Anyone who wishes to advance their career as a developer must know that having React and React Native in their tool belt will be highly beneficial. It is a powerful framework from Meta that is capable of developing native-performing apps for both iOS and Android. Since using cross-platform frameworks for creating mobile apps is more of a trend, it is best to get equipped with the right tools to make it happen.
This React Native tutorial is perfect for web developers transitioning to mobile or anyone eager to learn mobile app creation. It will help you to find yourself with the prowess to develop native mobile apps that work well on both iOS and Android devices. Start your journey today and build the next great app!.
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React Native is a JavaScript (JS) framework that is used for building natively-rendering, cross-platform applications. It was developed in 2015 and has gained massive popularity in the last decade. This popularity comes from its extensive features and capability. It is easy to learn and allows developers to create applications for different operating systems with one code base.
It is generally used for rendering UI across various platforms including macOS, Windows, iOS and Android. This framework also provides a basic structure of apps that can be further customized according to requirements. This means developers do not have to always start from scratch. Now it is powering many popular applications like Meta, Instagram and Skype.
Let's start by understanding some of its basic concepts. It will help you to be familiar with different technical terminologies used in this framework.
Components are the fundamental building and reusable building blocks that form the user interface (UI) of the mobile app. These enable developers to create interactive and dynamic elements. These are View, Text, Image, Button, ScrollView, FlatList and more. It is also possible to create customized components by adding custom logic and styling.
Creating a new component requires adding some new parameters to it. These parameters are known as properties or props. These are immutable and can not be changed in any condition. One basic example of these pros are source properties of an image component. For instance:
import React, { Component } from 'react'; import { Platform,StyleSheet,Image,Text,View}from 'react-native'; export default class App extends Component<{}> {render() {let imagePath = { uri:'https://facebook.github.io/react-native/img/header_logo.png'}; return (<View style={styles.container}> <Text style={styles.welcome}>Welcome to React Native!</Text> <Image source={imagePath} style={{width: 250, height: 250}} /> </View>); } } const styles = StyleSheet.create({container: { flex: 1, justifyContent: 'center', alignItems: 'center', backgroundColor: '#a7a6a9', }, welcome: { fontSize: 30, textAlign: 'center', margin: 20, } }); |
The state is another important concept used when creating components. Unlike props, the state is mutable and can be changed based on the requirements. It is usually initialized in the constructor (for class components) or by using the useState hook (in functional components). State changes are made using the setState method in class components or the state updater function in functional components.
JSX is basically a syntax extension for JavaScript that helps to define the view of the user interface. It looks like any other template language, but comes with the capabilities of JavaScript. It is not necessary to use JSX in a React code, as there are many other options available. But it is a favorite choice of most developers due to its visual aid in UI.
Flexbox allows developers to create complicated layouts with ease. It provides an efficient method of distributing space and aligning items within a container. This facilitates situations where the item’s size is dynamic. Flexbox is specially designed to build a consistent layout of any screen size or orientation. One can use the following commands to create a new project:
npx create-expo-app flexbox cd flexbox npm start |
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Setting up the React Native environment is essential for the learners. As we know, this framework is used on multiple operating systems. We are taking Windows as the development OS and Android as the target OS.
React Native uses Node.js to run JavaScript code and npm (Node Package Manager) or Yarn to manage dependencies.
1. node --version |
React Native requires a specific version of the JDK for Android development. As of now, JDK 17 is the most recommended one.
Android Studio provides the Android SDK, build tools and an emulator.
Android Studio needs some specific SDK components. You can configure it from the Android Studio Welcome screen.
Lastly, click on the Apply button. Review the list of packages to be installed/updated and click OK. Accept any license agreements and wait for the downloads and installations to complete.
It is important to define the location of the Android SDK.
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Let's create our first project using this framework. We are creating a basic VoIP calling app that can support calling between iOS and Android. This section will cover all the essential steps, so you don’t need to have any prior experience.
A basic Expo project structure will look something like this
Open the App.js file in your code editor. This is where you will start building your user interface. For a basic VoIP app, consider the following UI elements:
Here is a very basic example of how your App.js might look initially:
import React, { useState } from 'react'; import { StyleSheet, Text, View, TextInput, Button } from 'react-native'; const [callStatus, setCallStatus] = useState(''); console.log(`Calling: ${callTo}`); // After some time or a real call attempt, you'd update callStatus setTimeout(() => { setCallStatus('Call Ended'); }, 3000); }; return ( <View style={styles.container}> <Text style={styles.title}>Basic VoIP App</Text> <TextInput style={styles.input} placeholder="Enter number/ID to call" value={callTo} onChangeText={text => setCallTo(text)} /> <Button title="Call" onPress={handleCall} /> <Text style={styles.status}>{callStatus}</Text> </View> ); } input: { width: '80%', borderColor: 'gray', borderWidth: 1, padding: 10, marginBottom: 15, borderRadius: 5, }, status: { marginTop: 20, fontSize: 16, fontWeight: 'bold', }, }); |
npx react-native run-ios
npx react-native run-android
This will build and run your app on the iOS simulator and Android emulator or a connected physical device.
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This is the right time to learn React Native with industry experts because the coming years are going to bring in more career opportunities in the IT industry. Anyone who has a background in web development and wishes to expand their horizons must go for this framework. With this React Native tutorial, you can easily learn and create your first mobile app without any hassle.
"According to research from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer and IT jobs are expected to grow much faster than average from 2023 to 2033, with a projected 356,700 job openings annually."
Depending upon your current knowledge and skills, it can take anywhere between 2-6 months to learn this JS framework.
Having knowledge of JavaScript's data types, object-oriented programming, functions, and syntax before getting into React Native development is important.
Yes, React Native is certainly a good career as it opens numerous growth opportunities in the field of mobile development and cross-platform app development.
React Native is mainly used to build cross-platform mobile apps for Android and iOS using a single codebase.
Yes, React Native requires JavaScript coding to build mobile applications.
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