Top React Native Libraries, Dev tools and Ecosystem to Use in 2021
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Quick Summary The market for Progressive Web Apps (PWA) is at the peak, and those of you who know the miracles of React, might not get excited as I say React Native is attempting to traction the developer community lately. There has been a lot of buzz regarding the React Native framework. Multiple debates and endless discussions, yet many aren’t still aware of what react-native actually is or what the entire ecosystem of reactnative is all about. So, not to deter all the fuss and help you get straight with react native ecosystem, I have drafted this blog post that deals with the React Native Navigation, React Native backend, suitable React Native Database, as well as the Efficient React Native Libraries and Development Tools within the React Native Ecosystem.
Table Of Contents Introduction To React Native Framework React Native Navigation React Native Backend React Native Database React Native Tools For Debugging, Testing, Integration & Automation 11 Top React Native Libraries 2021 For Responsive Components Top 11 React Native Developer Tools to Use in 2021 Wrap Up
Big guns like Facebook, Instagram, Tesla, Uber, and many more are using React Native to build their mobile applications to reach the masses globally. Have you? With the growing popularity of React and the rise of native mobile app development, the adoption of React-native by the community is no more a novelty. Like React itself, it encourages you to build UI using a different pre-made set of components, saves your time, and fastens the development process. Well, this was the single reason to adopt React Native instead of React.
React Native – JavaScript Framework
Tailored to build feature-rich native frameworks, React Native is based on Facebook’s JavaScript library, React. With attractive designs and a user-friendly interface, React Native is different from React because the former promotes mobile applications, whereas the latter is targeted towards websites. To put it this way, the present-day web developers of React can efficiently work on building mobile apps with the help of React Native, a framework similar to what they excel in. Further, the framework embeds a fully native interface with the capability of sharing codes between platforms. This enhances the development process, making it easier for a single developer to reuse the code and develop apps for both Android and iOS platforms.
Much like React, React Native codes in XML markup and JavaScript language. Once the code is ready, the React Native bridge invokes significant APIs in Java/Objective-C to deploy applications on Android/iOS, respectively. This, in a way, transfuses the web-based application to display a mobilefriendly interface instead of webviews. Thanks to the React Native component libraries and development tools that all of this is possible with similar ease and integration. You might want to Know the Cost to Build React Native App in 2021. Sounds good! The introduction to what is appealing, and now that we know all about React Native, we head towards describing its vast ecosystem.
To start with, we first magnify navigation to React Native.
React Native Navigation
For some of you, this might be easy, but in reality, react native navigation is pretty much a tough task. With a bundle of options and plenty of solutions, navigation in React Native is often confusing. As a matter of fact, React Native offers three different solutions for navigation: 1. Navigator 2. NavigatorIOS 3. React Navigation v5 Apart from these, there are different module-based implementations, enabling developers to induce navigation within the developed apps.
1. JavaScript-Based Implementation Module: What makes these modules different from the natively-coded navigation tools is that JavaScript-based implementation modules are robust and ensure better performance. When working on embedding navigation within the React Native apps, developers can choose from two different variants. React Navigation: widely used navigation library, works well with navigation tools to react to native apps. Also, it is regarded as the improvised version of the Navigation Experimental. React Native Router Flux: A robust library and the most preferred by all developers, RNRF is easy to use and restricts the navigational logic from the UI of the developed apps.
2. Native-Based Implementation Module: Often, developers try to experiment and develop excellent navigational solutions. It is, in such cases, that they opt for a module different than the one based on JavaScript, or to be straight, the Native-implementation based. Re-route Native: A full typed interface that, by default, supports the native elements, eliminating the need to rely on JavaScript threads for embedding the same. Re-route animations run on declared APIs allowing developers to override the same when needed. Native Navigation: Built by Airbnb developers to induce a native type navigational component in react native, this module has an excellent library to use for your app.
3.Others: Some other React Native navigation solutions are Animated Tabs: Used for introducing navigation between tabs, React Native Animated Tabs is the first choice of the devs. React Native Scrollable TabView: Meant only for the Android developers the React Native Scrollable TabView adds flexibility in navigation.
React Native Backend
React Native has multiple backend services that promise to enhance the overall functionality of your app. 1. Baqend: Acting as the serverless platform, Baqend is used as the backend-as-a-service to build exceptional apps. Additionally, this uses Redux as its container and can render services such as automated caching, realtime data storage and querying, and DDoS protection. 2. FireBase: Another backend-as-a-service platform, fireBase, is the first choice of many developers. Offering benefits such as real-time database, offline database, simplified learning curve, and upscaling, fireBase is secure and network resilient. It is proven that apps built using FireBase have 2X faster speeds.
3. GraphCool: Another serverless backendas-a-service, GraphCool has an exceptional execution speed, making it convenient for the developers to build mobile applications. Further, GraphCool is open-sourced and has an in-built set of building blocks that promote data-centric apps’ deployment. 4. AWS: This one is a serverless backend that is a command-line toolchain for connecting the AWS cloud services for your React Native frontend. AWS Amplify for mobile apps and AWS AppSync, a GraphQL service for web solutions.
React Native Database
Next is the local storage facility, as provided by React Native. The same offers plenty of options, right from dynamic storage to local database. We need to store data locally, whereas few instances witness data storage offline, and then the same is retrieved online. Developers must have a sound understanding of their ecosystem to determine which local data storage would serve their purpose best. The most promising ones include: 1. SQLite: Offering a self-contained and null configuration engine of the database, SQLite is one of the most popular databases used for React Native. It is seen that more than 40% of the developers prefer using SQLite as the database for their developed apps.
2. Realm: Designed specifically for Android and iOS, the Realm is an excellent alternative for SQLite. The Realm library is proficient enough to store more than 10000 data records and help developers make the most of the data. 3. Couchbase Life: The most essential aspect of the Couchbase Lite database is the ease with which developers can add data synchronization and persistence within the react native app. It is a no SQL database and compatible with both Android and iOS devices. 4. PouchDB: Another alternative for the databases, as mentioned above, is PouchDB. The database allows developers to store data locally, and when required, they can restore the data, primarily when they are online. So, irrespective of whether the user is logged in or not, all data remains in sync.
React Native Tools For Debugging, Testing, Integration & Automation
The best thing about using a framework is the bundle of tools that come along with it. These are designed in a way that eases the task of the developers throughout the development life cycle.
1. Debugging Tools: Chrome Developer Tools: One of the easiest and the simplest forms of debugging the code of React native is using Chrome. Developers need not install any other third-party apps to debug the code. All that he/she is expected to do is press +D on the iOS simulator and the Android emulator, +M. Another option is to shake the real devices to view the in-app developer. Once displayed, the developer needs to tap on the “Debug JS Remotely,” and the work is done.
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Reactotron: Primarily a desktop-based application, reactotron is used for debugging both react and react native apps. From inspecting to subscribing and modifying the app’s state, Reactotron can also track the request of HTTPS as made through the app. This, in a way, ensures optimizing the performance of the app and also tracks errors. Redux, along with reactotron, is capable of dispatching actions and tracking sagas.
2. Testing & Automation Tools: Detox – A Wix product designed primarily for react native, detox is an end-to-end scalable testing and automation tool. Working as the library, developers can build enormous test variables and further simulate the user’s behavior based on the user’s interaction with the app. The tool has an array of configurations and notifications, compatible with different devices to top it all. Mocha: Based on the framework of JavaScript, Mocha, as the testing and automation tool from react native, runs on Node.js. The React Native developer tool has been tailored, keeping in mind the basic requirements of asynchronous user testing. It is pretty easy to set up the tool and use it on the go.
Enzyme: Another Airbnb product, Enzyme, is a Javascript testing utility designed for React. With Enzyme as the testing tool, developers can easily assert, traverse, and manipulate the outcome of the component of React. The API embedded within Enzyme is highly flexible and intuitive and has been built as the replica of JQuery PI for DOM manipulation. It enables easy and hasslefree simulation with other testing libraries, making it one of the most popular testing tools. Appium: An excellent tool promoting the end-to-end testing of react-native code, Appium automates functional testing of mobile apps. Though it is highly functional, the fact that it is generic and integrates selenium features, developers prefer using this as the testing tool only when they have extensive experience.
Bitbar: Coding is easy, but automating the entire process of testing isn’t the same. But with Bitbar, automation of testing procedures works effectively. It is primarily a cloud-based testing framework for mobile applications. Bridge: Test your react native codes on the go with this excellent testing and automation tool, bridge. The tool is proficient enough to execute the JS code of your application into node.js and automate the testing without digging in the code. Jest: While the tools for testing and automation provided by React Native have not ended, we will end our search with Jest. It is one of the best and the most efficient automation and testing tools that give developers the ease to take a snapshot of every test scenario and save the results. Further, they can use these images to compare and analyze the test results under different inputs or app components. Jest is wholly a Facebook-owned JavaScript tool used for mobile application testing.
3. CI/CD Tools Microsoft Codepush: Cloud integration is one of the vital aspects of the present-day digital world. And when we talk about cloud, CI/CD has to be an essential topic of discussion. When working on react native apps, Microsoft Codepush would help you create an infrastructure that supports over-the-air updates and is integrated directly into the user’s app. Also, Microsoft Codepush reinstates bugs without having the users update their app or download a newer version. Bitrise: The choice of most developers, Bitrise is an excellent tool for integrating CI/CD within your app. The tool enables the developer to embed test cases and debug errors on the go.
11 Top React Native Libraries 2021 For Responsive Components
Let us learn why Developers Are Switching To React Native App Development? The reason is simple: React Native UI Components.
What are React Native Components?
React Native encourages you to build your application UI using multiple or isolated components. You can also combine React UI libraries with Bit into building blocks which can be later synchronized into numerous projects. Its distributed development workflow allows you to easily share and reuse components between apps. Now, discover and organize components to build applications faster and get them synchronized across multiple projects. We are blessed with different design components and patterns for react native but on the entire list, here are 11 top React Native Libraries to build a fascinating mobile app. Let’s stroll over these 11 libraries to build a next-gen mobile app.
1. NativeBase The NativeBase developer tool we saw earlier comes with a UI component library, which is widely popular amongst React developers. It has 15.1k stars and 1.9k forks on GitHub, which proves the fan following is just not for show and has real value.
2. React Native Elements React Native Elements is a UI library for React Native projects built using javascript, which is customizable and works across both iOs and Android platforms. Experts and naive developers, both show a keen interest in this particular library. It has gathered 20.6k stars and 4.2k forks on GitHub, which is more than enough to prove my point.
3. Material Kit React Native One of the rising React Native Component libraries built above Galio.io, React Native, and Expo is the Material Kit, which enables you to create amazing apps. It has a collection of customized buttons, cards, navigation, and inputs, which is quite close to Google’s material design. This library is getting attention and a strong community on GitHub with 442 stars and 206 forks by far now. Quick Read: React Native Animation Libraries: To Create Stellar UX
4. UI Kitten This React Native component library provides customization and reusability of styling components of your React Native application. UI Kitten has got 8.2k stars and 840 forks on GitHub, which speaks about programmers’ choice these days.
5. Shoutem UI Components, Themes, and Animations make up Shoutem, a cross-platform library for iOS and Android. All the components are composable and customizable. They have predefined styles that are capable of building complex styles. It has got 501 stars and 89 forks on GitHub.
6. Lottie Airbnb provides the Lottie library for React Native, which enables developers to add animations to their applications. This library helps to convert Adobe animations into web app consumable formats. When using React Native, the Lottie library has gathered 14.1k stars and 1.5k forks on GitHub. So if you want to build a visually attractive app, try to use this React Native library.
7. Nachos UI This React Native library provides more than 30 tailored components and styles that are twisted, peppy, and loved. It has 2k stars and 135 forks on GitHub.
8. Ignite CLI You may consider this one as a beginner’s manual for building React Native apps. Ignite CLI consists of several boilerplate options for your app, or you can use standalone plugins if you may. GitHub has caught 12.5k stars and 964 forks for one of these unique React Native component libraries.
9. React Native Vector Icons This particular library is to help you build your ToolBar/NavBar/TabBar for Android, or even for image source. Across the world, plenty of Android apps already use it, and you might want too. React Native Vector Icons has made 14.8k stars and 1.8k forks on GitHub, which tells about its popularity.
10. React Native Paper A library for material design guidelines and global theming support helps developers build customized components for their React Native Apps. It has got 8k stars and 1.3k forks on GitHub.
11. Teaset The Teaset is a React Native library that has a collection of over 20 javascript components with outstanding display characteristics. It has 2.7k stars and 453 forks on GitHub.
Top 11 React Native Developer Tools to Use in 2021
Here I have prepared a comprehensive list of the best IDEs for React Native app development. The environments that are best suited for React Native developers and come along with varied features. Let’s have a look at React Native Tools for 2021.
1. Nuclide Facebook developed Nuclide to provide the most satisfactory IDE experience for the React Native users in 2015. Nuclide offers services like Hack-development, working sets, built-in debugging, Remote development, and Javascript development. Developers can inspect elements and edit their React App features live using the Nuclide editor-Atom, which we will discuss next. You can use this tool for free as it is opensource. Nuclide supports several functions like inline errors, auto-complete, jump-todefinitions, etc.
2. Atom In 2014, GitHub developed Atom, an opensource text editor helpful in developing React Native Applications on Mac, Linux, and Windows. The best part is developers can add over it other open-source packages to enhance the features and functionality of their app. For e.g., the Nuclide tool is developed upon Atom. The Atom text editor contains in-built designs, themes, package manager, crossplatform editing, and multiple file navigation.
3. Visual Studio Code Another React Native source code editor by the software king Microsoft is Visual Studio Code. Visual Studio Code supports Node.js, Typescript, and Javascript, and it is a free and open-source platform. Developers can extend their ecosystem to support other languages like C++, C#, PHP, Python, Java, and even runtime environments like UNITY and .NET. You must use the package “React NativeFull Pack” to exclusively use this tool for your React Native development.
4. Expo In May 2017, Expo introduced an opensource toolchain for React developers, which offers a Slack community, community forums, and documentation. Expo has its own Command-Line-Interface CLI. Developers find it easy to build and test React Applications using the Expo tool. Expo provides native APIs for Android and iOS platforms, an SDK library, and a rich source for React components.
5. Flow Another programming tool from Facebook in 2014 is Flow, which offers static typing annotations. Flow enables React developers to code in a simple manner reliably and speedily. They can use Flow services like integration, customizable type interface and javascript, and real-time feedback. The most beneficial part of using Flow’s static typing annotations is that developers can observe faults/errors in their code.
6. ESLint ESLint is another cross-platform opensource React Native tool that uses JSX languages and Javascript. Using this tool, developers get to know their programming errors, create their own linting rules, and learn more about their source code.
ESLint works on Node.js and offers several advantages for developers: built-in plugins, transparency, and detailed documentation.
7. Native Base Geeky Ants developed a free and opensource UI component library in 2016, which is helpful in developing cross-platform React Native Apps. NativeBase is one such tool that offers a local ecosystem to create native applications. Developers can use third-party libraries and React components to build cross-platform UI components.
8. Reactotron In 2016, Infinite Red released Reatotron in an open-source desktop application that helps developers check React JS and React Native Apps. Windows, Mac, and Linux all support Reactotron. React developers can keep track of application status, console messages, API requests/responses, dispatch actions, and benchmarks.
9. Bit Bit is a developer platform for developing a component library for React Native, which solves sharing and collaborating UI libraries across repositories. Programmers using Bit.dev are under the benefit that they can render, search, install and update components from any new React Native project.
10. Xcode XCode is a React Native developer tool specifically designed for the macOS. It offers fantastic features like auto code completion, custom fonts for navigator, new document tabs, and comes with an asset catalog. XCode comes with an in-built interface builder, simulator, compiler, graphical debugger, and complete documentation.
11. Android Studio This one is the development environment for React Native developers to build and debug React apps in Android. Using any of the above tools for your React Native app, you can build your custom app UI using some of the below-mentioned Component Libraries and UI toolkits.
Wrap Up
The ecosystem of react native is wide enough for you to anticipate and ideate. Along with the databases, libraries, tools, navigation, and backend, the ecosystem has a lot more. React native extends support for integrating push notification tools, animation tools, lists, and other technologyspecific elements. This was all from my pandora box, which is true to my knowledge. I hope you might find useful stuff from this post for your upcoming React Native project. If you have any suggestions or comments on React Native Libraries and Developer Tools, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment. And lastly, if you think my collection helped you, please share this post with your friends. To know more in detail, get in touch with our expert React native programmers and leverage their top-of-the-line React Native development services.
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