React Js vs React Native Which is better?

Let’s look at the history of Reactjs and React Native before comparing them.

Reactjs and React Native, which is powering some of the most popular and frequently used mobile apps and websites right now, have a fascinating backstory:

The engineering team recognised that the regular updates were holding down their development in 2011 when Facebook ads were expanding and bringing in additional, intriguing capabilities. Due to content cascading modifications and updates, the developers were obliged to restructure the entire programme. As the size of the team grew, so did the number of challenges.

They had the correct model, but the user experience was in desperate need of a makeover.

At the same time, Jordan Walke, a Facebook engineer, created FaxJS, the prototype of Reactjs, using XHP (an HTML component library for PHP).

Reactjs was first used for Facebook’s timeline in 2011, and it was a huge step forward.

After Facebook bought Instagram in 2012, Reactjs was also utilised for their timeline.

In the same year, Mark Zuckerberg was cited as saying:

“Our biggest blunder as a firm was relying too heavily on HTML rather than native.”

This marked the beginning of React Native’s development as a framework. Soon after, two of the most potent technologies emerged in the developer community. The comparison between Reactjs and React Native is fascinating, as it pushes developers to consider their utility and applicability for designing web apps, mobile apps, mobile responsive webpages, and more.

This article will explain the differences between Reactjs and React Native for app developers.

ReactJS Vs React Native

S.NO	ReactJS	React Native
1	ReactJS was first released in 2013.	The React Native initial release was in 2015.
2	It is used for developing web applications.	It is used for developing mobile applications.
3	It can be executed on all platforms.	It is not platform-independent. It takes more effort to be executed on all platforms.
4	It uses a JavaScript library and CSS for animations.	It comes with built-in animation libraries.
5	It uses React-router for navigating web pages.	It has a built-in Navigator library for navigating mobile applications.
6	It uses HTML tags.	It does not use HTML tags.
7	It can use code components, which saves valuable time.	It can reuse React Native UI components & modules, which allow hybrid apps to render natively.
8	It provides high security.	It offers low security in comparison to ReactJS.
9	In this, the Virtual DOM renders the browser code.	In this, Native uses its API to render code for mobile applications.

Reactjs vs React Native – Comparing the individual features that make both unique in their league

 

What exactly is Reactjs?

ReactJS is an open-source JavaScript library for creating web application user interfaces. It is exclusively in charge of the application’s view layer. It allows developers to create complicated user interfaces using “components,” which are small, independent pieces of code. The first half of ReactJS is components, which are the sections that contain HTML code and what you want to see in the user interface, and the second part is the HTML page, which will render all of your components.

Jordan Walke, a former Facebook software developer, is the creator. It was created and maintained by Facebook at first, and it was later utilised in Facebook products such as WhatsApp and Instagram. ReactJS was built in 2011 for the newsfeed area of Facebook, although it was only released to the public in May 2013.

 

From a business standpoint, what elements of Reactjs are its USP? (Reactjs Advantages)

• With DOM, you can get blazing fast results. One of Reactjs’ USPs, from a business standpoint, is its ability to deliver blazing fast speed for applications and webpages built with the DOM, or Document Object Model. This is how it goes down: React builds an in-memory data structure cache, which computes the differences, and then seamlessly changes the browser’s displayed DOM. The programmer writes the code as if every change renders the full page, whereas in reality, just the altered sub-components are rendered. This provides Reactjs an advantage over other platforms for designing mobile apps, as speed is one of the most critical components in creating a successful app.
• Time is saved by using a component-based architecture – Reactjs introduced the concept of component-based design, which enforces component reusability and saves a significant amount of time. This component-based design converts individual components of a broader user interface are converted into self-contained micro-systems using this component-based design. As a result, if any component in Facebook Ads’ Adset tab requires significant changes, only that component will be reused and re-defined, rather than the entire UI of Facebook Ads.
• SEO Gets a Boost With Reactjs – Because Reactjs supports server-side rendering, it improves a webpage’s or app’s SEO and gets more organic visitors. Indexing and caching of content increases faster when a Google bot accesses a server that has previously produced the content and graphics. It provides a significant boost to the website’s entire SEO strategy. Furthermore, if the Google bot indexes the material directly from the server, the page load time is reduced. This quick visibility of web pages provides a better user experience for end-users, resulting in a win-win situation.
• Developer Tools Ecosystem Is Massive – Reactjs is fortunate to have a large developer community that has produced an ecosystem of tools, component libraries, IDEs, extensions for code editors, web browsers, and more. The availability of a diverse set of third-party tools and extensions opens up new avenues for innovation while also saving time and resources. Reactjs is one of the most popular solutions for building innovative, ground-breaking apps and websites because of community-driven innovation.

These are the main features of Reactjs that distinguish it from other frameworks.

 

Examples of React.Js Applications

1. Facebook – Facebook is the most popular social networking platform on the planet, with 2.45 billion users, and they are the React.js pioneers, having introduced this revolutionary framework to the development industry. Facebook also introduced React fibre, a rewriting of React.js that will be at the heart of any new feature development and any other improvements that make it ultra-responsive.
2. Netflix – Netflix, a leading global online video streaming service that offers movies, web series, TV shows, documentaries, and other content, is another notable React web application example. So, if you’re sitting on the couch watching your favourite Netflix show, it’s most likely due to React. Everyone enjoys watching high-quality videos, and one of React’s most notable features is its ability to scale large apps. As a result, Netflix is no better match to provide their users with a clean UI while still managing large amounts of data.
3. Tesla – Tesla, the electric vehicle manufacturer founded by Elon Musk, has also chosen React to design their website. Tesla’s outstanding technical team sought to improve their online presence with clean, eye-catching designs and a rich user-experience.
4. Code Academy – Code Academy is a popular online learning platform that teaches a variety of programming languages, including Python, PHP, Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, and Swift. With millions of students utilising the platform throughout the world, it’s another excellent example of a React web app that can handle many users at once. The main argument for using React.JS is that it is component-based, which means it is easy to isolate a particular area of a website without disrupting the entire website.
5. Airbnb – Airbnb, an online reservation marketplace organisation, is another well-known React.JS web application. Airbnb, which began in America in 2008 and today has 800 million users, provides hotel and room bookings, becoming a must-have tool for frequent visitors. The portability of React.js and the refactoring functionality that allows programmers to iterate on reducing the work and making it simple to a considerable extent impressed Airbnb employees.

What exactly is React Native?

React Native is a cross-platform mobile framework that builds apps and websites using Reactjs. React Native compiles native app components, allowing programmers to create mobile applications in JavaScript that can operate on various platforms, including Windows, Android, and iOS.

Furthermore, React Native uses Reactjs to generate components, and React Native uses Reactjs as part of their framework.

From a business standpoint, what aspects of React Native are its USP? (React Native Advantages)

• Platform-specific Code has an advantage – One of the most appealing features of utilising React Native to create apps and websites is the ability to produce platform-specific code. When you use React Native to create an app, the framework recognises the platform automatically running on. It generates the appropriate code for the proper platform in this manner.
• Even a front-end web developer can use React Native to create an app – React Native makes it easy for a front-end developer to construct an app Rapidly because most of the code is written in Javascript. A front-end developer needs to be familiar with Javascript (particularly Reactjs), platform APIs, a few native UI elements, and any platform-specific design principles to grasp the technology. Non-programmers can design apps with little effort, thanks to the user interface and learning curve. This has resulted in a shift in how apps and websites are developed today. So all you need is a concept and a strategy for putting it into action.
• Because of the hot reloading feature, development takes less time – Reactjs has the Hot Reloading feature, allowing developers to reload a mobile app automatically. This speeds up the development process and saves time.
• UI libraries that are ready to use for a better user experience – Component UI frameworks exist in the React Native ecosystem. Developers can use it to create a seamless user interface. Sharing UI libraries like Shoutem, Expo, native base, and others saves time that could otherwise be spent on making them from scratch, allowing more time to be spent on innovation and ideas rather than constructing libraries from scratch.

These are some of the primary features that distinguish React Native.

Examples of React Native Applications

1. Skype – Skype revealed at the start of 2017 that it was working on an entirely new app written in React Native. It was useful information for all users, as the software, despite being well-designed, had several flaws. The new version has been completely redesigned, from the icons to the whole layout, with a few additional features thrown in for good measure. It’s also worth noting that Microsoft chose React Native for the Windows desktop app and mobile devices.
2.  Instagram – Instagram took on integrating React Native into their current native app, starting with the most basic view possible: the Push Notifications view, which was previously built as a WebView. Because the user interface was essential, there was no need to construct navigation infrastructure. The Instagram development team ran into a few issues along the way, but they were able to increase developer velocity significantly. Depending on the product, 85 per cent to 99 per cent of code was shared between Android and iOS apps, allowing the team to release the app considerably faster than they could with a native solution.
3. Walmart – Walmart has a lofty goal of becoming the world’s largest internet store. The corporation must take calculated risks to achieve a competitive advantage with such lofty objectives. Walmart increased the app’s speed on both iOS and Android by utilising fewer resources and completing tasks in less time. Ninety-five percent of the codebase was shared across platforms, and developers’ talents and experience were pooled across the company. React Native had excellent performance, which was approximately similar to that of native apps, as well as exceptionally fluid animations.
4. SoundCloud Pulse – SoundCloud Pulse is a tool for creators that helps them manage their accounts and maintain a healthy community. When it came to building the second round of native apps, the business ran across a few roadblocks. Despite a few flaws discovered by the SoundCloud team, their overall impression of the framework was positive. Working on a React-based app was easier for developers than working on a native app. Furthermore, they were capable of developing the app without the assistance of specialised mobile developers on a regular basis.

What are the key differences between React Native and Reactjs?

While there are many similarities between Reactjs and React Native, there are also some significant differences. Take a look at this:

The disadvantages and limits of React vs. React Native

When it comes to designing apps and websites, both Reactjs and React Native have various restrictions and drawbacks. Before beginning work on each of these, the developer should be aware of the restrictions and have a plan in place to address them.

 

Disadvantages Of Using Reactjs

• Time & Overhead – It’s common for the additional react-enabled library to be required, which adds to the cost and time spent. If a developer is using the Carbon framework for UI, for example, downloading Carbon components with react is essential.
• Curve of learning – Learning Reactjs takes a lot longer than learning React Native for a new developer. It indicates that Reactjs has a steeper learning curve, which can be a problem for new Reactjs developers.
• Support for outside libraries – Reactjs has a small number of native libraries, despite the fact that it supports a large number of third-party libraries. External libraries can now assist the developer in incorporating HTML and CSS functionality into JSX, which has its own set of intricacies and steep learning curve. 
• Hierarchical data set – In Reactjs, data navigation is difficult and time-consuming. In contrast to other JS Scripting tools, Reactjs, for example, does not provide concurrent data management. In Reactjs, the user must first travel to the parent node, then to the topmost parent node, and then to the second hierarchy of the tree node in order to navigate from one Div to another Div.

 

Disadvantages Of Using React Native

• Inadequate native libraries – Because of the lack of native libraries and dependency on external, third-party libraries, React Native can slow down the development process if the project has a lot of features. When doing multiple complex calculations at the same time, Swift, Objective-C, and Java appear to be faster than JavaScript, because JavaScript has overheads for manipulating native elements.
• Layer of loosely maintained abstraction- React Native is a lightly held framework that allows programmers to access HTML tags, CSS stylesheets, and Javascript code. This appears to be a favourable feature because it gives developers more choice, but it also introduces obstacles.
• Initialization takes longer – The problem with React Native is that setting up the runtime for gadgets and devices takes longer. It’s mostly because of the JavaScript thread.
• Many native workarounds are required – If a feature isn’t available in React Native, developers have two options: write native modules in Swift/Objective-C and Java, or hire a native developer to write one for them. In a nutshell, React Native raises overheads in terms of both costs and time.

React.js and React native are essential programming languages, however there is another one called kotlin that is used for android development. Kotlin is a programming language that may be used for server-side, client-side, or web development.

Kotlin

When Android development required a more current language to supplement Java’s capabilities and aid in mobile development, Kotlin was born. Kotlin was built by JetBrains, the same company that created Intellij, an integrated development environment. It is a statically typed, open-source language based on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). The benefit of Kotlin is that it can be compiled into JavaScript and used alongside Java. This enables developers to not only adapt existing Java programmes to Kotlin, but also to continue working in Java in Kotlin. 

Pros of Kotlin

Kotlin is a much-loved programming language among developers since it is significantly faster to create. In Kotlin, what takes 50 lines of code in Java takes only 1-2 lines. This also means that there are fewer faults and failures.

• Kotlin facilitates the creation of clean APIs.
• You can use Java libraries and frameworks in Kotlin thanks to Java bytecode, making the transition from Java to Kotlin a breeze.
• The type system in Kotlin includes the much-needed null, which was missing in Java. The absence of a value in Android is represented by null, and Kotlin allows you to use null, greatly alleviating that pain point.
• The Anko Library for Kotlin is really useful for developers.

Cons of Kotlin

• With Kotlin, there is unquestionably a severe learning curve. While its relatively concise syntax is a significant benefit, it does necessitate some initial understanding.
• In most cases, Kotlin takes longer to compile than Java, though it does surpass Java in a few scenarios.
• Because the Kotlin community is still new and learning materials are scarce, finding solutions to difficulties can be challenging. However, as the site becomes more popular, the resources and community will grow.
• Finding experienced developers who can act as mentors for your team can be tough because Kotlin is still relatively young. Everyone out there is still learning and experiencing it for the first time.
• In comparison to Java, some functions of Android Studio, such as auto-complete and compilation, run slower in Kotlin.

 

Which is better, React or React native?

Both Reactjs and React Native are crucial pillars for app and web development, and they’re gaining traction with each passing day because to their flexible features and a growing ecosystem of libraries.

While Reactjs is essentially a JavaScript library and React Native is the whole framework, the former is the heart of the latter and the two function in tandem.

If Reactjs is best for generating apps with a lot of functionality and sophisticated calculations, then React Native is best for giving your mobile apps a native feel.

Every technology or framework in the developer world has restrictions, and Reactjs and React Native are no exception. As a result, it is recommended that you map the benefits and drawbacks of both of these technologies before making an informed decision based on your priorities and projected outcomes.