React Js vs. React Native: Advantages, Disadvantages and Difference

November 29, 2021November 29, 2021 admin

If you have been in React Native App Development for a while, you are probably aware of these two tools. Yes, we are referring to Reactjs and React Native. Facebook initially launched both these tools, but since then, it has had a wider fan following.

Wouldn’t you like to know a bit about their history?

Initially, in 2011 when Facebook was integrating some updates, they faced problems that slowed the process down. They had the model, but their user interface was yet to be modified.

Jordan Walke, an engineer at Facebook, used XHP (an HTML component library for PHP) to create FaxJS, which was the first prototype of Reactjs.

What is React Js?

In simple words, Reactjs is a JavaScript library that can be used to create advanced user interfaces. It is used to create advanced mobile applications and websites Furthermore, it supports both front-end and server.

What is React Native?

React Native is a mobile application framework that uses Reactjs for the development of apps and websites that can run on different mobile operating systems.

You can easily use React Native to build a mobile application that is compatible with Windows, Android, iOS in JavaScript.

Furthermore, Reactjs is used to build components under React Native, or React Native uses Reactjs under their framework.

Differences between React Js and React Native:

Although you will find multiple similarities between Reactjs and React Native, there are some noticeable differences as well.

One notable difference between Reactjs and React Native is the alteration in their component while the workflow and syntax remain similar. This is because Reactjs is a base derivative of React DOM, whereas React Native is a base derivative in itself.
While ReactJs is a JavaScript library that helps users create engaging user experiences, React Native is a framework. Moreover, this framework is used to build cross-platform applications. Hence it can work on multiple operating systems that include web, iOS, or Android.
In React Native, APIs are used to build components in mobile, whereas in the case of Reactjs, browser code is rendered by Virtual DOM.
For rendering UI, React Native uses JSX whereas Reactjs uses HTML.
If you want to style your website using Reactjs, then you have to use CSS, whereas, for React Native, a stylesheet is used for styling.
In Reactjs, you can build any kind of animation using CSS as you did before, but for React Native, you have to use an animated API for including animation across several components of the application.
Now the main difference lies in the functionality. If your requirement is to provide the best user experience, then Reactjs is your best option. However, if you want to give that native feel to your application, you can implement React Native in it.

What are the Advantages of React Js?

Blazing Speed with DOM

The major USPs of Reactjs is its capacity to acquire blasting speed for the applications and sites created. This is done by utilizing the Document Object Model or DOM.

This gives an edge to Reactjs, contrasted with other platforms for creating versatile applications. As you know speed is one of the significant elements for making an effective application.

Huge Ecosystem Of Developer Tools

Lastly, here’s the best advantage of Reactjs. Reactjs has a huge community of developers. Now you might think, why is this an advantage? Well, these developers have created an ecosystem of Reactjs with blessed tools, component libraries, IDEs, extensions for code editors, web browsers, and more.

Having access to so many tools helps developers to a whole new dimension of innovation. This makes ReactJs one of the most powerful options to create your mobile applications as well as apps.

Component-Based Architecture Saves Time

You might have heard about component-based architecture before. Well, Reactjs introduced this concept which helps developers to reuse components. Hence, you can save both your time and energy!

Component-based architecture simply takes a larger piece of user interference and converts it to an independent microsystem.

So, these are the major advantages of Reactjs that make it unique.

Limitations Of Using Reactjs:

Overhead Costs & Time:

In order to access the true benefits of using Reactjs, users have to download another enabled library. Hence, it increases both the time overload as well as the cost.

External library support:

As you have known earlier, Reactjs supports several third-party libraries. However, it supports very few native libraries. Now, you can use external libraries to utilize HTML and CSS functionalities and build them into JSX. But this can prove to be a rather complex process.

Requires a lot of native workarounds:

Assuming that particular functionality isn’t found in React Native, then, at that point, you can go through two approaches.

Request that any local engineer composes another one.
Compose the native modules in Swift/Objective-C and Java.

In a word, React Native builds overheads on two things, costs and time.

Learning curve:

If you are a developer new in the field of app development, it might be tough for you to have a good grasp on Reactjs.

What are the Advantages of React Native?

Development Takes Less Time Due To Hot Reloading feature

Reactjs supports the recent Reloading feature, which provides developers the freedom to reload a mobile app mechanically. This makes the method of development quick, and it saves time.

Advantage Platform-specific Code

One of the biggest advantages of using React Native is the ability to write platform-specific code.

When you use React to build an application, it automatically detects which platform it is supposed to run on. This way, it generates codes that are specific to that platform.

Ready-to-use UI libraries for smoother UI experience

So these are some major benefits of React Native that make it unique.

Component UI libraries exist within React Native. You can use it for a smooth and easy-to-use User interface experience.

Such sharing of UI libraries like Shoutem, native base, Expo, et al. is less time taking and can be easily created from scratch. Moreover, you can focus more on the innovative part than investing your time in creating libraries from scratch.

Even a Front-End Web Developer Can Create App Using React Native

A front-end developer can also use React Native to create an app. This is because they use JavaScript for most of their codes. So, all you have to learn is JavaScript!

Limitations Of Using React Native

Loosely held abstraction layer: In React Native, you will be provided with tags that replace HTML, stylesheet that will replace CSS, and you can code with JavaScript. Now, although it has advantages, sometimes this may lead to class in logic.

It takes more time to initialize: One of the major drawbacks of React Native is that it takes more time to initialize the runtime of gadgets. As we know, React Native uses a JavaScript thread which is the reason behind the time lag.

Long data hierarchy:

You may find it difficult to navigate through data in the case of Reactjs. Reactjs doesn’t support parallel data handling, unlike other JS Scripting tools. This means that if you want to navigate from divisions, you will have to first navigate to the parent node. After that, you have to navigate to the topmost parent node. From there you can access the second hierarchy of the tree node.

Conclusion:

Both Reactjs and React Native have set their footmark in the field of app development. They have an ever-evolving system of libraries along with multiple flexible functionalities, making them the talk of development work. However, the tool you should be using for your development should be based on your specific requirements.