Cross Platform App Development - React Native
React Native is the latest most popular platform for building Cross Platform Apps. One of the most prolific platforms, it has its roots set on Facebook’s Apps when Facebook fought between going Native and Hybrid Apps. Resulting in one of the most controversial big ticket exits of one of the leading developers supporting Native v/s Hybrid platforms, the controversy only died down when Facebook provided its own alternative to the Native v/s Hybrid question. React Native is Java script which follows the ReactJS framework to the Tee. [ReactJS is the pioneer Javascript framework to develop web applications.] React Native provides ability for the Developers to write JSX syntax Javascript Code which in turn is compiled Natively in Android and iOS Platforms to provide a unique Native UI.
What is JSX?
This funny tag syntax is neither a string nor HTML.
It is called JSX, and it is a syntax extension to JavaScript. We recommend using it with React to describe what the UI should look like. JSX may remind you of a template language, but it comes with the full power of JavaScript.
JSX produces React “elements”. We will explore rendering them to the DOM in the next section. Below, you can find the basics of JSX necessary to get you started.
– Courtesy- Introducing JSX (https://reactjs.org/docs/introducing-jsx.html)
React Native is the best of Both worlds of Native and Hybrid Apps. But certainly with any new platform there also remains a catch. The developers need to learn new syntax which are alien to a Javascript/HTML/CSS or Java/Objective-C/Swift Developer. Hence, the steep learning curve as it is, but provides the best of both worlds where we can integrate Native features too easily inside the App. React Native is the best way to go along executing the App Development with Native Looking GUI and satisfying the ever finding thirst of the developer to find the Holy Grail of Cross Platform development.
Even though it might have its own short comings, the pros outweigh the cons in certain App development areas which in turn provides the lots of opportunities which increases productivity of the developers as well as reduces the GoTo Market strategy for App publishers.
