React Native as a №1 solution for mobile app development. Optimizing costs without losing on functionality

Here is a riddle for you to solve: what do Skype, Pinterest, Airbnb, Walmart, and Discord have in common? The answer is React Native. The renowned business giants have their mobile apps developed using the one and only React Native framework. What makes Fortune 500 companies rely on the hybrid platform instead of using native technologies for Android and iOS apps? Follow the read to get the answers.

Why go for React Native

Created by Facebook company in 2015, React Native has become one of the most popular app development frameworks based on JavaScript. According to the statistics, in 2023 42% of developers choose RN over other platforms. The ultimate advantage of the framework lies in its ability to create top-tier native-looking and native-feeling mobile and web apps for iOS and Android by writing a single codebase. The platform eliminates the need to develop two separate applications for each OS and thus creates a bunch of benefits both for engineers and businesses.

Saves time and optimizes costs

In the IT world, saving time for app development means saving costs. With RN, you can hire a single team of engineers who will build one codebase for powering both iOS and Android apps without doing the same work twice. Speaking of costs, the development of two apps within the platform will cost 40% of what you’d have to pay if you chose to build just one using native technologies. Besides, further support and servicing of two separate mobile apps instead of making adjustments to a single one will be less cost-effective as well.

Allows for reusing the code

Around 90-95% of the code written within the framework is reused for the development of the second app (either iOS or Android) which is the reason for the time and cost-efficiency mentioned above. Another less obvious benefit of code reusability is that there’s no need for a business to choose between covering 1.8 billion iOS users or 3.3 billion people using Android. Why pick one, if you can launch two apps for both audiences simultaneously.

Enables hot reload feature

Live app reloading allows RN developers to see the effect of the adjustments they make to the code. The changes are displayed in the window right by the code massive itself, shrinking the time and effort engineers spend fixing bugs, improving imperfections, and preparing updates, thus requiring fewer financial and human resources. Hot reload is a unique feature supported only by a small number of platforms.

Supports code push

Fixing bugs and releasing updates might become an issue when developing a mobile app using native technologies. With code push feature available within RN, engineers can make critical adjustments to the app without the need to build its new version from scratch.

Feels absolutely native

If there are any doubts concerning the use of React Native, they are most certainly related to the way cross-platform apps feel compared to native ones. To dispel any myths it’d be enough to mention that within RN, developers use just the same basic blocks as if they were building apps within native iOS or Android platforms. That’s why it was initially named “React Native”.

Shows unmatched performance

Although native technologies are considered to be better in terms of performance, RN-based apps do not concede on velocity parameters, as the coding language they are written in was created precisely for the development of mobile applications.

Supports third-parties

To ensure the native feel of apps, the framework provides access to a range of useful plugins and components used by iOs and Android platforms. Going for RN is by no means saving on functionality, quite the contrary.

Provides greater flexibility and scalability

RN makes it possible to easily transfer an app from one framework to another or hand the development process to another team of engineers without them being confused about where to step in. In terms of scalability, the platform offers broader opportunities for app scaling and much less effortless updates compared to native technologies.

Backed by a wide community

There’re no precise estimations but the size of React Native community is about a couple hundred thousand people. The open-source nature of the framework allows its followers to find support and advice on any possible RN issue they might face. Each new framework update allows to optimize app performance and improve user experience. For instance, the latest update helped boost the productivity of cross-platform apps, bringing them as close to fully native ones as ever before.

React Native development at Modsen

We’ve been leveraging React Native since the very foundation of our company, embracing its opportunities to deliver top-notch quality cost-effective native-feeling mobile apps that will top AppStore and Google Play ratings. Our team of senior-level developers enjoys 6+ years of experience in implementing React Native solutions for 19 business industries and proves their expertise across upmarket ratings. Dedicated to leveling up businesses, we continuously master emerging RN tools and features to ensure that the future product exceeds our partners' expectations.

Wrapping up

We’ve entered the era of mobile apps capable of driving businesses' potential and uncovering new unexplored opportunities. React Native allows you to pave the shortest and most cost-effective way to market using the finest tools and technologies it has to offer. Make the next step toward your business evolution together with Modsen.