React vs React Native: React and React Native are developed by Facebook and have gained a huge fan base in a short time. React is known as ReactJs, which is a JavaScript library to build single-page web applications.
Besides, React Native is a React JS-based framework to design mobile apps. Moreover, with reusable components, you can develop native mobile applications.
The technical overview between React vs React Native hinges on the critical components of each. Remember, ReactJS is a JavaScript library that supports the front end to create interactive UIs, whereas React Native supports functionality across a broader set of needs.
ReactJS
React is a front-end JavaScript library that allows you to build user interfaces from reusable UI components. React uses server-side rendering to provide a flexible and performance-based solution. It allows developers to create seamless UX and complex UI.
Since React follows the “Learn Once, Write Anywhere” principle, it’s the preferred choice for developers to build fast and scalable applications. Along with JavaScript, React can also be used with JSX. Developed by Facebook, React is maintained by Facebook communities and individual developers.
Benefits of Building with React
- It has a smooth learning curve. Developers with a JavaScript background can learn and use React easily.
- It has reusable components, so you don’t need to create everything from scratch for each project.
- It gives you dynamic applications with less coding and more functionality.
- React’s virtual DOM gives a high-speed performance. The virtual DOM exists in memory, and when you make changes to a React component, you don’t affect the DOM directly, thus maintaining smooth performance.
- The ReactJS community is active and has a set of tools to make development tasks easier.
Features of ReactJS
1. JSX: JSX is a JavaScript syntax extension. The JSX syntax is processed into JavaScript calls of React Framework. It extends the ES6 so that HTML like text can co-exist with JavaScript React code.
2. Components: ReactJS is all about components. ReactJS application is made up of multiple components, and each component has its logic and controls. These components can be reusable, which help you to maintain the code when working on larger scale projects.
3. One-way Data Binding: ReactJS follows unidirectional data flow or one-way data binding. The one-way data binding gives you better control throughout the application. If the data flow is in another direction, then it requires additional features. It is because components are supposed to be immutable, and the data within them cannot be changed.
4. Virtual DOM: A virtual DOM object is a representation of the real DOM object. Whenever any modifications happen in the web application, the entire UI is re-rendered in virtual DOM representation. Then, it checks the difference between the previous DOM representation and new DOM. Once it has done, the real DOM will update only the things that are changed. It makes the application faster, and there is no wastage of memory.
5. Simplicity: ReactJS uses the JSX file, which makes the application simple and to code as well as understand. Also, ReactJS is a component-based approach which makes the code reusable as your need. It makes it simple to use and learn.
6. Performance: ReactJS is known to be a great performer. The reason behind this is that it manages a virtual DOM. The DOM exists entirely in memory. Due to this, when we create a component, we did not write directly to the DOM. Instead, we are writing virtual Components that will turn into the DOM, leading to smoother and faster performance.
React Native
React Native is an entirely different development framework. It is technically an open-source model that Facebook launched to improve its mobile applications or any other applications.
Today, React Native offers a myriad of features and reusable components. At its base, React Native uses ReactJS but with totally different libraries. With React Native, developers can expand the reach of ReactJS to platforms that include Windows, Android, and iOS. Since its inception in 2015, there have been over 25,000 apps in the world using React Native.
Benefits of Building with React Native
- It is easy to learn and has a supportive community to help developers.
- You can use JavaScript knowledge to build native mobile applications.
- Its easily available code saves you time and money during development.
- It undergoes constant improvements and updates.
Features of React Native
1. React Native is accessible to any mobile app: That simply means a team of developers can use its API to improve its performance or integrate it with any mobile application.
2. Excellent architecture: It comes with a flexible architecture that makes coding easy for any developer.
3. Flexible CocoaPods support: This means you can associate it with your iOS coding project.
4. Compatible with JavaScript: JavaScript support makes React Native one of the easiest to use.
5. UI-focused: React Native is a good choice if you want customizability and interactivity.
6. React Native saves you time and money: React Native reduces code density and supports cross-platform development. This way, you will save time as your codes will not need to be re-written for every mobile application, and this reduces maintenance costs.
7. Excellent support: The React Native community is known to be very supportive.
React vs React Native
| React | React Native |
| When using ReactJS, developers and programmers can develop a high- performance User Interface as their own JS library | With React Native, entire frameworks need to be built regardless of iOS or Android |
| Offers better security | Comparatively worse security |
| Offers better and more animation | Offers less animation functionality. |
| ReactJS is a base of the DOM for the web | React Native functions as a derivative itself |
| For ReactJS, code is rendered from the DOM | While with React Native, APIs are used in mobile applications |
| ReactJS has a library at its base. It means you can use it to develop a high-performance user interface. | React Native is the framework and has no language library |
Conclusion
Both React.js and React Native are essential foundations for app and web creation. They’re gaining traction with each passing day, thanks to their versatile functionalities and a growing ecosystem of libraries.
In the end, React.js is best for creating interactive, high-performing, responsive web interfaces, while React Native is designed to give your mobile apps a genuinely native feel.
You can choose based on your requirements.
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