Learn Once, Write Anywhere: Intro to React Native

Facebook has gifted the world with a new way to develop native mobile applications using JavaScript: React Native. This doesn't sound like a very revolutionary concept, but the way Facebook chose to do it makes React Native stand out among its peers. In this talk, we’ll take a look at what RN is, how it differs from its competition, and why we might want to use it. Geared toward developers with limited or no experience building mobile applications, it takes a high level view of the framework and makes a compelling case for considering it as part of your toolset.

Transcript

1. Introduction to React Native
   Learn Once, Write Anywhere
   Aaron Greenwald
   github.com/aarongreenwald
   @aaronjgreenwald
   aarong@wix.com
   

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2. 01 / Meet React Native
   

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3. “A framework for building native apps
   with React”
   - Facebook
   

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4. “A framework for building native apps
   with React”
   - Facebook
   Very popular, but very young and
   unstable
   

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5. Wait...this isn’t new
   let [
   PhoneGap,
   Trigger.io,
   Cordova,
   Ionic,
   Sencha Touch,
   Kendo UI,
   Appcelerator Titanium,
   Xamarin
   ...rest
   ] = stuffWeTriedBefore;
   

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6. 02 / How It Differs
   

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7. Webviews vs Native UI
   

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8. Write Once, Run Anywhere
   

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9. Write Once, Run Nowhere
   

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10. Learn Once, Write Anywhere
    

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11. 03 / How it Works
    

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12. JS Core UI
    Bridge
    

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13. UI
    Asynchronous
    Serializable
    Batched
    Communication
    JS Core
    

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14. 04 / How It Feels
    

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15. Look Ma, No XCode!!!
    

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16. IDE Packager
    Chrome
    Simulator
    

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18. 05 / Advantages
    

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19. We need native mobile apps
    but we hate writing them
    

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20. Smoother transition from the web
    

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21. Use the richest ecosystem there is
    Smoother transition from the web
    

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22. Use the richest ecosystem there is
    Smoother transition from the web
    Develop quickly
    

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23. Develop quickly
    Use the richest ecosystem there is
    Smoother transition from the web
    Deploy like you’re on the web
    

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24. Develop quickly
    Deploy like you’re on the web
    Use the richest ecosystem there is
    Smoother transition from the web
    Learn Once, Write Anywhere
    

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25. Develop quickly
    Deploy like you’re on the web
    Use the richest ecosystem there is
    Learn Once, Write Anywhere
    Smoother transition from the web
    Reuse code
    

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26. We need native mobile apps
    but we hate writing them
    

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27. UX of Native
    Developer Experience of the Web
    

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28. But...what if it limits me?
    

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29. It won’t.
    

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30. By definition.
    

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31. 06 / It’s Still Not Web Development
    

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32. You can’t always
    code push.
    Sometimes
    you need to change
    binaries.
    It’s Still Not Web Development
    

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33. You can’t always
    code push.
    Sometimes
    you need to change
    binaries.
    Styling is
    different.
    Presents a
    learning curve.
    It’s Still Not Web Development
    

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34. You can’t always
    code push.
    Sometimes
    you need to change
    binaries.
    Styling is
    different.
    Presents a
    learning curve.
    Platform-specific
    thinking.
    Adapt requirements
    and mindset for
    mobile.
    Debugging isn’
    t the same.
    It’s getting better,
    but slowly.
    It’s Still Not Web Development
    

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35. It’s Still Not Web Development
    You can’t always
    code push.
    Sometimes
    you need to change
    binaries.
    Styling is
    different.
    Presents a
    learning curve.
    Platform-specific
    thinking.
    Adapt requirements
    and mindset for
    mobile.
    Debugging isn’
    t the same.
    It’s getting better,
    but slowly.
    

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36. 07 / Should I Use It?
    Umm...it depends
    

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37. ● Many poorly solved
    problems
    ● No consensus on best
    practices
    ● Instability
    ● Large community
    ● Many solved problems
    ● A chance to get involved
    

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38. ● Many poorly solved
    problems
    ● No consensus on best
    practices
    ● Instability
    ● Large community
    ● Many solved problems
    ● A chance to get involved
    If your scale is relatively small,
    stick to traditional native
    

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39. ● Reuse web developers’
    skills
    ● Transition quickly
    between web and mobile
    ● Deliver amazing mobile
    apps
    ● Many poorly solved
    problems
    ● No consensus on best
    practices
    ● Instability
    

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40. ● Reuse web developers’
    skills
    ● Transition quickly
    between web and mobile
    ● Deliver amazing mobile
    apps
    If you’re Wix,
    you don’t really have a choice
    ● Many poorly solved
    problems
    ● No consensus on best
    practices
    ● Instability
    

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41. Resources
    The INTERNET
    

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42. Resources
    The Mobile Guild
    The INTERNET
    https://github.com/wix/awesome-mobile-framework
    

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