React Native
React Native is Meta's framework for mobile apps: a single codebase for iOS and Android instead of two separate developments.
React Native is an open-source framework, released by Meta in 2015, that allows for the simultaneous development of an app for iOS and Android. Instead of two teams for two platforms, one team writes JavaScript, yet the app is still rendered with true native elements.
Typical projects include customer apps for e-commerce, employee apps, and MVPs for startups. Its strength lies in the vast React talent pool. Developers with React web experience can build their first app without needing new specialized knowledge, often leveraging the Expo toolkit.
Google's Flutter is its direct competitor and often smoother for complex animations; FlutterFlow even offers a no-code entry point for it. React Native's weakness: for hardware-intensive functions, native rework in Swift or Kotlin becomes necessary.
It's the right choice if your company needs an app for both platforms and lacks the budget for two separate native developments. Before committing, honestly assess whether a good mobile website would suffice, as a bad app can do more harm than no app at all.
Functions
- Significantly lower costs than two separate native apps
- React developers from the web team can immediately build mobile apps
- Used by Instagram, Shopify, and Microsoft apps
- Since February 2026, under the umbrella of the React Foundation (Linux Foundation)
- Over-the-Air updates without App Store review via Expo
Core Functions
- Mobile Apps for iOS and Android from a JavaScript codebase
- True native controls instead of a web view within an app shell
- Access to camera, GPS, push notifications, and device features
- Expo as a toolkit for build, updates, and app store publishing
- Web support via React Native for Web
Links
Alternatives to
React Native
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