07/03/2025, 09:14
React Native is one of the most widely used frameworks for cross-platform mobile app development today. Built by Meta (formerly Facebook), it allows developers to write code once using JavaScript or TypeScript and deploy it to both iOS and Android platforms. But does it really work seamlessly on both? And is it a smart choice for professional mobile app projects? Let's take a close look.
At the core of React Native mobile app development is the promise of a shared codebase. This means:
● Developers can build a mobile app that runs on both iOS and Android without maintaining two separate codebases.
● Most of the UI components and logic written in JavaScript can be reused across platforms.
● Native performance is achieved through a bridge that communicates with native APIs on both operating systems.
In practice, this setup significantly speeds up development and reduces costs—both important factors for businesses aiming to scale fast.
While React Native enables a high level of code reuse, not everything works identically across iOS and Android. There are platform-specific differences that developers need to handle carefully:
● UI Differences: Android and iOS have different design languages (Material Design vs. Human Interface Guidelines). React Native components do a good job of abstracting the differences, but fine-tuning is still needed.
● Permissions and APIs: The way permissions are requested and handled varies. For example, background location tracking or push notifications often require platform-specific setup.
● Performance Tuning: Even though React Native apps offer near-native performance, complex animations, heavy computations, and native modules may require specific optimizations per platform.
To address this, React Native provides conditional logic and tools like Platform.select() or custom native modules that give developers full control when needed.
React Native supports the latest iOS versions, and its community keeps pace with Apple’s ecosystem updates. That said, building for iOS comes with specific technical and procedural requirements:
● Xcode is required to compile and run iOS apps.
● iOS simulator is used for development and debugging.
● App Store policies and restrictions must be followed, including provisioning profiles, certificates, and review processes.
React Native mobile app development teams working with iOS must factor in these steps into their workflow. At Spartan Agency, we handle this complexity with pre-configured CI/CD pipelines that streamline deployment and testing for iOS.
React Native integrates well with the Android development environment too. Key tools and requirements include:
● Android Studio for emulation and debugging.
● Gradle for building and managing dependencies.
● Device fragmentation: React Native helps with this by providing responsive layout tools, but testing on real devices is still essential.
Permissions on Android (like background location, camera, storage) are also more granular and sometimes require custom code or native modules. Spartan Agency ensures robust QA processes to verify behavior across the wide range of Android versions and device manufacturers.
Although most functionality can be achieved with React Native itself or its ecosystem libraries, there are scenarios when native code is still necessary:
● Integrating SDKs that do not yet support React Native (e.g., certain analytics or advertising tools).
● Tapping into low-level device APIs like Bluetooth, sensors, or ARKit.
● Custom UI components that require native rendering.
React Native allows you to write and link native modules in Swift, Objective-C (iOS) or Java, Kotlin (Android). This hybrid approach gives flexibility without sacrificing the benefits of cross-platform development.
Multiple commercial mobile apps built with React Native have been successfully delivered across industries like retail, logistics, and health tech. For example:
● Retail client: A single React Native codebase reduced development time by 40% while supporting native features like barcode scanning and Apple Pay.
● Healthcare startup: The app needed HIPAA-compliant architecture and custom modules for secure video calls—React Native handled both platforms with only minor native code support.
● Logistics platform: GPS tracking, push notifications, and background services were implemented with careful attention to Android-specific limitations and iOS battery policies.
In all cases, the resulting apps performed well and passed app store reviews on both platforms.
To answer the original question: Yes, React Native works on both iOS and Android. It’s a mature framework that enables efficient, scalable mobile development. But success depends on deep platform knowledge and strategic implementation.
React Native development is not about avoiding native development—it’s about using shared code where it makes sense and applying native solutions where necessary. At Spartan Agency, we help clients strike the right balance so that their apps run smoothly across all devices, meet performance expectations, and are future-proofed for platform updates.
If you're considering building a mobile app and want to reduce development time without sacrificing quality, React Native deserves serious consideration.
