I have never written React Native in my life, I always hated it in the past because of how it was built, until I took up a job which required me to learn React Native and so far it has been an interesting journey.

What is React Native in my words ?

React Native is simply a platform that allows you build apps with JavaScript that run to Native.

How is this Possible ?

JavaScript code is transformed to a payload which is ran on a JavaScript Engine called Hermes, Hermes is similar to something like V8 a JavaScript Engine built in C++ that can understand JavaScript and also expose Native to JavaScript. I am not entirely sure how everything works seeing it is complex. but it allows for Android API to be exposed to JS easily and from JS to Native.


My Verdict
So far, I have been using the RNUILIB which is a library written by Wix for React native, I customize UI with it, and it is very straight-forward depending on your knowledge of things. However in my honest opinion learning Native will make you a better React Native Developer as you have the ability to expose more API to JavaScript, here are some designs I did in Figma and the implementation in the Android Emulator.


Conclusion

React Native is awesome for Quick Jobs and if you know Native you will have better control but when it comes to performance and file size of app, Native still triumphs.


FIN

Nice! but why not Flutter?

And this isn't to start a fanboy war, I'm looking to understand your approach. I remember you starting flutter once and absolutely trashing out RN in the past. I'm curious about what changed

DrLevi:
Nice! but why not Flutter?

And this isn't to start a fanboy war, I'm looking to understand your approach. I remember you starting flutter once and absolutely trashing out RN in the past. I'm curious about what changed

The company I work for, forced React Native on me. You get , so no choice

qtguru:


The company I work for, forced React Native on me. You get , so no choice

Lol, I legit expected a more technical response but that works too

DrLevi:

Lol, I legit expected a more technical response but that works too

Personally I would chose Flutter over RN because of this reason:

Flutter renders directly to the Pixel, meaning you can render any OS Controls, it's the same way Android and Linux renders UI, where as React native still talks to the each OS Controls. Flutter uses Skia engine, it's like X11 for Linux, the thing that renders the screen , button and window. so Skia directly is deployed on each OS and draws the UI. Flutter is going to have better and way advanced animation than RN.

This is based on my understanding though of it. I might be wrong

qtguru:


Personally I would chose Flutter over RN because of this reason:

Flutter renders directly to the Pixel, meaning you can render any OS Controls, it's the same way Android and Linux renders UI, where as React native still talks to the each OS Controls. Flutter uses Skia engine, it's like X11 for Linux, the thing that renders the screen , button and window. so Skia directly is deployed on each OS and draws the UI. Flutter is going to have better and way advanced animation than RN.

This is based on my understanding though of it. I might be wrong

As a flutter developer, I can confirm that you're correct and it does render amazing animations although there was an issue with iOS. The UI flexibility is why there is a flutter now supports all major operatiing systems. Even Toyota is porting it for their automobiles.

Althought last week, I was watching a video on a port of Skia for React Native. I think that would change the dynamics of superiority between the two because that was flutter's upper hand over react native.

DrLevi:

As a flutter developer, I can confirm that you're correct and it does render amazing animations although there was an issue with iOS. The UI flexibility is why there is a flutter now supports all major operatiing systems. Even Toyota is porting it for their automobiles.

Althought last week, I was watching a video on a port of[b] Skia for React Native[/b]. I think that would change the dynamics of superiority between the two because that was flutter's upper hand over react native.

Thanks I had no idea bout this

DrLevi:

As a flutter developer, I can confirm that you're correct and it does render amazing animations although there was an issue with iOS. The UI flexibility is why there is a flutter now supports all major operatiing systems. Even Toyota is porting it for their automobiles.

Althought last week, I was watching a video on a port of Skia for React Native. I think that would change the dynamics of superiority between the two because that was flutter's upper hand over react native.

qtguru:


Personally I would chose Flutter over RN because of this reason:

Flutter renders directly to the Pixel, meaning you can render any OS Controls, it's the same way Android and Linux renders UI, where as React native still talks to the each OS Controls. Flutter uses Skia engine, it's like X11 for Linux, the thing that renders the screen , button and window. so Skia directly is deployed on each OS and draws the UI. Flutter is going to have better and way advanced animation than RN.

This is based on my understanding though of it. I might be wrong

What of Xamarin.

ShadowWalker00:



What of Xamarin.

Not worth the stress biko, I'd rather write Java if I'm doing C# for mobile apps

ShadowWalker00:



What of Xamarin.

Definitely not amongst the current trend in mobile development. I see no technical advantage over flutter or react native

qtguru:


Not worth the stress biko, I'd rather write Java if I'm doing C# for mobile apps

What of Qt Mobile?

funnyDM:


What of Qt Mobile?

Lol you are trolling me right ? Pls QML is dead, just write Flutter or worse KMM

Do u have to thoroughly understand all the concepts JavaScript before u can use react native.

Someone told me it is better to learn how to use a language to solve a problem than learning the entirety of the language, old how true is this.

Assuming I am knowledgeable in Java and c# and the company am working for forces me to use something like kivy, do I need to go and learn python first before I can use kivy or I should just learn kivy

shantti:
Do u have to thoroughly understand all the concepts JavaScript before u can use react native.

Someone told me it is better to learn how to use a language to solve a problem than learning the entirety of the language, old how true is this.

Assuming I am knowledgeable in Java and c# and the company am working for forces me to use something like kivy, do I need to go and learn python first before I can use kivy or I should just learn kivy

No you don't, I used to be that 100% guy before coding , start with the basic and also keep up with some advanced concepts, you will soak the remaining on the way. So far I've haven't encountered a scenario in RN where I had to use an Advanced JS feature.

qtguru:


No you don't, I used to be that 100% guy before coding , start with the basic and also keep up with some advanced concepts, you will soak the remaining on the way. So far I've haven't encountered a scenario in RN where I had to use an Advanced JS feature.

Thanks bro

qtguru:


Not worth the stress biko, I'd rather write Java if I'm doing C# for mobile apps

Xamarin /C# has a better future than Java.

Note: I am a master Java programmer but I see xamarin /c# taking over mobile dev in the nearest future, I'll request you reconsider your stand on this.

ShadowWalker00:



What of Xamarin.

You can't go wrong with xamarin

Springboot:


You can't go wrong with xamarin

But it doesn't even get half the hype of them Flutter, and ReactNative.

Springboot:


Xamarin /C# has a better future than Java.

Note: I am a master Java programmer but I see xamarin /c# taking over mobile dev in the nearest future, I'll request you reconsider your stand on this.

I don't see that, I see each Native counterpart still maintaining a role, Kotlin for Android and Swift for IOS, Flutter/RN will still cater for basic logic apps. Sorry but Xamarin days are numbered even C# is not widely adopted despite having so many features compared to Java, Java has a massive set of libraries and tools. I can't see that happening truthfully

Springboot:


Xamarin /C# has a better future than Java.

Note: I am a master Java programmer but I see xamarin /c# taking over mobile dev in the nearest future, I'll request you reconsider your stand on this.

Also Xamarin is abstracted to call Java, that's another layer on top and additional library, why bother when I can just write Native. Me personally I am not a fan of Hybrid , there is no true cross platform development, because you end up catering for multiple OS during specific needs, Flutter is the closest to a true cross dev since it's rendering its own controls rather than calling the Native Controls. I've tried Xamarin, and it's not worth the stress for me, However C# is not bad for services, but I'd rather use SpringBoot and leverage libraries.

qtguru:


Also Xamarin is abstracted to call Java, that's another layer on top and additional library, why bother when I can just write Native. Me personally I am not a fan of Hybrid , there is no true cross platform development, because you end up catering for multiple OS during specific needs, Flutter is the closest to a true cross dev since it's rendering its own controls rather than calling the Native Controls. I've tried Xamarin, and it's not worth the stress for me, However C# is not bad for services, but I'd rather use SpringBoot and leverage libraries.

Excellent points, I had no idea nairalnders have switched-on guys here. Well done.

qtguru:


I don't see that, I see each Native counterpart still maintaining a role, Kotlin for Android and Swift for IOS, Flutter/RN will still cater for basic logic apps. Sorry but Xamarin days are numbered even C# is not widely adopted despite having so many features compared to Java, Java has a massive set of libraries and tools. I can't see that happening truthfully

I guess you are a Java fan boy.

C# is by far a better language than java, c# 10 minimal api's is a real deal.

For enterprise development it has been proven that asp floors spring, and springboot.

Springboot:


Xamarin /C# has a better future than Java.

Note: I am a master Java programmer but I see xamarin /c# taking over mobile dev in the nearest future, I'll request you reconsider your stand on this.

Even Microsoft themselves don't see a future with Xamarin

qtguru:


I don't see that, I see each Native counterpart still maintaining a role, Kotlin for Android and Swift for IOS, Flutter/RN will still cater for basic logic apps. Sorry but Xamarin days are numbered even C# is not widely adopted despite having so many features compared to Java, Java has a massive set of libraries and tools. I can't see that happening truthfully

I'm surprised at that comment because devs even prefer using Ionic (not native) than Xamarin

Has anyone tried Quasar?

bularuz:
Has anyone tried Quasar?

Quasar/ionic/onset Ui/Phone gap are all trash those are WebView and very slow. Please throw them away stick to React Native worse case.

I've built projects on Cordova and WebView it is not worth it. If you want performance built Native. Maybe I am biased. I built Fidelity Mobile Banking App and Quicktellef Paypoint in Cordova and it was hell. Any serious dev wants performance. Flutter or React Native is the best personally if someone doesn't want to write Native.

qtguru:


Quasar/ionic/onset Ui/Phone gap are all trash those are WebView and very slow. Please throw them away stick to React Native worse case.

I've built projects on Cordova and WebView it is not worth it. If you want performance built Native. Maybe I am biased. I built Fidelity Mobile Banking App and Quicktellef Paypoint in Cordova and it was hell. Any serious dev wants performance. Flutter or React Native is the best personally if someone doesn't want to write Native.

Quasar is different, it is based on Vue js, which has its own build engine similar to react native.

bularuz:


Quasar is different, it is based on Vue js, which has its own build engine similar to react native.

it's Cordova still WebView, not saying you shouldn't use it but don't expect performance like Native. Writing WebView in 2022 is weird to me.

qtguru:


it's Cordova still WebView, not saying you shouldn't use it but don't expect performance like Native. Writing WebView in 2022 is weird to me.

I see your point but react native also uses WebView to render some of its DOM though its faster.

bularuz:


I see your point but react native also uses WebView to render some of its DOM though its faster.

False React Native uses Hermes Engine to translate JavaScript code to Native, WebView is a seperate component that can be used with React Native, Cordova is what is built on WebView, because I worked on a WebView with React Project recently and I could see how Cordova was built internally using the WebView. What you need to understand is Android consumes enough memory running your application , then WebView requires yet additional memory to load your webpages, and naturally the DOM is slow, you can see how why I say Cordova is an outdated Technology. Native will remain the best choice, whether we argue it or not, but Hybrid like React native and Flutter are the only cross development that makes sense currently.

Ionic is outdated.
Quasar is outdated
Anything Cordova is outdated

However Ionic has a React Native Project.

I want to ensure you have a proper understanding of the Mobile Dev climate

Here is an update on React Native, I started using UI Libraries I switched from RNUILib to one template from Creative tim amd it uses a UI Library called Galio Framework.

Here is the video of it
https://www.awesomescreenshot.com/video/7281024?key=c6dab5af2e4bff7b3fff8b6fa0628ea8

Pls do update your diary

Following up cause I too am struggling like u were but a lil difference