Native and hybrid applications
Native apps are developed in a language like Java, Objective C, Swift, etc. that the platform needs. The code is not shared across platforms, so there is a big difference between their behavior on different platforms. The application has direct access to all the features of the platform without any restrictions.
Conversely, hybrid apps are web pages embedded in mobile apps via WebView. These are developed using HTML 5, CSS and JavaScript and run the same code on different platforms. They can take advantage of native device features with the help of tools like PhoneGap and Cordova.
Before you answer the question ionic or react native? Let's look at these frameworks individually.
Ionic
The Ionic framework was developed in 2015 by software vendor Drifty Co. for Apache Cordova. The main goal of this framework was to develop a hybrid software whose performance was close to the native solution. Ionic is based on software like -SaSS, CSS, HTML and Angular 1.x. The Ionic framework boasts an extremely advanced GUI and CLI that can run a variety of functions.
Developers using this framework do not need to use third-party solutions as it is perfectly integrated with the software. It helps developers easily create default mobile app UI functionality. The Ionic framework is ideal for a write once, run everywhere command. With ion, you may not have to worry about platform-specific issues.
A hybrid application can run the same code regardless of platform. That's what Ionic can do. It can customize several of its behaviors according to the platform. For example, if you use tabs, they will appear at the top of the screen on Android and at the bottom of the screen on iOS.
Ionic is based on Angular which is a JavaScript Framework and uses HTML for web browsing. Since views and logic are clearly separated, it conforms to the MVC pattern. Ionic will be more familiar to you because it uses classic HTML and CSS.
Ionic allows developers to instantly preview their app in the browser and on mobile devices. When making changes to the application, the results can be seen by simply refreshing the screen.
React Native
Facebook React Native has made a big splash in mobile app development. It is a full-featured JS framework that allows developers to create cross-platform software that is similar to native applications. The best thing about the React Native framework is that it uses native components for the front-end and does not require the use of any browser, which has a positive effect on the performance of the application.
It is maintained by a strong community of developers who help novice users speed up the development process. Any issues with React Native can be resolved quickly by discussing them with many developers in the community. React Native mobile app development is done using JavaScript, so you can share the code across platforms. However, React Native will use native components, which means the user experience will be closer to other native apps – which will have better performance.
React native wants developers to use components that follow the platform's native behavior. For example, you cannot use the same toolbar for both Android and iOS. With React Native, you can provide a seamless experience for your users.
React Native is based on a JavaScript framework known as React and uses code that resembles HTML. But it's called JSX - because the display logic is mixed with the business logic. Although most developers are comfortable with JSX, the main problem comes when you're working with a design team. Editing templates and writing CSS is not easy because the JSX rules are slightly different. Developers need to learn how to interface using JSX components because it's brand new.
React Native allows developers to see changes as they are made without having to recompile or refactor them. You get immediate feedback without much effort.
React Native or Ionic: Which is better?
Mobile app developers often face a problem when it comes to choosing the right framework for mobile app development. It depends on many factors like user requirements, project, developer skills and many more. These two frameworks do different things and work equally well. It's hard to say which framework is better than the other. Both of these frameworks support Android and iOS. Both Ionic and React Native have a healthy ecosystem because they inherit the community they are based on.
If I have to give my personal opinion, I would recommend - React Native. The reason is - React Native apps are extremely fast and responsive. Although Ionic is easier to learn than React Native, we must say that React Native provides a great programming environment that is closer to native application development.
If we see it from a developer's perspective, React Native provides a better solution and speeds up the app development process without compromising the quality of your mobile app.
Choosing the best of the two frameworks depends on your requirements. You cannot declare one framework victorious over the other. Evaluate Ionic and React Native based on your personal criteria with the help of the comparison above before reaching a conclusion. There are other cross platform app development frameworks like NativeScript, PhoneGap, Xamarin etc.
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