Go From Zero To Hero: Be Cross-Platform Devs With React Native

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We know if we have the fundamental of JavaScript and React knowledge, we can build cross-platform apps. But how many of you have tried out? Learning once and shipping for several operating systems sounds so cool. Don’t you want to experience how it’s easy to transfer your JS & React knowledge and powerful built-in APIs to extend your dev skills? In this talk, we’ll see some facts from a developer perspective and a few examples of how you can transfer your JS & React knowledge.

This talk has been presented at React Summit 2023, check out the latest edition of this React Conference.

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FAQ

Cross-platform development is a method of building applications that are compatible across multiple devices or operating systems, allowing developers to reuse a significant portion of their code.

With cross-platform technologies, developers can reuse about 50 to 80 percent of their code across different platforms.

The main takeaways from Arisa's talk include the potential of cross-platform development, the ecosystem and technologies involved, and practical examples using React Native.

React Native is often preferred for cross-platform development due to its extensive library of third-party APIs, ease of integration, and the ability to use JavaScript and React, which many developers are already familiar with.

Examples of successful cross-platform applications include Discord, which has achieved 74 million downloads.

Using a CMS with React Native facilitates content management across different devices, reduces the need for manual content editing, and allows real-time content updates and asset management through a user-friendly interface.

Arisa introduced Snack for browser-based previews and an app called X-Bot for previewing on physical devices, both of which help in testing React Native applications across different operating systems.

Unique components of React Native mentioned in the talk include the Pressable component, which handles various touch events, and the StyleSheet component, which helps in applying CSS styles.

Arisa Fukuzaki
Arisa Fukuzaki
10 min
06 Jun, 2023

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Video Summary and Transcription
Cross-platform development allows you to build apps compatible with multiple devices or operating systems, reusing 50 to 80 percent of your code. React Native has a wide range of third-party libraries for using APIs. Code examples cover React Native standalone case and with content management system, exploring built-in core components and third-party library APIs. Content management systems simplify content editing and asset swapping, allowing real-time editing and easy asset uploads. The importance of knowing built-in APIs for mastering cross-platform technologies and building scalable, easy-to-maintain applications is highlighted.

1. Introduction to Cross-platform Development

Short description:

Hi, everyone. Thanks for watching my talk. Let's have a look at Go From Zero to Hero, the cross-platform developers with React Native. There are three takeaways from my talk: cross-platform development potential, ecosystem and cross-platform development technologies, and React Native examples. Cross-platform development allows you to build apps compatible with multiple devices or operating systems. You can reuse 50 to 80 percent of your code. Cross-platform applications like Discord have millions of downloads. Learning JavaScript and React gives you a solid foundation for cross-platform development. The cross-platform ecosystem includes JavaScript-based technologies such as React Native and Ionic Native scripts.

Hi, everyone. Thanks for watching my talk. And less than 10 minutes from now, let's have a look at Go From Zero to Hero, the cross-platform developers with React Native. My name is Arisa, and I'm a DevRel engineer at Storyblock.

So there are three takeaways from my talk. The first takeaway, cross-platform development potential. Second takeaway, ecosystem and cross-platform development technologies. And the third takeaway will be React Native examples.

There are a few notes that I want you to keep in your mind. So this talk is for the cross-platform and the React Native beginners. And the purpose is to aim for showing more front-end technology possibilities. And lastly, I'm going to mainly show you the Web and mobile OS examples.

So what is cross-platform development? First of all, it is a way to build apps that are compatible with multiple devices or operating systems. So let me tell you this, if you build the applications with cross-platform technologies, you can actually reuse 50 to 80 percent of your code. And a cross-platform application like Discord actually has 74 million downloads. And not just only Discord. There are multiple numbers of cross-platform build applications, but here's the little comparison with native apps. So WhatsApp, Messenger, Snapchat, they have quite close numbers of downloads. But you could see how scalable the cross-platform application could be.

So now we know cross-platform development has quite good numbers and effects. But let me tell you this, there are many HD frameworks out there for cross-platform technologies. So you cannot just learn all in one day. But let me also tell you this, if you know JavaScript and React, you already have more than the fundamental. So here's the comparison about the learning cost. So while the native application technologies are requiring you to study the new programming languages such as Java, Swift, you do not actually need to learn the new programming languages from scratch if you choose JavaScript based cross-platform development technologies. There are lots of pros and cons, what is good and what is maybe not fitting depending on different cases.

So let's talk about some of the cross-platform ecosystem. Like I said in the beginning of this talk, and also as you can see in this talk title, we're going to see together the JavaScript based technologies, such as React Native, Ionic Native scripts. And between these technologies, there are a couple of differences. Such as React Native and Native Script can ship with some of the pre-built.

2. Comparison of Ionic and React Native

Short description:

Ionic provides fully adapted components, while React Native has partially adapted components. The point is to choose the best option depending on your cases. React Native has a wide range of third-party libraries for using APIs. Do your own research to find the best approaches and technologies.

On the other hand, Ionic will ship actually with loads of pre-built. The other difference is the other example would be like the React Native actually has partially adapted components while Native Script can provide mostly adapted components. And also Ionic also provides differently, such as fully adapted components. If you see these comparisons, then you might wonder why you're going to talk about React Native. It doesn't sound like the best technology out there. But the point is not to push you to use the one certain technology that I like to use. It is not the point. The point is choosing the best option depending on your cases. And the examples, pros and cons comparison I showed you is just very little information. We are going to see React Native has quite outstanding numbers of the third party libraries to use the APIs on the fly, etc. I would let you do your own little research about choosing the best approaches and technologies out there.

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