What Is The Difference Between Ionic And React Native?
For building unique and responsive applications, there are the two most popular options React Native and Ionic React. There is so much to discover about the Ionic vs. React Native learning curve. Let’s discuss it!
Ionic
Ionic is used to build high-quality mobile and desktop applications. It is an open-source user interface toolkit that helps to develop advanced web applications through technologies like CSS, Javascript, and HTML. Iomic allows developers to build only once and run anywhere.
This framework is focused on front-end user interaction or user experience that manages all the appearance and feel of your applications. Ionic is easy to learn; moreover, you can smoothly integrate it with various other frameworks or libraries such as Cordova, React, Angular, and so on. It also offers free support for React.js and Vue.js.
React Native
React Native is a popular open-source JavaScript framework that is commonly used for developing responsive mobile applications for Windows, Android, and iOS. React Native is used for building cross-platform mobile applications using Javascript. There is not much difference between React and React Native. However, React Native makes use of native components as building blocks in place of using web components. Its focus is on mobile platforms and not browsers.
React Native VS. Ionic: UI Components
React Native
React Native is focused on creating mobile UI. The framework enables developers to build purely native applications that upgrade the user’s experience. It offers a simple set of components that are independent such as image, text, view, that map directly to the native UI building blocks of the platform.
Ionic
Ionic does not involve a native component. Therefore everything is rendered in CSS and HTML. Moreover, to recreate a native mobile app, it applies Cordova.
Ionic comes with modern style user interface layouts and elements that never existed before on the web.
React Native VS. Ionic: Code Reusability
Ionic
Ionic is perfect when it comes to code reusability. It holds the “wrapped web app” concept that makes it easier for developers to reuse the code. This way, developers create a wrapped web application at development’s end. A useful component library assists in the development process.
React Native
It features just a basic set of native components, to begin with. Moreover, with React Native, there is no need to do extra work to achieve the required styles, and it means there is a need to make more effort. Usually, in a case, more than one code can be used.
React Native VS. Ionic: Cost To Develop App
React native
This open-source framework is used by developers to create stunning apps along with free libraries.
Ionic
This remains an open-source framework when signing up and during the development phase. Moreover, you can also access a companion platform that is called Ionic Pro, which comes in three packages that are developer, tea, and business.
Furthermore, the cost of a subscription varies each month. It offers added features such as collaboration tools and error history tacking packages that help manage ionic work on teams with several members.
React Native VS. Ionic: Reach (Cross Platform) of the App
Ionic Framework
Drifty launched the framework .co, and it is used as a standard framework for developing hybrid applications. It enables web developers to create apps for almost all platforms through a single code base. It uses web technologies like JavaScript, CSS, and HTML and several platforms like Cordova/PhoneGap for delivering a native-like experience.
React Native Framework
Facebook Community created React Native. It is a platform used for cross-platform react native app development using JavaScript technology. It allows developers to create responsive and native-like applications through a single code base. The focus of the framework is to create first-rate applications using React and Javascript.
React Native VS. Ionic: Popularity
React Native
React Native is immensely popular among developers as compared to Ionic. It is because React Native helps to build native apps with the help of React and JavaScript. The main idea of a hybrid app while using WebViews is tempting; however, it does not match the feel and look of a native app.
Ionic
Ionic being a framework for hybrid app development, lacks the feel and look of a purely native app. On the contrary, React Native apps are by nature, native, and all of their components are native to Android and iOS. However, the end-user might find it difficult to differentiate between a React Native and a native app. This is one of the major reasons why React Native is more popular.
React Native VS. Ionic: Performance
If you wish to get the best performance, it is best to code native apps o Android and iOS separately. It is because native coding directly offers access to native features when a developer codes. Moreover, there is no direct interaction with native iOS. However, Android modules give better performance. Let’s learn more about React Native vs. Ionic performance.
React Native
React Native delivers better native performance as compared to Ionic. Additionally, React Native helps to build native apps with the help of JavaScript. It utilizes the same building blocks that are used by native apps. It offers exceptional performance and enhanced responsiveness to mobile applications.
Ionic
On the contrary, hybrid apps that are built using Ionic can have performance issues. Moreover, there might be several callbacks to the native code, causing the app to lag. However, it offers faster development and elegant UI.
React Native VS. Ionic: Community
React Native
React Native has a massive community of developers where you can find support. It is easier to find answers to all your questions as the community is filled with experts who can address your concerns and help you out. Moreover, there is a vast community that has built several third-party libraries.
Ionic
Ionic has Slack Channels along with a slack community that helps developers to work together with other experienced developers and engineers of Ionic living in different parts of the world.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to comparing Ionic and React Native, ensure that you do all your research before picking one.
Both of these frameworks are solid and assist developers in creating unique applications for your business. It is better to evaluate all the options available based on your requirements and factors that are significant to the design, customization, consistency, portability, and platform independence.
Is Ionic faster than React Native?
React Native uses JavaScript, which almost all developers know. The codebase can be used for both Android and iOS platforms. Therefore, it is cheaper, faster to produce apps using React Native.
Will Ionic replace react native?
Ionic framework is sustainable and scalable. So even if the developers wish to diversify their skill set, their HTML, JavaScript, CSS skills will always stay relevant.
Is React Native dead?
React Native is a useful framework that helps to create responsive applications. It is not dead yet, and Facebook is making sure that it never loses its charm.