Android app development services are having high demand and all of this is because of the increment in the use of apps by normal people.
People are busy in their daily life and want to do their job easily and fast as much as possible. So developing an app is never easy there are many platforms using which a developer can develop an app. An app also plays an important role in increasing the profit of a business.
However, it is important to keep in mind the requirement of the app, and depending on that requirement the platform must be chosen. Developing a cross-platform app is also difficult and it may be time taking sometimes. Before knowing anything about the platform it is better to understand and know about the basics of the cross-platform app.
What is a Cross-Platform App?
Cross-platform development can be considered to be the practice of developing software services or products for software environments or multiple platforms. This cross-platform app development has become famous for many years and is also seeking the attention of various communities of developers. The main thing which attracts the users to cross-platform app development is that it helps in giving a futuristic approach in a very less time. This framework is known to be one of the most popular ones which are being used by developers and all of this is because of the astounding features. One of the major advantages of this cross-platform app development is that the developers have to write the code only once. Later on, it can be compiled for both Android as well as iOS applications.
In simpler words, it can be said that if a developer wishes to write a code for the android application then this same code can be again used for the iOS platform. Because of the usefulness of the cross-platform app development, the approach towards the React native needs special attention. Js is used to write the primary code for React Native and then it is changed to native views at run-time that can be proved to be very useful. In the case of live-updating also, React Native is very useful and this plays a major role in making the redundancy of UI faster. Day by day, react native is gaining importance and is becoming unstoppable now.
Why Choose Cross-Platform App Development?
One of the major decisions that can be made is to design the applications cross-platform. Development is not useful for the short-term only but is also useful in the long run. Some of the major reasons why people are choosing cross-platform app development are given below-
- Wider Audience- if the leveraging takes place in a cross-platform, then it helps in building the app as well as deploying it on different platforms. Moreover, it can also be done on the web. A single pp can be used for targeting both Android as well as iOS platforms and these apps can be built similar to that of the native apps.
- Native Like Apps- cross-platform app development helps in delivering the client with native-like apps. There are various tools as well as technologies available at the disposal of developers and there the apps can be built similar to the type of native.
- Reduction in the Cost of Development- cost is always one of the main concerns for any businessman who is involved in developing an app for their company. One of the major things that are applicable here is the method of write once and run everywhere. There is no kind of apprehension in lowering the cost of development when the app development is agile and the codes are reusable.
- Maintenance and Deployment are Easy- one of the major facts is that a single app is developed to run on different platforms and so it becomes very easy for the developers to deploy as well as to maintain. Updates can be synced in a swift manner on all devices and platforms which helps a lot in saving time as well as money. Another major advantage is that when a bug is discovered in a common base of code, fixing is required once.
- Quicker Process of Development- experiencing a situation of win-win is possible with the help of cross-platform app development. Android application development company will always make sure that the process of developing an app is done faster. Efforts of development can be reduced to 50 percent because of the single source code for various platforms. So rapidly it is very easy for the developers to develop a business app which is very much rich in feature.
Why is React Native Perfect for Developing a Cross-Platform App?
One of the main reasons React Native is used for cross-platform app development is because of the stability offered to the app and also helps caters to transposable architecture. The React Native platform is known to be a cost-effective method and is also responsible for providing the user with optimal performance. The native components from API are used by React Native when compared to other frameworks. Similar to iOS, Android, and Uwp, React Native is having the capability of supporting analytical as well as demonstrative coding which helps in ensuring that the code is coming out in a clean manner.
Some of the reasons which help in choosing that React Native app development for cross-platform app development are given below-
- Offers app that is far more stable when compared to other frameworks.
- A modular architecture is there
- Optimal performance is there.
- Flexibility is there in the case of app development.
- Many pre-loaded elements are there that help in making the process of coding easier for the developers.
- A better system of coding is there when compared to other frameworks for cross-platform app development.
Benefits of React Native for Developing a Cross-Platform App
Some of the major benefits for which React Native is chosen for developing a cross-platform app are given below-
Hot Reload
Hot Reload is known to be one of the most important factors of React Native. The developers seek the help of this technology to refresh the app during the stage of development. Augmenting the time of development is also possible because of this feature. This is done by reloading the app naturally when there is a change of the code. Live tracking is also possible and it can be done by the developer and so the changes that have been made can be seen easily. Real-time data is fetched by this Hot Reload feature for the users who are using the application. Updated UI content, as well as structure content, can be received while the users are changing the script and code. A good React Native app development company will have a proper idea about this.
Allowing Plugins for Third-Party
Many frameworks are there which are not allowing the plugins of third-party because of the issues related to security. However, this is not the case with React Native as it allows third-party plugins. The platform is very flexible in nature with offerings of customization. Feasible interfaces are offered by plugins packed with options for customization of themes and templates at any time. Initially, the development of React Native was done by Facebook for their own purpose but later on, it was made open-source so that people can use it with the support of third-parry through plugins and API.
Cost-Effective
If a person is using the React native platform then there is no need of worrying in the aspect of cost as this method is pretty much cost-effective. When there is the creation of the app, half of the generated code can be used easily on different platforms. The elements that are there for each platform is having a common base of code. The time that has been taken for debugging can also be reduced by using the React Native framework when compared to other frameworks. This is because the fixing of bugs is done in a common code base for a single time. There are many custom mobile app development services that are growing at a rapid rate only to provide a cost-effective method to their client for developing an app.
Moving Ahead with a Single Team
There is a requirement of only a single team of developers for the organizations that are having a wish to build cross-platform apps. The chances of chaos are reduced and a single chain of command is followed because of the single team of developers. This can be the result of developing an app for cross-platform that is suitable for various platforms.
Reach is Widened
According to various businessmen, a mobile app can play an immensely important role in spreading the channels of sales. When a cross-platform app is created by seeking the help of React Native app, a larger audience can be accessed and this helps in gaining extra profit for the business owners. One app is enough for targeting both the users of Android as well as iOS at the same time.
Community is large
React Native is an open-source platform and so the documentation is open for every person and is available for free for anyone who is present in the React Native community. There are times when a developer might face problems while developing an app, and so the experts in the community can help the developers to overcome their problems. Developers are also having the options for sharing experiences and creating their work’s briefcases which will be helping them to write better code and also they can improve. It is also possible for the developers to put across their thoughts after they have learned something new when they are involved with the work of React Native on the GitHub React Native community in order to receive feedback. Moreover, they can also be in cahoots with other members who are present in the community.
Reusability of Code
This is one of the most beneficial aspects of using React naïve platform. There is a convenience about this framework and this helps the developers not to build separate mobile apps for each and every platform. According to various developers, it has been found that 90 percent of the code can be reused between Android and iOS. There are many companies who are considering cross-platform app development for their business, and this is the reason for which they must choose React Native as it helps in cutting the time as well as the cost involved. When a company is already having the React web app then the job becomes easier as the same code can be reused for developing their mobile app.
Components That are Prebuilt
The process of app development can take place at a great speed and this is because of the components that are pre-built and are present in React Native. There is a probability that a code has been written by any developer for some functions which must be deployed in the app of the client and this code can be used without the involvement of any kind of extra cost.
Walmart is an important name that wished in improving their performance of the app and so they have shifted to React Native in order to achieve the desired result. This decision was very useful as around 96 percentage of code was shared between Android and iOS. So it can be said that with the help of React Native it is possible to improve the performance of the app in both iOS and Android platforms in a swift manner.
The User Interface is Simple
The front-end development by using the platform of React Native is very much appreciable. This framework is an open-source JavaScript one and so the user interface is pretty much simple and is preferred by many developers. The loading time can be reduced and more responsive designs of UI are provided by React Native. This can be the main reason for which this is preferred by developers.
When You Should Not Use React Native?
All the benefits of React Native for cross-platform app development have been given above. But there are times when this framework is not suitable. It can be said that the presence of React Native is more than around half a decade. Many users are using this platform for various benefits as mentioned above. However, there are their own set of limitations for each and every framework. Certain glitches are there for React Native that is responsible for putting off the developers who are very good with their skills.
Airbnb is one of the major names who have switched from React Native and he can be the major reason for which the drawbacks of React Native came into the limelight. Followed by Airbnb, Udacity also shifted from React native claiming that there were issues related to maintenance and performance. Now if you are involved in any kind of business then a question may arise in your head, whether this React Native framework is useful for developing your app or not. First of all, it is very important to understand the requirement of your app and then choose the developer perfectly who can fulfill your requirement. Some of the drawbacks are given below that will help you in thinking about whether to choose React Native for your app development or not-
Applications With a Complex User Interface
If a person is involved in building a chat app that is requiring customization of a high level and also there are many processes that are running in the background at any given time, then it can be said that React Native is not the best choice for this type of development. If you are hiring a good developer then they might not suggest using the framework of React Native. Issues might be faced by developers when they are involved in dealing with screens that are using complex gestures as there is a lot of difference between touch subsystems of iOS and Android for combining them into a unified API.
Moreover, complex animations can be created in a much better way with the help of Native iOS when compared to React Native. There is no support for Touch ID, Camera, GPS, etc when a developer is using React Native. Accessing these types of features can be done with the help of native frameworks.
Building Utilities Like The Battery Monitor
When a developer is involved in making utilities like media player, battery monitor, antivirus, etc it becomes a tough job for them to use React Native, instead Native app development is preferred in this case by the developers. The main reason for this is that these types of applications will always use APIs and native features provided by iOS. Many developers are there who can argue on this fact that they can utilize API wrapper and components for building these utilities but it will be taking a lot of time as well as efforts from the side of developers.
Apps Utilizing a Lot of Computation
React Native is perfect for building small and simple apps that do not need a lot of interaction from the side of users. But certain apps are there like stock trading apps which are responsible for utilizing a high computational power. So if the React Native framework is used then the loading time will be more and it is not possible to publish an app in the App Store or Play Store which is having a huge loading time unless huge damage is expected related to the reputation of the company. The mobile application development company will always take proper care of these points.
Components That are Differently Behaving
If a person is building an app in iOS and Android then they must be expecting that their app is behaving in a similar way on both platforms. But when a developer is using the framework of React Native then they will behave differently in Android and iOS and this aspect is very important which must be kept in mind.
Read the blog- Top Reasons Why Mobile App Startups Must Choose React Native
Abstraction Layer Issue
The bridge or the abstraction layer plays a major role in allowing the React Native for rendering APIs on iOS and Android. This layer is basically built on the top of the platform of native for creating greater functionality. A number of developers will testify and so it becomes a painful job for the developers to find bugs in this abstraction layer. If there is a bug in the abstraction layer then that means that there is also a bug in the application. Diagnosing these bugs is very difficult.
Another hurdle is also added by this abstraction layer. This is added to the process of app development in the case of third-party libraries. If the abstraction layer is used, then the dependency will be on the libraries of third-party which will help in ensuring that the framework does not break easily and is up-to-date. When custom designs are used, it is important to implement them in native languages like Java and Objective C. This is the main reason for which developers become frustrated with all extra codes.
Hassles Related to Testing and Implementation
Debugging issues can be considered to be the main point if an established developer is choosing React Native for developing an app faster than other development companies. Chrome debugger cannot edit each property of the element that cannot be utilized by a new developer who has learned React Native recently. An in-built code inspector is there for React Native but this solution is not considered to be the most versatile one. React Native app development services are available easily as there are many developers but it is important for you to understand whether that will be useful for you to develop your perfect app.
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Conclusion
Above given are some of the major benefits of React Native for cross-platform app development along with a little idea about when not to use the framework. So a person must determine their needs before choosing this framework.