React Native vs. Ionic

React Native

React Native is the mobile app development framework, which is developed by Facebook. It is an open-source tool which is released in 2015. Using React Native, we can build iOS and Android applications. React Native utilizes the JavaScript and React. JavaScript is one of the most dynamic programming languages.

Ionic

Ionic is a typical hybrid development framework. It allows the web developer to built apps for the majority of the platforms using a single code base. It uses web technologies like HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript to write the application, and requires PhoneGap/Cordova to access native features.

Tabular Comparison between React Native vs Ionic:

	React Native	Ionic
Purpose	Learn once, write anywhere	Write once, run anywhere
Language Stack	React and JavaScript	Web technologies- HTML,CSS, JavaScript, Angular JS, TypeScript
Nature of apps	Cross-platform	Hybrid apps
Developers	Facebook Community	Drifty.co
Popular for	Native - like and elegant user interfaces across the platforms	Using a single code base, you can develop an app for iOS, Android, Windows, Web, Desktop
Reusability of code	The platform-specific code needs to be changed	Optimum reusability of code
Performance	Closer native look and comparatively faster	Slower than React Native due to WebView
Code testing	Need a real mobile device or emulator to test the code	Using any browser, the code can be tested
Learning curve	A steep learning curve	An easy learning curve due to web technologies, Angular, and TypeScript
Community and Support	Strong and Stable	Strong and Stable
GitHub Stars	66k	34k
GitHub Contributors	1694	243
Supported Platforms	Android, iOS	Android, iOS, UWP (Universal Windows Platform), and PWA
Companies Using	Facebook, Instagram, UberEATS	justWatch, Untappd, Cryptochange, Nationwide, Pacifica

Advantage of React Native:

It has the maximum code reusability to develop apps for iOS and Android platforms.
It has a stable and maintained platform to develop large projects.
Rapid development with an efficient code structure
It has broad community and platform-independent code.

Challenges of React Native:

There is a need for native development skills.
Lack of custom modules.
As it is backed by Facebook, we need to follow licensing rules.

Advantage of Ionic

It is free and open-source.
Easy to learn with built-in components.
Clear and updated documentation.
It builds apps for iOS, Android, Windows, Desktop, Web, and PWA.
It has rich pre-styled component and great community support.
Rapid development testing cycle.

Drawbacks of Using Ionic

It has slow performance.
It requires Apache Cordova plugins to access the device's hardware functionality.
It uses WebView to deliver a native-like experience.

What Should I Choose React Native or Ionic?

There are many factors we can consider, such as features, cost, requirements, team size, time, and platforms while deciding the best framework. Both frameworks serve a different purpose; choosing any of them is an easy task.

If you want excellent performance with low on budget, you can go for Ionic.

React Native is used for native-felling apps, which are higher cost than the Ionic.

Next TopicReact Native vs. Xamarin

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