React Native: Building Cross-Platform Mobile Apps

Building mobile apps has become an integral part of creating customer-centric digital experiences today. The days when developers had to choose between building an iOS or Android app—or painfully develop both—are now over. And that's thanks to tools like React Native. Ever heard the phrase "build once, deploy everywhere"? React Native embodies that dream.

This post will dive into why React Native is making waves in the mobile app development world, and how you can harness it (without saying 'harness', of course) to build efficient, user-friendly, and scalable apps. I run an outsourced software dev company called 1985, where we focus on delivering solid software that feels right. Today, I want to share my experience with React Native. Let’s go!

What Makes React Native Different?

React Native has established itself as a preferred tool for developers around the world. It’s more than just a buzzword in the tech space. Why? Let’s cut through the hype and get to the meat. First off, it’s open-source—which, by itself, means fast iterations, an active community, and a lot of adaptability. But more importantly, it brings JavaScript’s prowess to the native mobile experience. Think about that for a second: the most widespread programming language of the web helping you build apps for two major platforms.

React Native gives developers the ability to create cross-platform mobile applications with a single codebase, using familiar web development concepts like components, states, and props. Sounds ideal, doesn’t it? Instead of maintaining two codebases, one for iOS and one for Android, you focus your efforts on writing efficient JavaScript, which React Native converts into native modules. The result? Apps that look and feel — and importantly, perform — just like native apps.

This ability to create a shared codebase is a game-changer. It means less development time, a smaller development team, and faster updates. If you’re running a dev company or leading an engineering team, you know what this means for your bottom line. The reduced cycle time and resource allocation make React Native a compelling choice from a business standpoint.

A Deep Dive Into The Good Stuff

Code Reusability: It’s not just marketing talk—React Native actually delivers on the promise of reusable code. In fact, about 90% of your codebase can be shared between platforms, which directly means you’re cutting down on both development and maintenance. Imagine telling your client that the new feature they want is possible within days, not weeks.

Hot Reloading: This may seem like a gimmick, but it’s a real productivity booster. Imagine you’re tweaking the UI of your app, and instead of waiting for those cumbersome rebuilds, you instantly see the result of your changes on your phone screen. That’s Hot Reloading—React Native’s instant feedback mechanism that keeps developers motivated and efficient.

Rich Ecosystem & Community: The power of an active open-source community is hard to overstate. React Native has a wealth of libraries, third-party plugins, and shared resources at your disposal—ranging from UI components to tools that tackle problems like navigation and state management. You’re not building everything from scratch. You’re standing on the shoulders of a collaborative community, where a solution to a bug is often just a search away.

The Nuances: Things That Really Matter

It’s easy to sit here and sing praises—but let’s get real. There are nuances that make React Native, not a silver bullet, but a tool that needs careful handling. The reality is, when you’re developing a cross-platform app, "write once, run everywhere" isn’t entirely accurate. A more precise phrase is “write once, adapt everywhere.” Here’s why:

Performance Isn’t Always "Native"

While React Native provides significant productivity gains and covers a broad base, it’s not truly native in the strictest sense. There are performance bottlenecks—especially for graphic-heavy applications like 3D games or highly interactive UIs. The JavaScript bridge that communicates between native code and JavaScript logic can introduce latency if it’s overloaded. This can translate into visible lag, which is a deal-breaker for many high-performance app requirements.

That said, we’re not always building a triple-A game or a graphic-intensive editor, are we? The majority of business-centric apps—the likes of retail apps, booking services, social platforms—work flawlessly within React Native's performance bracket. When dealing with apps that fall into this category, the benefits often outweigh the trade-offs.

Native Modules and Dependencies

It’s also worth mentioning that you will inevitably find yourself writing native code at some point, particularly if you need custom native functionality. The ecosystem offers several pre-built native modules, but if your use case is niche, get ready to break out Xcode or Android Studio.

This is where having a good team comes in handy—React Native developers with a basic understanding of native development are much more valuable. In my experience at 1985, having a few skilled native devs alongside React Native devs creates a perfect mix to get the best out of both worlds.

A Case of Best of Both Worlds

Consider hybrid architecture for a moment—sometimes called the "progressive approach". We’re not looking to replace native development entirely. Instead, you benefit from React Native where it makes sense. At 1985, we’ve developed projects where core modules (like the onboarding experience or an interactive home page) were React Native, while more niche, performance-intensive modules (like augmented reality views or media players) were native. This approach allows you to balance the advantages of native code with the convenience and speed of React Native.

A practical example? Let’s talk about Airbnb. Until 2019, Airbnb was using React Native in conjunction with their native modules. The reason? They wanted to capitalize on the cross-platform benefits for broader functionalities, while retaining native code where customization and performance were paramount. This hybrid architecture is a hallmark of nuanced, industry-specific decisions—not generalizations.

Pinpointing The Real-World Gains of React Native

You might be wondering: what kind of results do companies achieve by using React Native? Let’s talk data for a moment.

Facebook itself was one of the first companies to adopt React Native, and it's the framework behind the Facebook Ads Manager app. This app was developed using 87% of a shared codebase between iOS and Android—resulting in significant resource optimization. Microsoft also embraced React Native for parts of their Outlook mobile app. These examples are compelling because they showcase serious, enterprise-level adoption of this tech.

Cross-platform apps like Tesla and Bloomberg have also turned to React Native for rapid development while maintaining a native-like experience. And while there are still nuances to address, industry usage has demonstrated that React Native delivers where speed-to-market and code efficiency matter the most.

One of our clients at 1985, a consumer app startup, needed rapid prototyping for a launch MVP. By using React Native, we were able to roll out the product across iOS and Android in four months—less than half the estimated time had we gone fully native. And here's the kicker: the app achieved 15,000 downloads in the first three weeks. This just wouldn't have been feasible had we taken the traditional approach.

When React Native is Not the Right Choice

Let’s talk about when not to use React Native—because that’s an important conversation, too. There are several use-cases where React Native might not be your best option.

If you're aiming for heavy-duty graphics—high frame-rate games, AR applications, or apps that involve real-time image processing—go native. The JavaScript bridge can become a bottleneck, which compromises the seamless experience you need. React Native is also not ideal for applications requiring intensive background processing. That bridge, once again, can only carry so much without being overwhelmed.

And then there’s maintenance. If your development team lacks experience with native development or doesn’t have time to adapt to quirks in different platform-specific APIs, you may face a steeper learning curve. Don’t forget—the more third-party libraries you bring in, the greater the risk of incompatibility or poor maintenance, which can slow you down.

A Final Thought on Developer Experience

Beyond the technical and business benefits, there’s something unique about the developer experience with React Native. There’s a sense of community—an energy—that flows through every GitHub issue, every Stack Overflow answer, and every community-led plugin.

As someone who runs an outsourced software dev company, I can attest that happy developers lead to better software. And React Native developers love working on projects because they get the best of both worlds—the flexibility of JavaScript, and the satisfaction of creating apps that look native.

Developers working on React Native often say that it keeps them in their "flow state." Hot Reloading plays a major role in this—as does the concept of creating and iterating on a singular codebase. React Native’s UI-first approach lets devs think about the end-user and the front-facing experience right from the start.

At 1985, when we bring in new developers, we often start them off on a React Native project. Why? Because it introduces them to mobile paradigms while staying in a familiar JavaScript ecosystem. There’s this sense of bridging the gap—where web meets mobile—that feels seamless, and keeps our team energized.

A Framework for the Real World

React Native isn’t just a fad or a “one-size-fits-all” solution. It’s a tool—a good one—that comes with its own set of pros and cons. The magic lies in understanding when and how to use it. If you need rapid iteration, a unified codebase, and an app that’s functional and beautiful—React Native can help get you there.

But remember, it’s not about replacing native; it’s about making development practical, scalable, and efficient for the real world. At 1985, we’ve found that combining React Native with strategic use of native components often yields the best of both worlds—quick, scalable solutions without compromising on performance.

React Native’s future is looking brighter, with more contributions and improvements emerging as it evolves. So if you’re a developer or a business trying to make a mark in the mobile app space, consider the question—not whether React Native is perfect—but whether it’s the right fit for your project. And most times, the answer will surprise you.