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React Native

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Also called RN

What is React Native?

An open-source framework by Meta that allows developers to build native mobile apps for iOS and Android using React and JavaScript.

Unlike Capacitor, which wraps a website in a browser window, React Native translates JavaScript code directly into native iOS and Android UI components. This provides the smooth performance and authentic feel of a true native app while allowing development teams to maintain a single JavaScript codebase.

How it relates to Orbit

A React Native app is a project like any other in Orbit; its Mobile Builds tab tracks TestFlight and Play Console status, and iOS builds need a Mac on your account. See Project Window for details.

When you would use it

You use React Native when you need the authentic feel and performance of a native mobile app but want to use existing React skills rather than hiring dedicated Swift and Kotlin developers.

Common operations

  • Building complex, high-performance mobile apps for both App Store and Google Play simultaneously.
  • Sharing core business logic code between a web app and a mobile app.

Related terms

Where this is taught