Introduction
React or ReactJS is a very popular JavaScript library developed by Jordan Walke, a software engineer at Facebook. ReactJS was introduced as an open-source project in May 2013. It was introduced with the intention of building dynamic and scalable web applications with a highly interactive user interface (UI).
React is a very powerful tool for building web applications as it provides various features like Virtual DOM, JSX, Declarative UI, and Unidirectional Data Flow. Because of these features, React has been used for building very popular applications like Facebook, Instagram, Netflix, WhatsApp, Discord, Khan Academy, Codecademy, etc.
React Native is a framework used for building mobile applications, and its core concept is based on React principles and the JavaScript programming language. This framework was also released by Facebook in 2015, and thus, if you have knowledge of React and the JavaScript programming language, you can also develop scalable mobile apps in addition to building web applications. In this article, we will discuss ReactJS and React Native with their key differences.
Key Features of ReactJS:
Component-Based Architecture: React architecture are built using components that can be used again, making the development faster and more organized.
Virtual DOM: React uses the concept of virtual DOM for updating the part of the user interface where there is a requirement to update, instead of updating the entire page, which makes the applications much faster in loading.
Unidirectional Data Flow: In react, the data flow is in a single direction, that is, from parent to child component, and thus making the applications predictable and easier to debug.
JSX(JavaScript XML): JSX, or JavaScript XML, is a syntax extension used in React to write HTML-like code directly within its JavaScript files. These features make it easy and more intuitive to define the structure and content of a React component.
Ecosystem Flexibility: ReactJS can integrate with different libraries and tools such as Node.js for managing the backend, Redux for state management, Next.js for building production-ready web applications, and GraphQL to enhance data fetching and management in web applications.
Use Cases of ReactJS:
Given below is the list of use cases of ReactJS.
It is used for building single-page web applications (SPAs).
React is highly used in building dynamic web applications where content updates and moderation happen frequently, like social media apps or e-commerce platforms.
It is used for enterprise web applications, which means building large-scale, complex software solutions designed to meet the diverse needs of an organization.
Key Features of React Native:
Given below is the list of key features of react native:
Cross-Platform Development: React native provides the facility of writing the code once and running it on iOS and Android for app development.
Native Components: Native components are the fundamental building blocks of react native applications. It provides access to native APIs, enabling a near-native experience.
Hot Reloading: Hot reloading is a development feature that allows you to see the effect of code changes in your running applications without losing the current state of the app.
Third-Party Plugins: React native comes with rich a source of libraries and plugins to allow developers to include more functions in their application.
Strong Community Support: React native has a strong community support as it is an open-source platform, and developers actively contribute their projects on platforms like GitHub and share code.
Use Cases of React Native:
Given below is the list of practical uses of react native:
Build mobile applications that run on both iOS and Android.
Building apps in less time and faster deployment.
React native is highly used by startups and businesses for saving time and cost while building software applications with a single codebase.
Examples of React Native: Facebook mobile app, Instagram app, Bloomberg, and Discord.
Similarities Between ReactJS and React Native
Given below is the list of common functionality between ReactJS and React native.
Both platforms are developed and maintained by Facebook.
The programming syntax and core concepts of both platforms are based on React and the JavaScript programming language.
The architecture of both platforms is component-based for developing software applications.
Both platforms support the features of code reusability and modular code, where modular code refers to the practice of organizing your code into small, independent, and reusable units.
A large community and a rich source of libraries.
Key Difference between ReactJS and React Native
Given below is the list of key differences between ReactJS and React native.
1. Platform
• ReactJS is used for building web applications that run on a browser.
• React native is used for building mobile applications that run on iOS and Andriod.
2. Rendering
Rendering is the process of updating the user interface (UI) to display information based on a component’s current state and props.
• ReactJS performs Virtual DOM activity for rendering the HTML elements.
• React Native uses native APIs to render mobile components, such as and , instead of and
.
3. Language and Syntax
• ReactJS uses HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for building web applications.
• React Native does not work with HTML and CSS directly but instead provide native components and a stylesheet similar to CSS for building android and iOS app.
4. Performance
• ReactJS applications gives better performance on the web, but this performance cannot match with React native.
• React Native offers a performance advantage due to its closer integration with native platforms and rendering capabilities. It gives better performance on mobile devices compared to hybrid solutions.
5. Code Reusability
• ReactJS code can be used again in different part of applications, such as form filling, but it is limited to web environments.
• React Native code can be reused across iOS and Andriod platforms and thus reducing development effort significantly.
6. Learning Curve
• ReactJS is easy to learn if you have knowledge of JavaScript; you can easily learn React for building dynamic and scalable web applications.
• React Native is harder to learn compare to react because it require understanding of mobile development concepts like navigation, native modules, and platform-specific styling.
Advantages of ReactJS
Given below is the list of advantages of ReactJS
Easy to learn for developing web applications.
Gives performance on the browser because of the Virtual DOM.
Supports easy third-party integrations and a strong community.
Reusable UI components.
Advantages of React Native
A list is given below that contains the advantages of React native:
Supports cross-platform development and saves cost and time while building an application.
Gives high performance on mobile devices such as iOS and Android.
Access to native APIs and components.
React Native is managed by Meta and widely adopted by the industry.
Choosing Between ReactJS and React Native
Choosing the right tool between ReactJS and React Native depends on the requirements of your project.
For building web applications, ReactJS is the right tool as it provides an interactive User Interface (UI) and high performance.
For building mobile applications for iOS and Android, React Native is the right tool because it compiles with native components and saves time and money while building applications.
For building a business model where both web and apps are required, it is common to use ReactJS for building web applications and React Native for mobile apps, as both the tools share similar design principles and learning curve, and thus having the knowledge of one (React) can be helpful in performing different tasks (building apps).
Conclusion
React and React Native are both powerful tools and widely adopted by the industry, leading to highly demanding skills in the job market for building software applications that can run on different platforms and gives high performance compared to applications build using different technologies.
ReactJS uses the concept of Virtual DOM for improving the performance of applications, and React Native extends the power of react, enabling cross-platform development in mobile devices.
This article describes React and React Native. The key difference between these two technologies. To know more about this topic, I suggest you visit the Tpoint Tech Website, where you can find various articles on programming and other technology as well, along with interview questions, working codes, and an online compiler where you can run your code.
Top comments (0)