React js vs react native

Introduction

Nowadays, React has become a very popular JavaScript library, which is widely used in both web and mobile app development. If you are interested in web development or mobile development, then you must have heard about React JS and React Native.

But there is a so many confusion about what atcual difference between react.js and react native and which one should be used. In this article, we will compare React js vs react native so you can easily understand the features of both and alos understand  the use cases. So, let’s start and see what the exactly difference between reaact.js and react native.

Problem

As we know in today’s time, web and mobile development are both very fast-growing fields. Developers have so many options, but deciding which tool or technology to use can be quite confusing.

React JS is used for web development.
React Native is used for mobile app development, it gives the option to create cross-platform mobile apps. Meaning, you can create mobile apps for both Android and iOS with a single codebase.
When you make a comparison between these two, it is important to understand the similarities and differences between the two. If you are confused about which one to choose, this article will help you clarify.

Solution

Well, now we are comparing both the technologies in detail so that it becomes easier for you to take the decision. We will understand the key features, differences, and use cases of React JS and React Native.

What is React JS?

React JS is a JavaScript library that is used to create user interfaces. react.js is specifically designed for developing web applications. React JS follows component-based architecture, which makes development modular and reusable. This means that one component of your application can be used multiple times so that you do not need to write separate codes again and again.

Key Features of React JS:
Component-Based Architecture: Everything in React JS is done in components. Each component represents a UI element. Like card, text input. And its reusable.

Declarative Syntax: In React JS, you can directly declare whatever you want. For example, if you want to change the color of a button, you can easily change the state using declarative syntax.

Virtual DOM: React uses a Virtual DOM, which is an in-memory representation. Whenever the state of a component changes, React first updates the Virtual DOM, then updates the actual DOM. Whose performance has improved a lot.

Use Case: React JS is mainly used to create websites and web apps. If you want to create fast, interactive websites, then React JS is the ideal choice for you.

What is React Native?

React Native is a open source UI framework, but it is used for mobile app development. The main use of React Native is that you can create mobile apps by writing a single codebase that will run on both iOS and Android platforms. It uses native mobile components (like View, Text, Image)

Features of React Native:
Native Components: In React Native you do not use HTML or CSS, but use native components, which are optimized for mobile devices. These apps are given performance like native apps.

Cross-Platform: The biggest advantage of React Native is that you can create apps for both platforms, iOS and Android, by writing a single codebase. This saves both your time and effort.

Live Reloading: Live reloading feature is available in React Native. This means that when you make any changes in the code, you do not need to run your app again, it refreshes automatically, which reduces your development time significantly.

Use Case: React Native is best suited for mobile applications. If you are creating cross-platform mobile apps, in which you need fast development and performance, then you can use React Native.

Core Differences Between React js vs react native

Both these technologies are based on React, but there is a lot of difference in their usage and functionality. Which of the two you should choose depends on the requirements of your project. Now let us understand the core differences of both the technologies:

Platform:
React JS: It is used for web development. You create websites and web applications using React JS.

React Native: This is for mobile app development. You create cross-platform mobile apps using React Native.

Rendering:
React JS: It uses HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, which is rendered in the browser.

React Native: It uses native mobile components (like View, Text, Image), which are rendered on mobile devices.

Libraries and Tools:
React JS: There are many libraries and tools available in React JS for web development, such as React Router, Redux, Webpack.

React Native: In React Native you have to use mobile-specific libraries and tools, like React Navigation, Expo, Native Modules.

Performance

React JS: Virtual DOM is used in React JS, which optimizes performance a lot. The performance of React JS in web applications is quite efficient.

React Native: Native components are used in React Native, which directly use the native UI elements of the mobile device. Therefore, the performance of React Native apps is equal to that of native apps.

Learning Curve

React JS: If you have a background in web development, then React JS will be relatively easy for you. You only need to understand the basic concepts of JavaScript and React.

React Native: If you’ve never done mobile development before, learning React Native can be a bit challenging. You have to understand mobile-specific concepts, native modules, and platform differences.

Code Reusability

React JS: Code reusability of React JS is very good, because you can reuse components in different pages or views.

React Native: In React Native you write a codebase that works on both platforms, iOS and Android. But in some cases, you may be able to write platform-specific code.

Community Support and Ecosystem

React JS: The ecosystem of React JS is quite vast, and it has a huge community. This means that you will get all types of solutions, libraries, and tools.

React Native: The community of React Native is also growing very rapidly, but it is not as vast as that of React JS. Yes, there are many resources available for React Native also.

Practical Examples and Use Cases for React JS and React Native

React JS Use Cases

Web Applications: If you need to build a web app that is interactive, dynamic, and requires complex state management, then React JS is a perfect fit for you. The component-based structure of React JS allows you to write modular and reusable code.

Example: Large-scale, dynamic web applications like Instagram, Facebook, Reddit are built on React JS.

Single Page Applications: If you need to create a Single Page Application, where the page is not reloaded but the content is updated dynamically, React JS is ideal for this. These SPAs give smooth experience to the user and minimize load times.

Example: SPAs like Gmail, Google Maps, Twitter are built through React JS.

E-commerce Websites: React JS is also used in e-commerce websites, where multiple dynamic features are available, like product carousels, dynamic pricing, etc. By using the fast rendering of React JS and Virtual DOM, the performance of these apps is optimized.

Example: The web version of eBay, Shopify, Amazon is based on React JS.

React Native Use Cases

Mobile eCommerce: If you are developing an eCommerce mobile app that requires smooth navigation, interactive features, and real-time updates, you can implement these features efficiently by using React Native and redux toolkit for pass data from one component to another component.

Example: eCommerce apps like Walmart, React Native.

Cross-Platform Mobile Apps: The biggest use case of React Native is cross-platform mobile apps. If you have to build an app for both Android and iOS platforms, then using React Native can save you a lot of time and effort. With one codebase you can create apps for both platforms.

Example: Apps like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp have been developed using React Native.

Prototyping and MVPs: If you need to quickly create a mobile app prototype or MVP (Minimum Viable Product), then React Native is the perfect choice for it. The development process of React Native is fast and you can easily test different features without wasting much time.

Example: Apps like Zomato, Uber Eats have been quickly prototyped through React Native.

Advantages and Disadvantages of React JS and React Native

Advantages of React JS:

Fast Development: React JS development is very fast, because you can reuse UI components after defining them once. This reduces the development time significantly.

Huge Ecosystem: The ecosystem of React JS is quite vast. You will get multiple libraries and tools which make your development process easy.

SEO-Friendly: React JS, if implemented correctly, can also be suitable for SEO, especially if server-side rendering is used.

Disadvantages of React JS:

Initial Learning Curve: Learning React JS can be a bit challenging if you have not used JavaScript or frameworks before. It may take some time to understand JSX and React concepts.

Boilerplate Code: There is a lot of boilerplate code in React JS, which can be a bit cumbersome in small projects.

Advantages of React Native:

Cross-Platform: The biggest advantage is that through React Native you can create apps for both Android and iOS by writing one codebase. This saves your time and resources.

Faster Development Time: You can do fast development in React Native, because you do not have to maintain a separate codebase.

Native Like Performance: The performance of React Native is equivalent to native apps, which gives a better experience to end-users.

Disadvantages of React Native:

Limited Access to Native APIs: React Native gives you access to native mobile APIs, but sometimes you may need to write custom native modules, which can make development a bit complex.

Performance Limitations: If your app is complex and resource-intensive (like high-performance games or apps with heavy animations), then React Native’s performance may be slightly limited.

Future of React JS and React Native

Future of React JS:

The future of React JS is looking quite bright. It continues to evolve and new features are being added. Features of React 18, like Concurrent Mode and Suspense, are making React JS even more powerful. These new features will make React scalable and performance-optimized, which will follow future web development trends.

Future of React Native:

The future of React Native is also promising. Its cross-platform development feature is a major advantage for mobile app developers. The React Native community is evolving quite actively and new tools, libraries, and solutions are being created that are making mobile app development more efficient. The roadmap of React Native is also quite promising, which includes continuous updates and performance improvements.

How to Choose Between React JS and React Native?

If you want to do web development, then React JS will be better for you. It is perfect for creating fast, interactive websites and web applications.

If you want to create cross-platform mobile apps, then React Native is the best choice for you. Using React Native, you can create apps for both Android and iOS platforms with a single codebase.

Final thoughts

If you are doing web development, then React JS is the best choice for you. If you want to develop mobile apps, then you should use React Native. Both technologies have their own role, and both have different use cases.

You have to understand the requirements of your project and decide which tool will be best for you. React JS and React Native both are modern and efficient technologies, which make development fast and scalable.

So in the above article, you know about React js vs React native

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