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It's cross platform and massively reduces app dev costs, but WTF is React Native?

Kyle Johnson on February 08, 2017

We helped a startup cut down from 3 development agencies to 1 whilst mirroring features across Web, iOS and Android, releasing all 3 simultaneously...
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Maxim Ostrovidov

But where are cons?

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Kyle Johnson

Well if the aims are to build a cross platform app there it's simply a no brainer IMO. I've purposefully stayed non-technical throughout this post to highlight a serious commercial benefit that often gets overlooked.

The main con is the comparison of native features you get Android/iOS apps, but really anything that you think is lacking (Native UI components/APIs) you can write a bridge for.

Performance is also a big concern, a lot of work was done in the later release of react native to get animation working on a separate thread which has helped out a lot. Generally I doubt even a trained eye could identify any difference between an app released with RN and a native app that has been developed correctly, especially if you use github.com/wix/react-native-naviga... .

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Levi Bostian

+1

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Dariusz Baciński

Can you share a link to the apps?

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Kyle Johnson

Just search the app store for DugoutFC :)

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Eduard Bolos

iOS screenshots framed in an Android phone for the Play Store? Really? That's one of the most unprofessional things ever. Then I download the app, and I am in front of a login wall. I try to use Facebook, and then Facebook says that the app wasn't set up, it's still in development mode. Again, really? So I go for Google, finally I am in the app, I go to Live Scores, click on the first entry, the app crashes xD
To be on topic, the app doesn't really feel native at all to me, but maybe since it's a game is not that bad. Also, I am a native Android app developer, regular users might not be that picky.