Difference Between React Native and Reactjs (Uses & Differences)

ReactJS and React Native – are the two incredibly popular technologies in the app development industry. Both these tools have similar names, are launched by Facebook, and have maintained their fan bases since their launch. However, many in the ecosystem are still not clear about the clear differences between Reactjs and React Native. Of course, it’s clear that one is a web framework while the other is a mobile framework. But apart from that, how are they different?

Let’s understand what are the uses and applications and difference between react native and reactjs.

What is ReactJS?

 ReactJS is an open-source JavaScript library used to build the user interface for Web Applications. It is responsible only for the view layer of the application. It allows developers to compose complex UIs from a small and isolated piece of code called “components.” ReactJS is made of two parts – the first is components, which are the pieces that contain HTML code and what you want to see in the user interface, and the second one is an HTML document where all your components will be rendered.

difference between react native and reactjs

Jordan Walke, who was a software engineer at Facebook, developed it. Initially, it was developed and maintained by Facebook and was later used in its products like WhatsApp & Instagram. Facebook developed ReactJS in 2011 for the newsfeed section, but it was released to the public in May 2013.

What is React Native?

React Native is an open-source JavaScript framework used for developing a mobile applications for iOS Android, and Windows. It uses only JavaScript to build a cross-platform mobile app. React Native is the same as React, but it uses native components instead of using web components as building blocks. It targets mobile platforms rather than the browser.

difference between react native and reactjs

Facebook developed React Native in 2013 for its internal project Hackathon. In March 2015, Facebook announced that React Native is open and available on GitHub.

Advantages of ReactJS

The following are the main advantages of ReactJS:

  • Easy to Learn and Use: ReactJS is much easier to learn and use. Any developer who comes from a JavaScript background can easily understand and start creating web apps using React.
  • Creating Dynamic Web Applications Becomes Easier: To create a dynamic web application specifically with HTML was tricky, which requires complex coding, but React JS solved that issue and makes it easier. It provides less coding and gives more functionality.
  • Reusable Components: A ReactJS web application is made up of multiple components, and each component has its logic and controls. These components can be reused wherever you need them. The reusable code helps to make your apps easier to develop and maintain.
  • Performance Enhancement: ReactJS improves performance due to virtual DOM. The React Virtual DOM exists entirely in memory and is a representation of the web browser’s DOM. Due to this, when we write a React component, we do not write directly to the DOM. Instead, we are writing virtual components that react will turn into the DOM, leading to smoother and faster performance.
  • The Support of Handy Tools: ReactJS supports a handy set of tools which make the task of the developers understandable and easier. It also allows you to select particular components and examine and edit their current Props and State.
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Where ReactJS Lags Behind?

Following are the main areas where ReactJS lags behind:

  • The High Pace of Development: As we know, the frameworks continually change so fast. The developers are not feeling comfortable to re-learn the new ways of doing things regularly. It may be hard for them to adopt all these changes with continuous updates.
  • Poor Documentation: React technologies updating and accelerating so fast that there is no time to make proper documentation. To overcome this, developers write instructions on their own with the evolving of new releases and tools in their current projects.
  • View Part: ReactJS covers only the UI Layers of the app and nothing else. So you still need to choose some other technologies to get a complete tooling set for development in the project.
  • Known to be SEO Friendly: Traditional JavaScript frameworks have an issue in dealing with SEO. ReactJS overcomes this problem, which helps developers to be easily navigated on various search engines. It is because ReactJS applications can run on the server, and the virtual DOM will be rendering and returning to the browser as a regular web page.
  • The Benefit of Having a JavaScript Library: Today, ReactJS is gaining popularity among web developers. It is offering a very rich JavaScript library which provides more flexibility to the web developers to choose the way they want.
  • Scope for Testing the Codes: ReactJS applications are easy to test. It offers a scope where the developer can test and debug their codes with the help of native tools.

Advantages of React Native

The following are the main advantages of React Native:

  • Cross-Platform Usage: It provides the facility of “Learn once write everywhere.” It works for both platform Android as well as iOS devices.
  • Class Performance: The code written in React Native is compiled into native code, which enables it for both operating systems as well as functions in the same way on both platforms.
  • JavaScript: JavaScript knowledge is used to build native mobile apps.
  • Community: The large community of ReactJS and React Native helps us to find any answer we require.
  • Hot Reloading: Making a few changes in the code of your app will be immediately visible during development. If the business logic is changed, its reflection is live-reloaded on screen.
  • Improving with Time: Some features of iOS and Android are still not supported, and the community is always inventing the best practices.
  • Native Components: We will need to write some platform-specific code if we want to create native functionality, which is not designed yet.
  • Existence is Uncertain: As Facebook develops this framework, its presence is uncertain since it keeps all the rights to kill off the project at anytime. As the popularity of React Native rises, it is unlikely to happen.

Where React Native Lags Behind?

Following are the main areas where React Native lags behind:

  • React Native is Still New and Immature: React Native is a newbie in Android and iOS programming languages and is still in its improvement stage, which can have a negative impact on the apps.
  • Learning is Tough: React Native is not easy to learn, especially for a fresher in the app development field.
  • It Lacks Security Robustness: React Native is a JavaScript library and open-source framework, which creates a gap in security robustness. When you are creating banking and financial apps where data is highly confidential, experts advise you not to choose React Native.
  • It Takes More Time to Initialize: React Native takes a lot of time for initializing the runtime even for hi-tech gadgets and devices.

Key Difference Between React Native and Reactjs

These are the key difference between ReactJS and React Native:

ReactJSReact Native
It is used for developing web applications.It is used for developing mobile applications.
It can be executed on all platforms.It is not platform-independent. It takes more effort to be executed on all platforms.
It uses a JavaScript library and CSS for animations.It comes with built-in animation libraries.
It uses React-router for navigating web pages.It has a built-in Navigator library for navigating mobile applications.
It uses HTML tags.It does not use HTML tags.
It can use code components, which saves a lot of valuable time.It can reuse React Native UI components & modules which allow hybrid apps to render natively.
It provides high security.It provides low security in comparison to ReactJS.
In this, the Virtual DOM renders the browser code.In this, Native uses its API to render code for mobile applications.

Practice Problems

  1. What is meant by a framework in software?
  2. What are the advantages of React Native?
  3. What are the advantages of ReactJS?
  4. What are the limitations of React Native?
  5. What are the limitations of ReactJS?

FAQs

Is react js better than react native?

However, there are more subtle differences as well. For starters, when using ReactJS, developers and programmers can develop a high-performance UI as their own JS library. While with React Native, you can build the entire framework, regardless of iOS or Android.

Is React and react JS different?

In fact, there is no difference between React and ReactJS. They are the same technology. In contrast to AngularJS, the creators decided not to complicate our lives, and the following versions of the frontend tool were created based on the same programming language and logic.

Conclusion

After going through every nook and corner of the frameworks in detail, a question must be striking in your mind, Reactjs or React Native, which is better?

One must first understand the fact that both Reactjs and React Native are significant focal points for both web and app development. Moreover, due to their flexible functionalities, both platforms are gaining momentum with each passing day.

Every framework or technology has its set of merits and shortcomings. For example, React Native is optimal to give a native feel to mobile apps. When we look at Reactjs, it can be used to develop apps used for complex calculations and high functionality.

Another question that might strike your mind is-  can you reuse Reactjs code in React Native?

The answer to this is, yes it is possible as React Native under a horizon uses the same codes which are used for the web.

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