Exploring Mobile Development: Native vs. React Native
In the age of digitalization, mobile applications have become vital components in personal and business realms. There are various methods and technologies available for mobile application development, two of the most popular being native development and React Native. This article seeks to provide a comprehensive comparison of these two methods, focusing on their architecture, language and environment, internal workings, and time consumption.
1. Architecture: Design Patterns and Components
Native development
Allows developers to use all the capabilities of the devices because they have direct access to the hardware such as GPS, camera, etc. It offers robustness and a high degree of reliability. Design patterns and components in native development are standard and have been matured over the years. UI components, for example, are highly optimized to provide a smooth user experience.
React Native
On the other hand, utilizes a mixture of JavaScript and native code. It follows the same fundamental UI building blocks as regular iOS and Android apps. However, instead of using Swift, Kotlin or Java, you’re putting those building blocks together using JavaScript and React. The architectural concept of React Native is essentially about reusing these “native components” and binding them to their React counterparts.
2. Language & Environment: Multi-threaded vs. Single-threaded (Multi-processed)
Native development
is multi-threaded, which means it can handle multiple tasks simultaneously. This results in a more efficient performance, especially for applications that require heavy computations or multiple operations running simultaneously. Swift for iOS and Kotlin for Android are statically typed languages, which makes it easier to catch bugs in compile-time and perform optimizations.
React Native
is inherently single-threaded. JavaScript runs on a single thread, but React Native uses multiple threads internally. For instance, JavaScript code runs on its thread, separate from the main UI thread. This separation can enhance performance, but it can also cause synchronization issues.
3. Time Consumption in Development
Native development
typically requires more time than React Native development. This is primarily because separate codebases must be maintained for each platform in native development (Swift or Objective-C for iOS, Java or Kotlin for Android), essentially doubling the development and maintenance time.
React Native
on the other hand, touts its “write once, run anywhere” philosophy. This means the same codebase can be used to develop applications for different platforms (Android, iOS), leading to significant time savings.
4. How React Native Works Internally: The React Native Bridge
React Native operates by acting as a bridge between the JavaScript application code and the native APIs. The JavaScript code does not get compiled into native code. Instead, React Native starts up a JavaScript engine to interpret your JavaScript code on the fly when your app is running.
The React Native bridge is asynchronous and batched, meaning that individual JavaScript and native instructions don’t line up one-to-one. The bridge batches these instructions to perform at once, enhancing efficiency. However, this can also lead to latency issues.
Native development’s pros & cons:
React Native development’s pros & cons:
Conclusion
Both native development and React Native have their own set of strengths and weaknesses. The choice between them often boils down to the specific needs of the project, the expertise of the development team, and the long-term goals for the app. It’s crucial for developers to understand the differences and make an informed choice that best fits their specific use case.
