React Native

React Native is an open-source UI software framework created by Meta Platforms, Inc. It allows developers to use the React framework along with native platform capabilities to develop cross-platform mobile, web, and desktop applications. By compiling to native app components, it offers a truly…

Key facts

First appeared
2015
Category
technology
Problem solved
React Native was created to address the significant challenges of building native mobile applications across different platforms (iOS and Android). Before React Native, companies often had to maintain separate development teams and distinct codebases, using Objective-C/Swift for iOS and Java/Kotlin for Android. This led to duplicated effort, increased development costs, slower feature parity, and inconsistent user experiences. React Native aimed to solve this by enabling developers to build truly native mobile UIs using a single JavaScript codebase, leveraging web development skills and accelerating the development cycle.
Platforms
Android, iOS, Windows (via React Native for Windows), macOS (via React Native for macOS), tvOS (via React Native for Apple TV), Web (via React Native for Web)

Related technologies

Notable users

  • Wix
  • Discord
  • Shopify
  • Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Messenger)
  • Walmart
  • Microsoft (Skype, Xbox, Office)
  • Tesla
  • Bloomberg