React Native Tutorial – Learn how to Build a React Native App

Over the years, React Native framework has become one of the most popular frameworks for highly responsive mobile application development. The platform has proved to be beneficial in seamlessly developing native mobile apps for multiple platforms.
Having said that, this react native tutorial shall give you a 360-degree view of React Native and its key aspects as an open-source mobile application framework. We’re also going to learn to create a React Native application. So, without further ado let’s start with the basics.

What is React Native?

React Native is a JS framework that is used to create mobile apps for Android and iOS. The first version of React Native framework was released by Facebook in March 2015. Applications developed by it are not just web applets but real mobile applications that have the capabilities to generate exceptional user experience.

With such a framework in hand, you have the privilege to create full-fledged cross-platform mobile apps for Android and iOS using one single technology platform – JavaScript (JS). This saves a lot of time and capital along with eliminating the complexities associated with each platform’s native development language. For instance, say C++/C for iOS and Kotlin/Java for Android.

Why Use React Native?

Let’s take a walk through some advantages of using React Native.

Cross-Platform: As said earlier, one of the key benefits of React Native is that you can create applications for both iOS and Android ecosystems. You can achieve this by writing the same code and making a few alterations to each platform.

JavaScript: You don’t have to keep an eye on languages used for platform-specific application development. This framework uses only JavaScript – one of the well-known programming languages for developing impressive mobile apps.

Performance: React Native framework helps in the development of mobile apps in a speedy format by using similar code for both platforms. Even the smallest change made into an application can be analyzed by a developer with its hot reloading feature.

Community: The framework has a huge developers’ community at work. This community makes sure that no query goes unsolved. It also makes sure that adequate assistance is available to the users in time irrespective of the type of query.

Upgrades: As mentioned above, such a large community is responsible for carrying out necessary upgrades to React Native. It ensures that users are accessible to a bugs-free interface and new features/functionalities from time to time.

Recommending: React Native is pretty new but as of today, most organizations have already migrated their apps to this framework. Besides, many large organizations, SMEs, and startups are planning to leverage this framework to speed up their development process.

Resourceful: Currently, React Native has gained popularity in being the framework comprising high-end cross-compatibility and native mobile apps development capabilities. This popularity has successfully increased the demand for React Native programmers.

Best practices while developing a React Native App: View, State, Props, and Style

View: It is one of the essential elements of the React Native framework that helps in developing a user interface. It outlines the layout with accessibility controls, flexbox, touch handling, and style. It contours the native view directly and stands parallel to any platform on which the React Native app is running.

State: React Native has two kinds of data namely State and Props to effectively control a component. The State is used for the information or data that is going to alter in the future and stores the data related to the component. It helps in determining the component behavior and rendering capability.

Props: Props stand for Properties. The various parameters used to customize the components at the time of development are known as props. Props are transferred from one container to another as a source of transferring data between them.

Style: For styling, the application, React Native uses JS. A prop named ‘style’ is used for all the core components. The values and style names are mostly similar to CSS that normally operates for the web. Concretely, for instance, inline styling or StyleSheet can be used to style components.

React Native Apps vs. Platform-specific Apps

Here are some major differences between React Native and Platform-specific applications.

Cross-Platform: While React Native apps work in both Android and iOS, as the name suggests Platform-specific apps are developed for a specific platform.

Developers: React Native professionals have a robust web development experience; Platform-specific developers have strong platform expertise.

Build Time: React Native applications are created at a faster rate as compared to Platform-specific apps that represent slow build time.

Applications: Platform-specific apps are complex, on the other hand, React Native apps are simple.

Long-standing Support: Platform-specific apps prove to be a long-term investment in comparison to apps built with React Native framework which get shut down.

Resources: React Native apps work best for the small development team with limited resources; Platform-specific apps are suitable for experienced development teams with satisfactory resources.

React Native Prerequisites: Key points to be taken into consideration

As you have come across various advantages and essential aspects of React Native, let’s now take a look at some points to be taken into consideration before its adoption.
· Have a deep understanding of various programming concepts like arrays, classes, objects, functions, etc.
· Be familiar with JavaScript and its fundamentals
· Gain good knowledge about CS and HTML as a whole
· At last, if you are familiar with React then you already have a good understanding of React Native and can start your app development right away

React Native App Development Trends

With each passing day, the popularity of React Native framework is growing by leaps and bounds. This popularity is taking over the world of mobile application development. Many sectors are witnessing higher adoption of React native lately. You’ll understand it better with the below:

· Greater the adoption and popularity of React Native, greater shall be the need for good React Native experts, as mentioned earlier.
· Many renowned companies like Netflix, Instagram, Airbnb, and Facebook are using React Native to boost their user experiences
· As compared to other front-end developers, the salaries of React Native developers are pretty much higher
· In the US, the average pay of React Native programmers is USD 91,000 per annum, while in India the average salary is about ₹7,25,000 per annum.

How to Create a React Native Application—To-do:

Let’s move forward towards the process of app development to create our mobile app – To-do. We shall use the Expo framework to create our React Native app. Let’s get started!

Set-up the Development Environment

• Install NodeJS on your PC and choose the command-line tool for Expo
• Type the command ‘npm install Expo-CLI –global’ in the command prompt/terminal
• After installing the Expo-CLI tool, type the command ‘expo init todo apps in the command prompt/terminal to create our project
• Choose blank alongside including Expo workflow features
• Write your app’s name and press Enter to set up your app
• Type ‘npm start’ in the recently created project folder to start the application and type ‘Ctrl + C’ to stop the same
• The development server will start functioning and a new tab shall roll out of your web browser with the Expo manager screen
• You can now run the application by installing the Expo application on your phone and scanning the QR code or you can simply run the app on an Android emulator
• Install your favorite text editor
• Our React Native mobile app development is all set to develop the To-do app

Create Components: Build an App with React Native Components

Now, as we have orchestrated all the needed tools, let’s move forward and understand the components of this application.
App – Acts as storage for collating all the components into a complete app.
Header – It’s a component created to be the header of the mobile app.
Display Image – It’s used to represent the picture on the main screen.
To-do Item – Here, each task added is denoted as a distinct component.
To-do Input – It is used for adding tasks to the mobile app.

Summarize the Steps, Enjoy the Result

We have successfully learned to develop a fully functional mobile app using React Native framework. Here’s a quick flashback through the process.

• Curate an effective mobile application development environment
• Use your mobile device to install the Expo app and get the privilege of previewing the app in real-time
• Understand each component and their respective roles
• Add each component to the project accordingly and ensure all components work normally
• Take the charge of customizing the design and functions as desired
• Reap the benefit