Did you know that React JS was used by 39.5% of developers in 2024? Developers preferred React JS over popular web frameworks and libraries like jQuery, Express, and Next.js. React js delivers several advantages in web development. Similarly, React Native ranks second as the most popular cross-platform mobile app development platform. Thanks to its popularity, around 1 billion devices have apps built with React Native.
They almost have the same name and are connected to JavaScript. But what is the difference between the two? In this blog, we’ve covered several parts to understand the core differences between react native vs react Js.
Key Takeaways
In this blog, you’ll learn:
- What are React Native and React JS?
- The benefits of using react native vs React JS
- Their use cases
- Their core differences in deployment, development environment, and more.
- Their drawbacks and limitations
What is React Native?
React Native is an open-source Java framework used to create mobile applications. Through React Native, you can create native apps for both Android and iOS. These use 99% of the same codebase.
Benefits of using React Native
Here are the benefits of using React Native vs React JS:
- As a developer, you only need to write most of the code once. React Native compiles it to native code for both iOS and Android.
- React Native allows you to use native components like buttons, lists, and sliders. It gets better-you can even build your own. This will give your app a genuine native feel.
- You can instantly see changes in their code without having to recompile the app.
- React Native apps are closer to native performance than any other cross-platform tools. This is because they use native components.
React Native use cases
React Native is a versatile platform. Developers use it for a variety of apps. In some cases, developers have also used React Native for Web.
- It’s used for cross-platform native mobile applications. This helps reduce cost and time.
- Developers prefer it to create MVPs. This is because it delivers Fast development for mobile app testing before full investment.
- React Native Apps deliver Native-like UI and Performance. This helps provide a smooth, high-quality user experience.
- For E-Commerce & Retail Apps, developers use React Native for easy shopping and customer engagement.
What is React JS?
So, React JS is also an open-source software for JavaScript. But how is it different from React Native? The biggest difference is that React Native is a library. It helps build user interfaces or UI components for websites.
Benefits of using React Native
Here are the benefits of using React JS vs React Native:
- Imagine being able to reuse UI components across different parts of your app. React Native’s component-based structure makes this possible.
- React allows you to create interactive user interfaces using actual HTML elements. This includes buttons, forms, and lists, making development more intuitive.
- With React JS, there’s no need to refresh the entire page to see changes. Once developers change the code or debug, they show up immediately.
- Its Virtual DOM (Document Object Model) updates only what’s necessary. This makes the apps faster and smoother than traditional ones.
React JS use cases
React JS has been used in many websites. It makes it significantly more easy to create a good User Interface to deliver good UX.
- It’s used for building fast, interactive web applications. This improves user experience and engagement.
- It can be used for single-page applications and Dashboards. This allows smooth navigation and data updates.
- React JS web apps deliver high performance with Virtual DOM. This ensures smooth and efficient rendering.
- It’s also used for E-Commerce & CMS platforms. This is because it enables easy scalability for web applications.
What are the core differences: React Native vs React JS
React.js and React Native were created by engineers working at Facebook or Meta. They also share the same core principles, but they serve different purposes. The two platforms can even be used together for some projects. But now that we understand their basics, let’s dive into the core differences of React Native vs React JS:
Development Environment and Tools
React Native is used to build mobile applications for iOS and Android. It interacts with native mobile components and works with tools like Xcode for iOS and Android Studio for Android. These tools help set up a development environment where it’s much easier to build platform-specific apps. They also help with the mobile app testing.
React.js is designed for web applications and runs in the browser, using traditional web technologies like HTML, CSS, and or JavaScript. It can be used with several tools. A few of these are Webpack and Babel. They help in efficient development and debugging.
Performance and UX
In react native vs react JS, React Native is optimized for mobile performance by using native components. These communicate with the device’s operating system. This makes React Native apps more responsive, providing a native-like experience.
React.js performance largely depends on the browser. It can be enhanced using optimization techniques like server-side rendering (SSR) and code splitting. It works well for web applications that don’t require heavy animations or interactions.
Search Engine Optimization
What helps a webpage get discovered online? SEO! It’s crucial for web applications. This means React Native for web is not the best option because SEO with React Native is weak. Since React Native is commonly used for mobile apps, SEO is unimportant. This is because search engines do not index mobile apps. Instead, React Native apps rely on App Store Optimization (ASO) to improve their discoverability.
SEO is vital for the discovery of web applications. This makes React JS a better choice for projects that need search engine visibility. It supports server-side rendering (SSR) alongside client-side. This allows search engines to index pages more effectively and easily. This improves rankings.
UI Components and Styling
In React Native, styling is managed using its StyleSheet API. It follows a JavaScript-based styling approach rather than traditional CSS. React Native components behave differently on iOS and Android. This requires platform-specific styling adjustments in some cases.
In React JS, styling is done using CSS or CSS-in-JavaScript libraries like Styled Components. Since React JS is browser-based, developers can also integrate UI frameworks. This includes using Material-UI or Bootstrap to enhance the design.
Deployment process
React Native apps follow a complicated deployment process. They need to be compiled and packaged before being published on mobile platforms. This process requires building the app using Xcode for iOS. Then, it involves submitting the app to the App Store. Similarly, the Android app is built through Android Studio and submitted to the Google Play Store.
React JS applications follow the same deployment process as other web applications. It requires a web server or web hosting service such as AWS. The deployment process is simple. It involves pushing updates to a server, making them instantly available to users.
What are the drawbacks: React Native vs React JS
Along with its core differences, it’s important to know its drawbacks. Whether you’re choosing react native vs react JS, understanding its limitations will benefit you.
React Native
- Issues with upgrades: React Native updates for cross-platform native mobile applications bring several improvements. Yet, you cannot rely on automatic updates. Issues often arise when adapting to the new versions.
- Not compatible with complex interfaces: React Native can handle complex interfaces sometimes. However, it comes at the cost of performance. Any apps that have heavy animations or visuals slow down.
- Debugging problems: In React Native, issues can arise with debugging. They can be challenging due to their combination of JavaScript and native code.
- Lack of native libraries: When an app has heavy functions, React Native slows down the development process. The reason is React Native’s lack of native libraries. Instead, it relies on external, third-party libraries.
React JS
Between React Native vs React JS, these are some of react’s drawbacks:
- Challenges with SEO: It’s easier to index pages with React’s Server-side rendering. However, most of it works on client-side rendering. This will raise issues if SEO is a priority.
- Not suitable for large applications: With React JS, issues can arise with code complexity. This also results in a fragmented ecosystem.
- Poor support for outdated browsers: React JS relies mostly on modern JavaScript features. Due to this, it does not work on old browsers.
- JSX syntax: JSX has an unfamiliar syntax. This makes using React JS complicated for some. However, if you learn it, JSX will bring many benefits.
Conclusion
Choosing between react native vs react JS will depend on your needs. Are you aiming for a mobile app or a web application? You have a core understanding of both now! Integrating both platforms with their tools and technologies can make them even more effective. However, keeping the drawbacks in mind, choose wisely. At Linkitsoft, The skills of our developers go beyond several frameworks and libraries. These include React Native, React JS, and many more!
So, what are you waiting for? Contact Linkitsoft today, and let us be your partner. We can help you create cross-platform native mobile and web applications that meet your needs. Let’s work together and bring your ideas to life!
