloading:

It is one of the most loved features included in React Native. It saves both time and money by eliminating the debugging process in case of any issues. 

How does it work? When you change something in your app, the changes are reflected instantly without compiling code or restarting the app. This is a huge time saver!

Let me explain this with an example:

You add a navigation bar in your app and then change something about it. When you click on Save, all the changes you made to the code are reflected instantly on the screen. No compiling or restarting is needed at all!

3. Easier To Get Started With Cross-Platform Development:

Image Source

As we discussed earlier, React Native uses one codebase for both Android and iOS apps. This makes it easier to get started with cross-platform development as there is no need to create separate source codes. 

Therefore, React Native is the best option for businesses that want to entertain mobile users on both leading app stores. Example: Instagram, one of the most popular social media apps, has been developed using React Native.

4. Ready Access To A Larger Community Of Developers:

React Native has an advantage over other mobile app development frameworks due to its large developers’ community. This means that finding React Native developers is not so difficult. 

This makes it easier for businesses to hire the right talent on board. Drawing more workforce will lead to faster development, resulting in a quicker time-to-market.

5. No Sacrifices In User Experience:

For any online business, having a seamless user interface is a must. UX and CX are viewed as competitive differentiators by 70% of business leaders.

Image Source: Financesonline

Using React Native does not compromise the UX of your app, as it provides an efficient and smooth experience to end-users.

Cons Of Using React Native

Though there are many benefits to using React Native, it’s not perfect either. Let’s discuss the cons of using React Native below:

1. Lower Performance Than Native Apps:

The biggest drawback is that React Native apps run slightly slower than native mobile apps. However, the gap is closing, and React Native is getting better in this regard. So, you can expect satisfactory performance from a React Native app soon.

2. Difficult To Debug:

Debugging the code in a React Native app can be a tricky task. As the stack traces reflect the underlying native platform, it is difficult to pin down errors from a JavaScript-based codebase. 

3. No Access To Native Features:

Since React Native is a cross-platform development tool, it lacks access to native features of both Android and iOS apps. As many businesses require complete access to all features of each platform’s SDK, this might be a drawback to some.

What Is Native App Development?

Native app development involves building a mobile app from the ground up.  It uses the native language of each platform (C++, Objective-C, or Swift in case of iOS and Java in case of Android). To put it simply, a native app is developed using the SDK available for a specific mobile platform.

Pros Of Using Native App Development:

1. Full OS Platform & Integration Support:

The most significant benefit of using Native app development is that it offers the highest level of integration with features available in each mobile platform.   It takes full advantage of the SDK to develop a highly-optimized app that gives users an unmatched experience.

2. Native Solutions Perform Better In Speed, Graphics Support, etc:

When it comes to performance, native apps offer a better user experience.  This is because they are developed using the native language. For example, React Native apps use JavaScript code executed by a JavaScript VM (Virtual Machine) part of the Android application package. 

On the other hand, a native app uses machine-level instructions for executing tasks directly on the processor. This results in improved performance and loading speed.

3. Native App Development Allows Writing Lower-Level Code:

.Developers have access to low-level programming languages when working with Native app development. This means they can do more complex tasks that deliver a seamless experience to users.

4. Native Solutions Offer Almost Limitless UI Possibilities:

Native app development allows the creation of highly customizable apps. Businesses can add additional features that create a more personalized experience.

It allows you to work with a pre-built UI library and offers an almost unlimited number of options to choose from. Some of the essential pre-built UI elements that a particular mobile platform supports include buttons, tables, text fields, etc.

5. Native Solutions Offer Better Security:

A native app is developed using the native platform’s SDK. It integrates with the platform at a lower level than any other solution. This results in better security, improved battery usage, and data storage. 

Only apps that are signed with the right certificate can be installed on an iOS device, for example, ensuring that only genuine/trusted apps are installed on a user’s device.

Cons Of Using Native App Development

1. High Development Costs & Time-Consuming Process:

Building a native app from scratch requires a lot of time, money, and effort.  You will need an experienced team who can build the app using the right tools & technologies from the ground up. It may take months before you can show anything tangible to your customers. So, it’s not a feasible option if you’re looking for quick results.

The process also requires expertise in several mobile platforms, which means you’ll have to pay a higher salary if you bring in experienced professionals. 

2. Native Apps Are Restricted To One Platform:

If your business mainly targets users on a specific mobile platform, you may not face any problems with this limitation. However, if you try to support multiple platforms simultaneously, using Native app development can prove problematic. 

You’ll need separate development teams with cross-platform expertise to build native apps for each platform.

3. Native Apps Are Difficult To Update:

Since native app development is done using the platform’s SDK, it requires more work to revise your app or push out updates. It involves submitting a new version of the app with every minor change, which can be frustrating for developers and clients alike.

Conclusion

By now, you have a fair idea of two popular mobile app development approaches — React Native vs. Native app development. 

React Native apps seem like an excellent option for businesses that prioritize their development budget and time.  It is a faster, easier, and more cost-effective solution.

However, if you’re looking to create a genuinely high-performing mobile app, you need to opt for Native development. You’ll have more control over the result and create custom experiences that resonate with your users. So, weigh the pros & cons of both approaches before making a final decision!

If you’re still on the fence about going React Native or going native, then you should consider reaching out to a React Native app development company like PixelCrayons for expert help.

Read More Here – https://www.articleritz.com/the-benefits-of-react-native-for-mobile-app-development/