React Native: Website vs mobile apps

In the last blog, I shared as a reactJS developer how you can start with React Native. In this blog, we will learn more about React Native.

React Native is a library to create cross platform native mobile apps using JavaScript and ReactJS.

Before react Native, the only way to build native mobile apps was through Kotlin or Java for Android apps , and Swift for iOS apps.

If you know JavaScript or React, building native mobile apps with React native is going to be easy for you. No need to learn Java, Kotlin, or swift.

For web developers, there are a few differences between web and mobile:

1. Web Elements

In native mobile apps, there is no browser. Hence, there are no web elements. This means that one doesn't need to use HTML elements in React Native. Eg: There is no div, section, header etc.

2. Styling

As there are no web elements in React Native, there is no support of CSS. In React Native, there is inbuilt StyleSheet. For styling we need to use this. There is no support of tailwind but can use native wind.

3. Different Operating Systems

We are building native apps for android, and iOS. Both OS (operating system) are different. While coding in React Native, we need to remember this.

4. Hardware limitations

There is difference between web and mobile's hardware. RAM, memory , etc are a big constraints.

5. Interaction

In web, the interaction is by using mouse. In mobile, interaction will be via touch.

Happy Learning!!