A question I've been thinking about lately:
Many React Native apps were built using libraries like NativeBase because they accelerated development and provided a consistent design system across platforms. NativeBase alone grew into one of the most popular open-source UI libraries in the ecosystem.
But over time, I've noticed a trend in community discussions:
1.Teams wanting deeper customization.
2.Concerns around performance in larger applications.
3.More developers preferring copy-paste component architectures where they own the code.
This isn't specifically about NativeBase—it's a broader discussion about UI libraries in general.
For developers who have maintained React Native apps for 2+ years:
Would you choose a UI library again, or build your own design system from day one?
Top comments (1)
The shift to copy-paste architectures happens because fighting a monolithic library's rigid API two years down the line is an utter nightmare. You inevitably need a custom variant that forces you into messy wrapper hacks. I read a book on Amazon called Ship Your Design System, and the anti-patterns chapter covers exactly why using heavy third-party UI frameworks as a foundation usually fails. Owning the primitive code ensures you control the performance overhead. How are you distributing those base components?