Rushabh PatelEven a few years back, Angular was very popular. However, it wasn’t the case for React.js. However, on learning the amazing benefits of React Native for cross-platform, mobile app developers fell in love with it. RN makes the job of mobile app development easy. It installs apps natively across different mobile platforms.
React: An Interesting Side
Most Mobile app development Company prefers using RN for app development for their clients. Native being a cross-platform app development network comes with some advantages. For instance, there is no need to develop separate applications for different mobile platforms.
React has created a buzz. One gets to see a lot of tutorials about React Native. Likewise, one would know ways to reuse the existing elements. Hence, one should take a look into the React’s Ecosystem.
React Native’s Ecosystem
Let’s take a look into the ecosystem.
Build System
Develop new web applications carefully. The build system is not an instrument for running scripts. Rather, in the world of JavaScript, it can shape the general structure of the applications, for instance. Certain things need to be followed.
- Running compilers and preprocessors
- Optimizing assets for production
- Managing external and internal dependencies
Separate UI
Moreover, mobile app developers know that one of the big challenges is the ability to write CSS, HTML, and JS within one file. However, this is possible with React Native.
Navigation
Most of the developers working with an RN might not be aware of the fact that navigation within Native is a difficult feat. However, what most people might not know is that several solutions are available to carry out navigation in React. Some of the default as well as the high-performing navigation solutions are:
- Navigator
- NavigationExperimental
- NavigatorIOS
In contrast to the NavigatiorIOS, JavaScript-based modules are written in JavaScript. Likewise for building cross-platform apps, using a high-performance JavaScript makes sense. Some of the renowned modules are:
React Native Router Flux
Most importantly separates the navigational logic from the app’s UI. If one isn’t using Redux in the app, one would be forced to go after the architectural patterns by merging UI along with business logic.
React Navigation
It is one of the largely used navigation library in React Native apps. It’s an upgraded version of React Native Navigator, Ex-navigation, and Navigator Experimental.
Database
Native comes loaded with some options for the database. Using the database mobile app developers can store data either locally or dynamically. It is pretty interesting as most applications require online-offline synchronize support.
Having a proper idea of the ecosystem in terms of local database support takes the main stage. Most of the databases that spreads Native’s local storage ecosystem are:
- Realm
- SQLite
- PouchDB
- Firebase
- Couchbase
No doubt, SQLite is very popular. It offers a zero-configuration database engine. Most developers prefer SQLite. The best part of RN SQLite storage is its library. It has been specially crafted to work with Android as well as iOS.
Libraries
Talking about libraries, one should take a look at Realm. The Realm is an alternative data storage option for the CoreData framework. It is also valuable for other important storage options like AsyncStorage. The Realm library for RN holds a custom database that is ideal for storing a huge amount of data up to 10,000+ records.
Another library is PouchDB. Well, PouchDB allows developers to store the data of the apps locally while it’s offline. It can synchronize the data with CouchDB when the application is back online. The user data is synchronized even if the user is logged in or not.
However, Firebase is an ideal library for RN. Those interested in using Firebase for their React native applications, one should instantly check out the RNFirebase. A layer is added to the top of the native Firebase library. This makes the process of building apps very easy.
Backend for RN
Often, Firebase is a backend as a service, off-line database, real-time database and a lot more friendly for the mobile world. For the sake of clarity, decreased learning curve, and easy mid-level scalability use cases. So both ios app developers and Android app developers would love this framework.
One such Backend is Baqend. It is a serverless Backend-as-a-service development platform. This platform is used for mobile app development. The platform uses Redux as a state container. The Redux Baqend container is used with Baqend. Likewise, it offers a fully managed backend services.
Tools
Some of the tools that work amazingly well with React.js development are the Branch.io. It executes deep linking with React Native applications. It offers users with the URL shortening option. If React Native developers are using Expo, they should be well aware of the fact that Branch offers to Expo in a great manner. Expo offers two kinds of tools to developers. They are Expo XDE and the Expo client.
The ecosystem of React Native is vast and it expands every day. Therefore, it won’t become obsolete soon.
