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Since the emergence of cross-platform application development, the debate between native and non-native application development has been ongoing. Sometimes native has the advantage, and sometimes non-native does. In fact, this is an endless debate, as both platforms have their strengths and reasons over time.

However, it is precisely this situation that confuses us. Developers, investors, vendors, and tech enthusiasts continually ask whether to use one of the two (native or non-native).

Recently, we have received many questions regarding React Native and Native application development. We found that many of our clients and readers are seeking some effective and genuine comparisons between the two platforms.

Therefore, we have published this article to answer all your unresolved questions. We have made every effort to clarify the analysis of the two platforms so that you won't feel confused.

This article primarily compares React Native and Native, focusing on every core question you want answers to.

Let’s dive into React Native and Native application development#

When you want to develop a mobile application, you first need to address some serious challenges. We are just helping you find some important notes, or you could say the challenges that may arise before application development and before choosing React Native or Native development. They are;

• Understanding the availability of the application in your business
• Understanding your audience
• Understanding their needs and expectations
• Understanding development costs

After understanding the basics, you are faced with the main question: should you use React Native (cross-platform development framework) or Native framework? To address these issues, you need to understand the fundamental differences between the two development platforms. The entire article distinguishes these platforms, helping you draw conclusions accurately. So, let’s go through them one by one.

What is Native and Non-Native development#

Native development refers to developing applications for specific platforms using dedicated programming languages.

For example, developers use Objective-C or Swift for iOS application development and Java or Android Studio for Android application development. In simple terms, you need to develop an application separately for each platform.

Non-native or hybrid application development arises when building a single application for cross-platform use.

For instance, developers can use hybrid frameworks like React Native to build cross-platform applications. The formula of "write once, use everywhere" applies in this case.

What is React Native?#

React Native is an open-source cross-platform framework for developing applications for Android and iOS platforms. An application can run across both platforms.

This means developers save nearly half the time and development costs. It was open-sourced in 2015 and has since become the preferred technology for most top industries (including Facebook itself, UberEats, etc.). The content is as follows:

For Native development, we have already explained in the paragraph above. Additionally, we will extensively explore the potential of Native development in the following paragraphs of this article.

Advantages and Disadvantages of React Native#

What are the benefits of React Native#

Let’s get straight to the core and understand the pros and cons of React Native. So far, we have learned the basics of React Native. In this section, we will explore the advantages of the React Native mobile application development framework.

Saves Development Time#

Using the React Native framework can save nearly 40% of development time. When you develop an application using React Native, the time required from start to deployment is less than that of Native application development.

Easy for Web Developers#

Transitioning from web development to mobile application development can be a complex task for web developers, but React Native provides a solution for them. As a JavaScript framework, the transition becomes absolutely easy for web developers.

Hot Reloading#

When developers use React Native, the framework saves the file. After making any changes, the results can be seen immediately on the device. Developers do not need to reload the entire application every time they make a change or edit.

Open Source Framework#

React Native is an open-source mobile application development technology. This means you can download it for free and develop applications. Additionally, it provides developers with the opportunity to understand the framework by inspecting the code and even improving the framework when encountering any errors.

Single Codebase#

For React Native, over 70% of the code can be shared across platforms like Android, iOS, etc. This is beneficial for developers as they do not need to learn different languages and platforms. At the same time, it will help developers with all skills and experience to work like professionals.

What are the downsides of React Native#

React Native is a cross-platform framework that has been adopted by top industries like Facebook and UberEats. However, it has some drawbacks that lead to incompatibility of the framework in certain cases. Recently, Airbnb, one of the early adopters of React Native, abandoned it for various reasons. You can read the Airbnb and React Native case study here. Additionally, we highlight some major issues that undermine the confidence of developers and investors.

Immaturity

According to Airbnb's report, immaturity is one of the main reasons for abandoning the technology. The report states that React Native is rapidly evolving, which is good in some cases but also brings many other issues.

Lack of Native Elements

When you develop applications on React Native, the application cannot access the device's Native elements. You cannot directly access the microphone and camera in React Native. However, you can access elements through Native modules using third-party libraries.

Minimal Third-Party Libraries

Due to the limited third-party libraries, React Native needs to use Native libraries, which is possible when integrated into Native modules. This means it increases development time, effort, and funding.

Cannot Support All Native APIs

As claimed, React Native supports some but not all important Native APIs, and at that time it does not have the freedom to use all Native APIs. This means developers using React Native need to access other APIs and functionalities through Native modules.

Hard to Learn…?

As mentioned earlier, React Native is easy to learn. However, in some cases, it is not that easy at all. For example, React Native introduces Native Modules written in Native languages. This means developers must understand all three platforms, such as iOS, Android, and React Native.

Design Creates Noise

iOS and Android follow different design guidelines. For React Native, graphical elements are automatically converted, but their placement differs from each other. In this case, developers need to develop separate code to follow the design guidelines.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Native Development#

What are the benefits of Native#

Native development involves dedicated programming languages, such as Swift for iOS and Java for Android. They are powerful languages that you can trust for their availability and performance. Therefore, when you understand the advantages and disadvantages of Native development, you will have a correct understanding of it.

API Access#

Native frameworks provide built-in APIs and libraries that allow developers to access them directly. All features and functionalities provided by the APIs are immediately available. These APIs are dedicated, with no additional layer mapping. Therefore, they do not require updates and have no restrictions.

Performance#

Applications developed using Native are unparalleled in performance. For example, it involves dedicated technologies like Swift and Java for iOS and Android, respectively. These technologies provide everything needed to complete the application. Therefore, it is wise to choose the right framework.

Low Maintenance Costs#

If you want to develop applications for iOS, you need to use the Swift programming language or Java for Android. Initially, you need to spend separate time on both compared to React Native development. However, after some time, it will reduce maintenance costs, which will be beneficial for you in the long run.

Third-Party Libraries#

Rich third-party libraries allow developers the freedom to develop robust, efficient, and customized applications. The advantage of the Native development environment lies in its large community. You have a wealth of resources to help improve your development experience and applications.

Powerful Languages#

Of course, if you want something powerful, reliable, and effective, Swift, Kotlin, and Java are trustworthy. They are highly efficient and capable of excellently identifying hidden errors in the code. Swift and Java are the dedicated programming languages for iOS and Android, respectively. Therefore, they provide strong output.

In short, in the Native development environment, you can obtain all the facilities, features, functionalities, and robustness that you have in React Native development.

What are the downsides of Native#

Although Native development is considered the most effective and error-free solution, it also has some drawbacks. They may affect your application.

Consumes a Lot of Time and Effort#

Developing applications using Native frameworks requires a significant amount of time and effort. It uses Native programming languages, which slows down the development process. If you are looking for applications on two platforms, you need to develop two applications separately for iOS and Android.

Developing Two Applications#

Yes, as we mentioned in the paragraph above, when you use Native development, you can create separate applications for each platform. For example, you cannot use Java for Android and iOS application development simultaneously. Similarly, Swift cannot be used for both iOS and Android application development at the same time.

Which is Better: React Native or Native App Development?#

Both development environments have their advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, deciding which one to choose is quite complex.

However, we have explained the pros and cons of React Native and Native development environments. You may have understood the concepts of both development environments and confidently chosen the right one from the two.

However, there are some other factors that indeed play a role in making a decision. Therefore, in the following paragraphs, we will explain some more useful points by distinguishing between different platforms. Here are some basic considerations to keep in mind before making a decision.

React Native VS Native Application Performance#

When it comes to performance, there are two things to analyze. If you are developing a small application and do not need to perform any complex tasks, then React Native might be the best choice.

However, if you have some important tasks to perform, or when you want to develop medium and large applications, then you should choose Native development.

Honestly, in terms of performance, there is nothing, and no hybrid framework can beat Native development. Even if you hire React to Native developers, they will suggest the same. Is the performance of React Native mobile comparable to Native?

When to Choose React Native for Mobile Application Development#

Well, we think it is still unnecessary to explain which development environment you should use. However, for this specific question, we suggest:

• If you have a small application
• If you have a small project
• If you have a project that needs to be completed in a shorter time
• If you do not want to spend too much on the project

Then, React Native is the ideal choice. With React Native, you will gain many benefits. You can not only save time and costs but also complete and implement the project in a shorter time.

When to Choose Native for Mobile Application Development#

Clearly, when you have everything opposite to React Native… it’s that simple. Yes, that’s the straightforward answer, but when you have some complex projects at hand and it serves a specific purpose or performs some important key tasks, then the Native environment is the best choice.

What you need to look for is to hire Native application developers. It takes relatively longer to complete, and you may even need to hire iOS developers and Android developers separately to complete the project.

But in the long run, it will bring benefits. Additionally, before choosing Native development, you can also consider the following points.

• When you have complex applications
• When you are more focused on Native users
• If you want to develop IoT-friendly applications
• If you are creating applications for specific platforms only

Popular Applications Built on Native and React Native Development Environments#

Both have grown, but there are still significant differences between them.

However, React Native is new and gaining momentum, while Native applications have been around for a long time and have gained high credibility. We are placing some top applications made on both platforms.

Conclusion

We believe that both React Native and Native development are indispensable parts of application development. However, the choice of development depends on the platform you choose.

Moreover, various other factors are at play. I have explained everything to you in this article.

However, if high performance, scalability, and high-traffic applications are needed, then Native development will be the right decision.

If you have any tips regarding React Native or Native development, please share them with us. We appreciate your efforts.