Is React and React Native the Same? Explain React vs React Native

Is React and React Native the same? Well, then what is the difference between React and React Native? These are some of the most frequently asked questions about React and React Native.

React and React Native are two popular elements in the programming world. In addition to that, the main similarity between React vs. React Native is that they are released and maintained by the same family. Despite belonging from the same family both have many dissimilarities in their features and purpose. Well then, let’s have a broader view regarding React and React Native. Avail the best React Development Services from the top companies.

Explain React and Purpose of React

React is an open-source JavaScript library that is useful in building web application interfaces. React or rather ReactJS helps in building a stronger framework for its products by reusing components. There are two-parts in ReactJS – HTML code and HTML document. The user view layer or the User Interface (UI) is built using HTML code. The HTML page contains all of the components.

Jordan Walke, a Facebook software engineer, created React. React was made in the year 2011. However, React was initially used for Facebook. React library is helpful in developing websites and apps. Some of the major companies that have used React include Whatsapp and Instagram. Thus, React was released to the public in 2013.

Advantages of Using React

Simple: React is considerably simpler to understand and apply. Therefore, any developer with JavaScript experience can quickly grasp React and begin building web apps.

Reusable Elements: One of the essential advantages of React is code reusability. Reusability simplifies the workload of developers. For similar app components, programmers do not need to create different scripts. Hence, they can reuse the code. Thus, code reusability helps to reduce production costs.

Easy Code Testing: Another vital feature of React is testing. It contains native tools which help in easy testing and debugging. ReactJS component-based architecture reduces the need for extensive debugging. When you change one component of the app, it does not affect the others. As a result, React saves a lot of time for testing and troubleshooting.

SEO Friendly: ReactJS allows for quicker web page generation. The page loading time for React applications is much lower than the others. Hence, the bounce rate of React pages is low. In addition, the components of React, i.e. React Helmet and React Router, helps to build SEO-friendly applications.

How Do React Components Aid in Web Application Development?

A React component is one of the core elements of React application. In other words, any application you create in React will be built using elements known as React components. The developer can build the UI faster using React components.

React components are of two types:

1. Functional Components
2. Class Components

In addition to these two components, React contains other similar elements that aid in developing the application.

Let’s move on to the different components of ReactJS.

Components of ReactJS

Functional Components

Functional components are JavaScript functions that help in creating React applications. The functional components are helpful whenever the functional component does not require the data from any other components. Meaning, functional components do not interact with other components.

Class Components

Class components are similar to functional components. But class components are more complex than functional components. Class components interact with each other. Therefore, class components exchange data with other components.

Higher-Order Components

The Higher-Order Components (HOC) accept a component as input and return the component as output, but with additional functionality. HOC in React is a standard advanced React paradigm for deploying reusable logic and functionality across React components.

Dumb Components

Dumb components are also known as stateless functional components since it requires only a few computer resources to render such as memory, CPU, and GPU.

Smart Components

Any class component that maintains its state is also known as a smart component. Smart components work similarly to class components. When we work with Babel or ES6-style React, we know it as any class object that extends components.

Presentational Components

The presentation component is also known as a stateless functional component that takes props and renders UI. Plain JavaScript functions that do not have states are also known as stateless functions. Presentational components are the components that receive state from the higher-order component. UI is conditionally rendered based on state, which is provided to them as a parameter. The presentational component is mainly concerned with how things are displayed more than the management of the state.

Container Components

A container component is a type of class component that delivers data and behavior to other container components. In addition to that, the container retrieves data and then produces the relevant sub-component. Thus, container components focus on working conditions.

Got an idea about what React is and the purpose of React? Then let’s discuss what is React Native and check whether there is any difference between React vs React Native.

What is React Native?

React Native (RN) is an open-source framework that helps to develop mobile applications using reusable components. Similarly, React Native produces applications using JavaScript. After, creating the React Native codes, the developer can use the code both on Android and iOS. Thus, it provides a massive transformation of code within less time.

Facebook built React Native for an internal project named Hackathon in 2013. In addition to that, React Native was made open and accessible on GitHub by Facebook in March 2015.

Role of React Native In Business Development

React Native is firmly chosen by hundreds of businesses globally, including Uber, Microsoft, and Facebook, and is accepted across various industries. Since then React Native helps in business development and scalability.

Let’s check how React Native helps for business development.

Cross-platform Practice

The most crucial feature of React Native is cross-platform. In React Native, the developer can build a single code that is compatible with different platforms. Therefore, the developer can run the code on various platforms like Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, etc.

Community Support

React Native is one of the popular technologies in the programming world. In addition to that, RN contains a vast developers community. As a result, this community helps to find the solutions to our questions and queries.

Low Cost

In React native, the production cost is low. Therefore, the company can reuse codes for the same feature of different platforms. Moreover, RN code contains a reusability feature, which helps to reduce the cost.

Time-saving

The cross-platform feature in RN helps to reuse the same code for different platforms. Therefore, the developers require less time for the development of the application on other platforms.

Various React Native Components

While you’re building an application using RN you can make use of the built-in Core Components. It provides different types of built-in components. Henceforth, it helps for the easy development of the application. Let’s have a look at the different categories of React Native components:

1. Basic Components
2. User Interface
3. List Views
4. Android-specific
5. iOS-specific
6. Others

Basic Components

• View – It is the essential building block of web applications.
• Text – It helps to display the text. Besides that, the Text component contains nesting, styling, and touch handling.
• Image – This is a React component for showing multiple pictures, such as network images and static resources.
• TextInput – TextInput is an essential component that helps insert the text into the application using the keyboard. It also provides auto-correction, auto-capitalization, placeholder text, and different keyboard types, such as a numeric keypad.
• ScrollView – This component encapsulates the platform ScrollView and integrates it with the touch locking “responder” mechanism.
• StyleSheet – A StyleSheet is a type of abstraction that is comparable to CSS StyleSheets.

User Interface Components

• Button – A simple button component that should look well on any platform. Moreover, it should provide customizable features. Therefore, if any of the buttons don’t suit the app button, the customizable option should be available.
• Switch – It helps to create boolean input.

ListView

• FlatList – A quick and easy way to show essential information. In addition, It supports different features such as fully cross-platform, header support, footer support, etc.
• SectionList – Section list includes different features like section header support, section separator support, heterogeneous data and item rendering support, etc.

Android Components and APIs

• BackHandler – The Backhandler API recognizes back navigation hardware button pushes. After all, it is available only on Android.
• DrawerLayoutAndroid – DrawerLayout is a component that covers the platform. Moreover, this is component of RN is available to Android users only.
• PermissionsAndroid – It gives you access to the new permissions paradigm in Android M.
• ToastAndroid – The ToastAndroid API for RN exposes the ToastAndroid module of the Android platform as a JS module.

iOS Components and APIs

• ActionSheetIOS – Displays the iOS Action Sheet component natively.

Others

• ActivityIndicator – Displays a loading circle.
• Alert – This command opens an alert dialogue with the provided title and message.
• Animated – The Animated library is intended to simplify the creation and maintenance of animations smooth, powerful, and painless.
• Dimensions – Dimension is the most used API for React components.
• KeyboardAvoidingView – It is a component that addresses the common issue of views that need to be moved out of the way of the virtual keyboard. Moreover, it may automatically alter its height, location, or bottom padding depending on the height of the keyboard.
• Linking – Linking provides a centralized interface for interacting with both incoming and outgoing app connections.
• Modal – A fundamental approach to show material above an enclosing view is to use the Modal component.
• PixelRatio – PixelRatio allows you to see the pixel density and font scale of your device.
• RefreshControl – It is used within a ScrollView or ListView to offer pull to refresh capabilities.
• StatusBar – It controls the app’s status bar with this component. Multiple StatusBar components can be installed at the same time. The properties will be combined in the order in which the StatusBar components were installed.

Conclusion

From reading this document, we can conclude that ReactJS and RN are different. Both React Native vs. React contain various features and purposes. In addition, they both have advantages and disadvantages. So the next question is whether React or RN is best?

Both React and RN are good in their way. The user should choose the technology according to their purpose. This ReactJS is suitable for developing web applications, and RN is good for developing mobile applications.

Are you still confused about choosing the framework for your application? CronJ will help you to determine the framework and develop the application according to your requirements. So why wait? Hire us today!

Originally Published at: Is React and React Native the Same? Explain React vs React Native