Streamlining App Development: Leveraging React Native to Deploy on iOS, Android, and Web

September 8, 2024

edit: This post is from 2015, React-Native-Web has since been released, making it even easier to work across platforms, react-navigation would be the navigation tool of choice today and I'd probably switch out Redux for react context or a less intrusive state management framework, but the concepts are still the same.

Creating a seamless user experience across multiple platforms is tough and can be expensive. React Native has become a game-changer for companies looking to streamline their development processes. By writing a single codebase, developers can now deploy to iOS, Android, and the web efficiently. I’ll share how I utilised React Native to build and launch a fully functioning app across three platforms, along with the lessons learned and best practices that can benefit your business.

The Challenge: Building for Multiple Platforms

Initially, we developed the skeleton of an app—a fully authenticated system connected to a database, complete with sign-up, log-in, and account management features. With processes in place to compile the app for iOS, Android, and the web, we were eager to dive into the business logic. But first, we needed a robust navigation solution that worked across all platforms, including deep linking from external sources and compatibility with web browsers and Android's native back button.

Our initial choice was React-Router 3.0, as it seamlessly integrates with our React/Redux stack. However, while it worked well on the web, we faced unique challenges in ensuring compatibility across mobile platforms using React Native.

The Roadblock: Platform-Specific Complexity

React Native is great, but like all technologies, it has its quirks. We ran into several key issues when handling navigation across platforms:

  1. State Management Differences: React-Router and React-Native-Router-Flux handled state differently, which led to inconsistencies in how navigation transitions triggered alerts and messages within the app.
  2. Mobile Page Stacking: On mobile, React-Native-Router-Flux retained components in memory even when they weren’t visible, leading to performance problems. The solution required extra custom code to clean up hidden views, adding complexity.
  3. Cross-Platform Consistency: With platform-specific code for web and mobile, our development team had to maintain multiple codebases. This increased the risk of human error and made scaling more difficult.

The Solution: Upgrading to React Router 4.0

React Router 4.0 changed the game. The switch to this newer version introduced "declarative routing," which simplified how we managed navigation by treating routes as components. This unified approach worked perfectly for both web and mobile platforms, eliminating the need for separate navigation systems. Here’s how it impacted our workflow:

  • Unified State Management: By leveraging Redux for global state management, we eliminated the need to pass state through the navigation stack. This not only improved performance but also simplified code maintenance.
  • Improved Mobile Navigation: Unlike React-Native-Router-Flux, the new navigation method used in React Router 4.0 re-mounts components when returning to a previous page. This mimics a single-page application (SPA) architecture, improving performance and keeping the app’s state consistent.
  • Single Codebase: One of the most significant benefits was the reduction of platform-specific code. By using shared logic and maintaining a single index.js file for all platforms, we reduced the overhead of maintaining multiple codebases, allowing for quicker updates and scalability.

Key Takeaways for Companies Seeking Cross-Platform Efficiency

  1. Leverage Existing Tools: When building apps that need to deploy across multiple platforms, use frameworks like React Native and tools like Redux to minimize complexity. By using established libraries, you avoid reinventing the wheel and gain access to years of community support and best practices.
  2. Optimize for Performance Early: If performance bottlenecks start to appear, address them early in the development cycle. We found that switching to a declarative routing model drastically reduced unnecessary renders, improving the overall responsiveness of our app.
  3. Maintain a Single Codebase: One of the biggest wins was consolidating web and mobile views into a single, easily manageable codebase. This reduces the chance of bugs, speeds up development, and ensures consistent functionality across all platforms.

Why Hire a Developer with React Native Expertise?

In today’s competitive landscape, the ability to deploy apps across multiple platforms from a single codebase is invaluable. Whether you’re looking to build mobile-first apps or expand your web app’s reach, React Native offers a cost-effective, efficient solution. My experience in building complex, scalable apps with React Native allows me to deliver seamless user experiences across iOS, Android, and web. If your company is seeking a developer who can streamline processes, optimize performance, and reduce overhead, feel free to get in touch.