Mobile development: choosing between native and React Native

Mobile app development has grown rapidly in recent years. That is not surprising, since both personally and professionally we are doing more and more on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Emailing, video calling or video conferencing, working on documents, and filming or taking photos: all of it can now be done on mobile.

In the past, apps were mainly developed ‘natively’. These native apps were built for one specific device or mobile operating system. This meant that developing an iPhone app required a specialized iOS developer. Did you also want to make the app available for Android? Then you also had to involve a separate Android developer. React Native offers a different approach: it lets you develop from one codebase for both operating systems. 

In this article, we look at native and React Native and briefly explain the differences between these two development methods.

Native: iOS and Android development

Native development means developing for one specific device and/or operating system. You can use specific hardware and software that delivers optimized performance and makes use of all the features of the latest available technology (if the device supports it). Examples include biometrics or Augmented Reality.

The advantages of native

Precisely because of that dedication to a particular type of device and/or operating system, a native app often delivers top performance. That is why this development method is still extremely popular. Advantages experienced by developers and users include:

• Fast app performance;
• Best security;
• Excellent user experience (UX);
• Deep hardware integration (wallets, Touch ID, maps);
• Direct compatibility with the latest innovations from Apple and Google.

The disadvantages of native

An important disadvantage of native development is that you have to build two versions of an app. This leads to higher initial costs, a greater chance of differences (because you are developing on two platforms), possible differences in implementation, and the need to involve two separate developers for the further development of the app.

React Native: cross-platform development

React Native is a framework introduced by Facebook that enables cross-platform development of mobile apps. This means you can build apps that run on both Android and iOS devices, without having to develop two separate versions. 

React is a JavaScript and User Interface (UI) library used to build UI components. The React Native framework uses components from this library to create a familiar ‘native’ look and feel, but it is fundamentally different. 

With React Native, you have one framework in which you work with a single codebase. From there, you can deploy the developed app to multiple mobile operating systems with a single click.

The advantages of React Native

Like native, React Native also has several specific advantages. For example, it is easier to create two apps, it is open source, and depending on the app, it is cheaper than native development. In addition, app components can be reused for iOS and Android. With React Native, it is therefore possible to develop an app quickly, manage it without a mountain of native knowledge, and keep costs low. 

Disadvantages of React Native

But there are also disadvantages. Finding and solving problems is often more difficult and more time-consuming, while the lack of different user interfaces between iOS and Android may mean that users do not get a true Apple or Google experience. In addition, developers using React Native only gain access later to features released by Apple and Google. Displaying complex graphic elements and animations is also not React Native’s strongest point.

What is the best choice?

The choice between native and React Native depends entirely on your needs and requirements. The application, desired functionality, intended time-to-market, your budget, and the technology already used in other apps all play a role. So it is not the case that one of the two development methods is by definition better or always cheaper. Creating an app remains custom work.

More information in the whitepaper

This article is primarily an introduction to the world of mobile app development. Do you want to know more about native and React Native? And do you want to explore which development method best fits your applications and functional needs? Then be sure to download our whitepaper ‘Mobile app development. In it, you will find all the advantages and disadvantages of native and React Native development’! 

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