React Vs React Native: How Do They Differ & Which One to Go for in 2023

In the 21st century, building websites is really important. Every company, developer, marketer, or support provider needs a website or computer program to showcase their brand, service or product and also to connect with their customers. It’s really important that you understand the best programming languages and how they’re different from each other. JavaScript has been used for making websites since the very beginning and is very important.

React and React Native are very popular tools for making great websites. They have become very popular and created many jobs and cool-looking sites. React is a frequently used tool that creates the look and function of websites and mobile apps. People all over the world like using React because it can do a lot of things and is easy to use. This makes it a popular skill needed for jobs in Information Technology. However, there are two types of React called ReactJS and React Native. It can be hard for new people to know which one to use. This guide will tell you about both technologies, advantages and disadvantages of React vs React Native and also help you decide which one to use for your project.

What is React?

React is a development library used for developing the front-end of websites. React or ReactJs is a free tool used to create single-page websites. It uses JavaScript language. This is a library that many people use to make the part of websites and apps that people can see and interact with. Facebook created it in 2011, and it is very popular now. React helps web developers create fast, flexible, and easy-to-use web apps. It helps them to automate and make the design easier. ReactJs developers can create anything they want without following strict guidelines by using its features. ReactJs developers can easily connect extra plugins or libraries to their current work. It helps people make websites that are quick, can handle a lot of users, and are easy to use.

React helped bring back important logic to the server in front-end development. Using React JS development services helps you provide your customers with Single-Page Apps, Progressive Web App Development, and static websites to meet their needs. ReactJS helps developers create flexible and expandable interfaces for web apps. This is done by breaking up the interface into small parts that can be used again and again. These parts can be easily controlled and improved separately, which makes it simpler to make and take care of complicated user interfaces.

Image Source: Pinterest

Features of React

• It can update components when the data changes. This means that it helps coders read and debug codes more easily
• The Document Object Model (DOM) makes it work quickly and better
• You can make dynamic programs that are user friendly by writing only a little bit of code
• It’s easier to use and create with JavaScript because of its syntax
• It has a one way binding data function, which makes less mistakes happen. You don’t need to redo everything if there’s a small mistake. This will make the code more reliable and easy to use
• It lets you use HTML and access libraries completely
• React allows you to split it into different parts without changing the DOM
• It shows you updates right away when you make them, making it less likely for mistakes to happen
• React makes it easier for websites to show up in search engines by doing better indexing

What is React Native?

React Native is a tool for building mobile apps using the programming language JavaScript. React Native is a tool created by Facebook to make mobile apps using JavaScript. They made it because they needed more mobile apps. It’s free to use and open for anyone. React Native is a tool used to create apps for phones and tablets with a single codebase. This tool called JavaScript framework helps you create phone apps that can work on many different phones like iPhone and Samsung. Some of you might be confused by this. Can we use one tool to make an app that works on iPhones and Android phones at the same time? To answer your question, the answer is YES.

React Native enables you to create applications that work on multiple platforms such as Windows, Android, and iOS. There is a new tool to help make apps that work on many devices. React Native uses the main idea behind React. Only the parts of the library are different. React JS and React Native have similar foundations. Both technologies are best at what they are used for. The cost of development for a React Native app depends on what features are needed for the app. What does “Native” mean in React Native? A native app is made for a particular type of computer, device or system. React Native was made because Facebook wanted to use less HTML and more code that is specific to each platform. It came from a basic design that could create parts of a website from a Javascript thread.

Image Source: Pinterest

Features of React Native

• It can work on different platforms with specific code for each of them. This means your app can be used on different types of devices without having to change the way it was created. This helps developers save a lot of time
• It is not difficult to understand and build upon. People who know JavaScript and design websites can also use React Native to make a program
• It has libraries and components that are already made and are reusable, which reduces coding time
• It can work with both Android and iOS apps
• It’s flexible architecture helps developers code faster and better
• It’s easy to relate it to coding for iOS. It can also work with JavaScript
• React Native apps have UI that are interactive and customisable
• When we make changes to the code, we can see the results immediately as we develop

React Vs React Native

React and React Native are created by Facebook and have acquired a gigantic fan base in a brief time frame. React is known as ReactJs, which is a JavaScript library which can be used to build single-page web applications. React Native is a React JS-based structure to create mobile applications. Also, with reusable parts, you can create native mobile apps.

• React is a JavaScript library of reusable parts intended to make skeletons of the applications, while React Native is intended to construct native mobile applications with reusable parts
• React is utilized to make the UI for web applications, while React Native is utilized for creating mobile applications for Android, iOS and Windows
• React utilized a virtual DOM to deliver browser code, though React Native uses Native API to deliver parts for mobile applications
• React has a precarious expectation to learn and adapt as it requires information on libraries, while React Native is more clear with essential information on React and JavaScript
• React is an open-source JS library for building the UIs for web applications, React Native is utilized to assemble mobile UI from parts utilizing just JavaScript
• Both React and React Native are used by many businesses and are generally utilized for mobile  and web applications

We should take an elevated perspective to figure out the actual use, key advantages, downsides, and contrasts between React and React Native for your venture.

React and React Native – Working

React uses a special tool called Virtual DOM to make really cool and user-friendly designs. Meanwhile, React Native uses programming tools called APIs to display different parts of the app that can be used on both Android and iOS devices.

React – Virtual DOM

ReactJs uses a Virtual DOM (Document Object Model) to manage and update the interface of a website or application. The DOM is an important tool for programmers that shows what a web page looks like and what’s on it. How well libraries and frameworks can handle the DOM affects how they look and work in the end. Virtual DOM is a new and improved technology that makes a big difference in how React works. It’s a copy of the real web page that exists online. The Virtual DOM makes it easy to update a website’s appearance without slowing it down, even when the content changes a lot. Virtual DOM is faster and works better than real DOM. It makes the user’s experience better.

React Native – Native APIs

React Native has its own built-in tools for programming called Native APIs. React Native uses Java for Android and Objective-C for iOS to create user interface components. After that, JavaScript is used to finish the code and customize the app for different devices, making it easier to reuse and share code across them. React Native does not use CSS and HTML, but ReactJS does. To make components in React Native look good, you need to use style sheets that are written in JavaScript. The thing might seem like CSS, but it is different. In React Native, instead of using <text>, ReactJS uses <p>, and instead of using <view>, React uses <div>. Let us look at a real-time example.

React:

function tick()
{
const element = (
<div>
<p> Top 10 SEO Tools </p>
</div>
ReactDom.render(element, document.getElementById(‘root’));
}
setInterval (tick,1000);

React Native:

import React, { component } from ‘react’;
import {text, view} from “react-native”;
export default class Top10SEOToolsApp extends component
{
render()
{
return
{
<view>
<text> Top 10 SEO Tools </text>
</view>
}
}
}

If you want to use a React Native app on your phone, you need to have Android Studio if you have an Android phone or Xcode if you have an iPhone on your computer. After this, you can choose if you want to use the simulator or the actual device to run the application.

When Should You Use React?

React is good for making websites that need dynamic and interesting web pages that work with JavaScript. ReactJS is often used for various purposes like:

Single page applications: ReactJS is good for creating single-page websites. This type of website updates its content without reloading the entire page.

Complicated website designs: It becomes simpler to create difficult user interfaces by dividing them into smaller parts that can be used again. This can make it easier to create things and result in code that is easier to take care of.

Large scale applications: ReactJS is a popular tool that helps big companies create and run their websites very well. This means that it is known for being able to handle difficult and complicated tasks well.

Responsive web design: ReactJS helps developers create web designs that work well on all devices, like phones and computers. This is called responsive web design, which means the website changes to fit the device you’re using.

Many people work together to make it easier to build websites using this software. It has many tools and resources available to help, which makes it a safe and trustworthy option.

When Should You Use React Native?

React Native can assist in creating many types of apps for mobile devices. React Native is often used for many purposes and some of them are.:

Cross-platform development: React Native is a good option for creating apps that work on both iPhones and Android phones. It lets developers only write one set of code that can be used for both operating systems. This can make it much faster and easier to create and take care of something.

Cost effective: React Native helps to create apps faster and more efficiently, which can save money compared to making apps in the usual way. This is possible because the React framework makes it easy to create code that can be used on multiple platforms.

Quick release time: React Native helps you release your app faster than usual because it takes less time to create, test, and launch. Having a solid plan and gaining momentum quickly can be crucial for new businesses and startups.

Iterative development: React Native helps developers to create, test and change apps faster and easier than before. This is called iterative development.

Native functionality: React Native lets developers create apps that have the same look and feel as native apps, but with the advantage of using only one codebase. It also provides access to specific features of each platform.

React and React Native – Difference

React is a framework used for building web applications while React Native is a framework used for building mobile applications. The main difference between the two is the platform they are designed for – web versus mobile. Mark Zuckerberg said that the company made a big mistake by relying too much on HTML instead of going native. Let’s talk about how React and React Native are different from each other.

1. Installation

React:

React is a type of tool that helps programmers write better JavaScript code. To use React, you just need to add it to your HTML page in the <script> tag.

<script src=”https://unpkg.com/react@17/umd/react.development.js”<crossorigin></script>

<script src=”https://unpkg.com/react-dom@17/umd/react-dom.development.js”<crossorigin></script>

Learn how to use React, a popular JavaScript library, with your website. This guide will show you how to add React to your website step-by-step. You’ll need some basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to get started. You can make a new part for your website called a React Component to integrate into your HTML website. Bundler helps with big projects. If you use certain tools to start new website projects, Webpack might already be set up to package your site. These tools include Next. Js, create-react-app command, and Gatsby framework. Otherwise, you have to make sure that Webpack is set up correctly.

Bundlers put all the code files together into one big file. You can also see other tools like Rollup or Browserify that bundle code modules together.

React Native:

To make an app with React Native, you need a special program like Android Studio or Xcode. These programs help you create an app that works on Android or iOS. You have to download extra tools such as  React Native CLI, Node, and JSDK Watchman, etc. Once you install it, you can make a new project in React Native Command Line Interface and try it out on a phone emulator or your own phone. Moving from using React JS to React Native is a simple process. If you know React and JavaScript, it will take you a few months to understand React Native. This will help you make your first native app.

2. Efficiency

React:

If you want to make a great user interface for your project, ReactJs is a good tool to use. ReactJs has a cool thing where it can run on the client side while still being rendered on the server. ReactJS makes developers work faster and allows them to have more choices when creating basic structures. Simply put, it can be helpful for basic things such as buttons and more complex things like menus that drop down.

React Native:

React Native helps developers work faster and better. It has similar parts that can make your app look and work the same on both iOS and Android platforms. React Native is made up of simple building blocks called reusable native components. These parts are put together into a program that runs very quickly. So, React Native is different from other ways to develop mobile apps because they make it look and work just like a real app. React Native developers can add their own special designs to the framework by including codes from languages like Java, Swift, or Objective-C.

3. Technology

React:

React is a tool made from JavaScript. To become really good at ReactJs, all you have to do is learn and understand JavaScript. If you learn how to write technical documents well, you can become a React developer soon. React is a tool used to make websites easy to use and understand by creating intuitive user interfaces.

React Native:

React Native makes it easy to build mobile apps using React. Because it has all the same tools as ReactJs, it has many benefits and uses simple components like React. React Native is not only made up of JavaScript. It combines different types of code, like Java and C++, to work together. So, it’s important to know and be able to use the languages needed to make a React Native app.

4. Feasibility

React:

React combines HTML and JavaScript technologies. This is mostly done to make CSS easier to use. It gets rid of problems like global namespace and scope isolation.

React Native:

Do you want to add more features to your app without starting all over again? React Native can help with that. If you made an app using both Ionic and Cordova, you can easily use the Ionic part again by adding a plugin.

5. Compatibility

React:

React JS was made with the idea of making it easy for search engines to find it. This is done by rendering it on the user’s server using Node.

React Native:

React Native is made specifically for creating a user interface for mobile devices. It means that React Native is mostly controlled by the user interface (UI) and works more like a regular JavaScript tool than a set system for building apps. The user interface reacts very quickly, making the apps feel smoother and load faster.

6. Syntax

React:

React lets you write code with JavaScript. After that, React. Js shows Html-like parts such as <div>, <p>, <h1> tags. You can use something called JSXwhich is a special syntax extension. JSX is a way of writing code that combines both the visual layout (markup) and functional instructions (logical commands) in one file. This means you are writing code in JavaScript for a website, which might seem wrong. However, React believes it is not as bad as it seems. Once finished, there won’t be any JSX code left. Only normal JavaScript functions and things will be available.

React Native:

If you want to use React Native, you need to know its specific syntax. React Native makes components like <text>, <image>, <view> instead of creating parts of a webpage that look like HTML elements. React Native doesn’t use HTML, so it’s not good for making websites. This means you can make different types of apps like ones for phones, TVs, and smartwatches using React Native. The app tags like <text> and <view> can be compiled into native languages. You cannot use libraries that render SVG, Canvas or HTML.

7. Components

React:

React is a type of software that uses smaller parts called components to build larger programs. A component is like a blueprint for how something should look and behave on a website. It is created using a programming language called JavaScript and it helps to create specific parts of a website. ReactJs has two parts called function components and class components. If you work with function components in JavaScript:

function Welcome(props)
{
return <h1> Hi, {props.name} </h1>;
}

You can also create the same component using ES6 classes.

class Welcome extends React.Component

{
render()
{
return <h1> Hi, {this.props.name} </h1>;
}
}

You can make an app that does the same thing by using both types of components. Class components have more features than function components. But functional components are easy to read and catch people’s attention. This helps programmers write less code. You can see that the app works really well.

React Native:

React Native makes it easy for developers to create apps by using Native components and modules. Native UI components are helpful tools that you can use right away. They can be included with the platform or added later from outside sources. If you need to find a certain part, you can look in the UI explorer. You can make a specialized component and use it over and over again in the app. A Native Module is a group of JavaScript functions that help access platform features when React Native can’t do it by itself. You can use tools on GitHub to make your own module.

8. Navigation

React:

If you make a program with React. Js, remember to use react-router to make it possible to click and move between pages. After React Router v5 was launched, the useHistory became a handy feature that lets users access the history instance within the framework.

React Native:

React Native doesn’t let you use react-router. React Native has something called Navigator which helps with moving from one screen to another. Furthermore, you can also discover React Native Navigation, which is another library. This library helps you move around easily in apps on your phone or tablet, whether you use Android or iOS.

9. Storage

React:

React saves and organizes data in a place called local storage. The information saved on this local storage doesn’t have an end date. This means that the information will still be saved even if you close the browser window.

React Native:

React Native usually uses AsyncStorage as its default storage. Also, the program has some libraries to keep information locally. When we talk about iOS, AsyncStorage is a tool that saves small things in a certain way and bigger things in separate files. It uses native code to do this. On Android, AsyncStorage uses either RocksDB or SQLite depending on what is available. When making a mobile app with React Native, using AsyncStorage is usually good enough. But sometimes, you need different ways to store information, and here are some examples:

• If you use Redux, you can use redux-persist
• Store information on your device or in specialized apps like Realm or SQLite by using libraries

10. SEO

React:

When making a React. Js app, remember to also think about SEO. React JS technology aims to provide an easy-to-use interface that adapts as the user interacts with it. Actually, the Google bot is not a person. We have to organize our website so that the Google robot can find our app. React JS has many tools and libraries to make your app better for SEO.

React Native:

React Native doesn’t affect SEO. It’s up to us people who create apps to decide how we make native user interfaces.

React and React Native – Benefits

React

1. Easy to Learn
   If you want to learn ReactJs, there’s lots of teaching and information online. This will help you learn React JS easily and quickly. You will understand it well. In addition, someone who knows a little bit of JavaScript can easily learn React JS.
2. Reusable Components
   Reusable components are things that can be used more than once in a project or system. A ReactJs developer can use the same parts that they’ve already made for different parts of their app. Each component has its own rendering and logic. And you can use this idea again whenever you need it. This feature makes it possible to create apps more quickly.
3. Virtual DOM
   Virtual DOM is a technology used in web development to make web pages dynamically change without having to reload the entire page. The Virtual DOM is a really cool feature that helps make things run faster. It makes sure that the light copy of the DOM has an updated version of the website. This makes things work better and easier to use.

React Native

1. Simple to Learn
   React Native is a program that uses the same language as React. Js, which is called JavaScript. This makes creating an app feel the same way, but with lots of chances to change and make it better. It helps developers get better at making React Native apps.
2. Reusable Code
   Reusable code is a coding technique where the software developer writes code that can be used multiple times in different parts of the program. React Native helps programmers create apps that work on different types of devices. Code reusability means you can use the same code for both Android and iOS platforms.
3. Less Errors
   When you use React Native for building an app on different devices, it needs fewer checks and fixes than other methods. React Native needs less testing and improvements because it is available on many devices.

React and React Native – Drawbacks

React

1. JSX
   React uses a special type of code called JSX that combines JavaScript and XML. JSX is a tool that helps developers write HTML in React. Many computer programmers find the JSX documentation hard to learn, so they don’t like using it.
2. Library Updates
   Most developers worry that they can’t create apps quickly because the React library changes often. But now React improvements are mostly for its libraries and updates which makes the code stronger and better.
3. Third-party Integration
   Although React has many additional modules and plugins created by other people, it also has some basic modules that come with it. Developers can use third-party tools to mix HTML and CSS coding with JSX that may be tricky to do on their own.

React Native

1. Less Custom Modules
   If an app has too many features, it may take longer to create because there aren’t enough built-in tools and it relies on outside resources. If you make a custom module, you’ll have three different sets of code – one for RN, one for iOS, and one for Android.
2. Frequent Updates
   People who create software are always trying to make React Native better. It regularly produces new native components, runs faster and has better personalized parts. Updates are actually a good thing and not a problem. But as a better platform for creating cross platform apps, developers need to think if too many updates are necessary.
3. Load Time
   Load time refers to how quickly a website or application can display its content and features after a user clicks or taps on it. React Native developers have a big problem with the time it takes for their app to load. It’s really important to get this right. It takes a long time to deploy because of the JavaScript thread.

Which One Should I Learn, React or React Native?

We know that the end-products they create are different, but they use similar ways of working when developing them. Learning React or React Native can make it easier to learn other frameworks as well. If you want to make a React Native app, you need to be familiar with React. We have to learn and explore more apps that are created specifically for a certain platform because React Native may not work for all types of apps. If you want to create a website or mobile app, you can get React or React Native programmers to help you. They will give you benefits that will help you grow in the future. If you already know JavaScript, learning React should be easy.

You can use a method called “React Native for Web” to create an app for both React and React Native. This method allows you to make your React components once and use them in both a web and mobile app. But we need to remember that ReactJS and React Native work differently, so we may need to change the code a bit. Some parts of React Native cannot be used in React, so you will have to customize your code or find other tools to achieve the same results on both platforms.

So to answer the question, which one to learn, React or React Native. The answer is not simple. It depends on what you want to create. Sometimes React is better and sometimes React Native is better. To sum up, React is a good option for making websites because it has lots of things you can use, it helps you work faster, and it works well on different web browsers. React Native is a good option for making mobile apps because it lets you use features unique to each device, works well, and lets you make apps for both iPhone and Android.

Also Read

Next.Js Vs React.Js – Comparing And Choosing The Right Framework

Flutter: The Framework For Cross Platform Applications

7 Best Practices For Ecommerce Development

 

To Conclude

React Native and other technologies can be used together for different purposes. React and the other framework work well when used together on a website. Sometimes you need to pick the right tool for a certain job. It’s good to know what they can do and what they can’t do. React and React Native make sure that your app’s interface is quick and easy to use, and adapts smoothly to different devices. ReactJS helps with search engine optimization (SEO), but React Native is more reliable and has more extensive libraries. These platforms are really efficient and cost effective and loved by developers and programmers all over the world. While deciding between React or React Native, the most important thing to consider is the purpose of your app, figure out what your business needs. You should think about things like what resources you have, how skilled your developers are, what your project needs, and other specific requirements you may have.

FAQs

Are React JS and JavaScript the same?

React JS and JavaScript are different from each other. ReactJS is a library made of JavaScript that helps create user interfaces on websites, while JavaScript is a language used to build websites. JavaScript is a computer language that modern web browsers can use.

Which one should I choose, React Native or React, for my web project?

React Native is often used for creating phone apps. But you can use React Native for web using tools like accessibility Label and accessibility Role. React Native for the Web is a great choice for beginners who want to develop a native app. React is a great option for creating the user interface part of a website.

What is the difference between React and React Native and which one is better?

Using React to build websites is a great choice because it offers many useful tools, speeds up your work, and is compatible with various web browsers. React Native is a great choice for creating mobile apps because it allows you to use special features on each device, works smoothly, and allows you to create apps for both iPhone and Android devices. So it depends upon your purpose and requirements.