React and React Native are two JavaScript libraries developed by Facebook, each serving distinct purposes.
- React is a JavaScript library primarily used for building user interfaces (UI) in web applications. It emphasizes the creation of reusable UI components, enabling developers to construct dynamic and interactive web interfaces. By utilizing a virtual DOM approach, React efficiently updates only the necessary parts of the UI when the underlying data changes. It can be integrated with other libraries and frameworks to build comprehensive web applications.
For more information: React
- In contrast, React Native is a framework specifically designed for developing mobile applications. It allows developers to build native mobile apps using JavaScript and the principles of React. React Native acts as a bridge between JavaScript and the native components of the underlying mobile platform, enabling the creation of mobile apps with a native look and feel. Unlike web-based approaches, React Native utilizes native UI components, resulting in better performance and access to platform-specific features. It also provides a set of pre-built components optimized for mobile app UI development.
For more information: React Native
In summary, React is primarily focused on web-based UI development, while React Native caters to the creation of cross-platform mobile applications using native UI components. Despite sharing similar principles and syntax, such as component-based architecture and a declarative programming style, they differ in target platforms and the specific ecosystems they serve.