React Native or using Xamarin for App Development – which is the best one to use?

With the number of tech savvy people increasing over the years, the application development has now grown steadily from creating more apps for mobile development as the number of people using mobile phones has become more. The number of smartphone users has remarkably increased over the years which is evident from the pace at which this generation is going tech-savvy. With each passing day there are thousands of applications being launched which is crossing millions!

The need for developing apps that work well over different platforms has increased. It makes it very important for developers to make their apps stand out in this overly crowded pool of apps. To develop great applications, a developer must be aware of the right set of tools required. In the past, Android applications were written using Java while iOS applications used Objective-C and Swift. Currently, there has been a shift in this trend with the introduction of cross-platform development tools like React Native and Xamarin. Cross-platform development is basically designing applications that work well for both Android and iOS and other operating systems like Windows.

Earlier, developers had to write similar codes twice that would work for different platforms. With React Native and Xamarin, the development process has become easier. Not only are they cost-efficient but also save time and shorten the development cycle considerably.

The question that remains is which one between React Native and Xamarin serves as a better development tool.

For answering this, let us take a look at the detailed comparison between the two and then choose which one suits your needs the best.

Introduction to React Native and Xamarin

React Native is a cross-platform development tool that allows you to code using JavaScript while Xamarin uses C# for creating user interface codes. Big brands like Facebook, Instagram, Airbnb, and Tesla are using React Native and brands like Slack and Pinterest prefer Xamarin.

React Native is a cross-platform development tool that allows you to code using JavaScript while Xamarin uses C# for creating user interface codes. Big brands like Facebook, Instagram, Airbnb, and Tesla are using React Native and brands like Slack and Pinterest prefer Xamarin.

The key difference from the monetary perspective is React Native is a free tool that can be used to build applications while Xamarin does not offer a lot of features for free especially if you’re designing for a big enterprise.

We present to you the comparisons between React Native and Xamarin

1. For both these open source frameworks, the environment needed for development is different. For eg, while using Xamarin, one would need to download Microsoft’s Visual Studio, which includes android SDK, a tool required for creating Android applications. For iOS, XCode is required which is only available for Mac. For React Native, you will need to install Node and any other development environment tool to write JavaScript like Visual Studio and Atom. If you want to use React Native in a native way, you will have to download Android SDK and XCode, similar to Xamarin.
2. Xamarin allows you to run the fastest code for both platforms. The applications which are built on 64-bit code are faster as compared to 32-bit code. Xamarin supports 64-bit, and also provides a fast UI by allowing developers to use native tools directly. On the other hand, React Native doesn’t support even the 64-bit mode on Android and, not even on iOS as well.
3. React Native uses the Just-in-time (JIT) compilation which converts the program source code into native machine code just before the program is run. The same can’t be done in iOS apps. Xamarin is way ahead of time, when it comes to compilation since the just in time compilation isn’t valid for iOS as some security features don’t allow writable executable segments. Obviously this makes Xamarin a better choice.
4. As this Xamarin application development expands, it takes longer time to compile. A big project would mean time taken for more compilation as well as an increase in the development time required as well as the cost. On the other hand, React Native serves as a better tool since it does not require compilation as it uses JavaScript and it is scripted. It serves as an advantage since it allows you to test and modify React Native apps rapidly.
5. In Xamarin, debugging an application code is easily possible in a similar fashion while using a .NET application using Visual Studio, which is a positive side to it. And, debugging with React Native is as similar to debugging web applications. You can use the Chrome developer tool and also use third-party tools to debug such as Reactotron or Redux development tools.
6. By using the Xamarin application, one gets the freedom to develop or design the user interface in a platform specific way only. On the other side, React Native allows you to customize the visual components in an easy way as compared to Xamarin. React Native has always been a better choice for the developers in reference to UI development.
7. The react native users are more advanced and progressive as they use a modern, systematic data flow system for the development, whereas Xamarin uses the MVVM framework style. Depending on the use and nature of developing an application, it becomes an individual choice to use any of the above applications for the best results.

We @Mobinius have been always been at the forefront with the leading technologies, delivering what the customer needs, providing high quality work. Since 8+years we have been ensuring that we understand the customer requirements, thereby giving them the desired result. Having delivered more than 175+ UX&UI hassle free & rich experiences, we have always been around with satisfied results.