1. The Gradual Adoption of Fabric & TurboModules
For a while, Fabric and TurboModules were the buzzwords around React Native. These aren't new features per se, but rather a rearchitecture of the core bridge between JavaScript and native code. Here'll why that’s important:
2. New Architecture Adoption – The hermes engine is becoming more prevalent
Hermes is Facebook's JavaScript engine optimized for mobile devices. While available for a while, its adoption is accelerating.
React 18’s concurrent rendering features bring significant improvements to React Native applications.
The React Native community is thriving, and it's driving innovation at a rapid pace.
React Native remains a leading choice for cross-platform mobile development, continually evolving to meet the demands of modern applications. By staying informed about the latest developments and embracing community-driven innovations, you can build exceptional
mobile experiences for users worldwide.
For a while, Fabric and TurboModules were the buzzwords around React Native. These aren't new features per se, but rather a rearchitecture of the core bridge between JavaScript and native code. Here'll why that’s important:
- What’s the Problem with the Old Bridge? The original bridge was synchronous, which caused bottlenecks and performance issues.
- Fabric: Improved Rendering: Fabric delivers a more flexible and efficient rendering pipeline. You’ll see benefits in complex UI scenarios. Think animations, scrolling, and generally a more responsive user interface.
- TurboModules: Faster Native Interface: TurboModules replace the legacy native module system. They are lazy-loaded on demand and provide significant performance gains in interactions with native APIs.
- Current Status: Fabric and TurboModules are opt-in. You're not automatically upgraded. Migration takes careful planning. Link to React Native documentation on Fabric and TurboModules
2. New Architecture Adoption – The hermes engine is becoming more prevalent
Hermes is Facebook's JavaScript engine optimized for mobile devices. While available for a while, its adoption is accelerating.
- Smaller App Size: Hermes leads to smaller app sizes compared to using JavaScriptCore.
- Faster Startup Time: Reduced overhead means quicker app launch times.
- Improved Performance: Optimized for mobile constraints leads to better overall performance.
- Impact on Developers: While you don't directly interact with Hermes as much as with other React Native APIs, understanding its role helps in optimizing your code for mobile.
React 18’s concurrent rendering features bring significant improvements to React Native applications.
- Automatic Batching: Concurrent Rendering allows React to automatically batch updates, reducing the number of re-renders.
- Transitions: Enable smooth and responsive user interfaces by prioritizing important updates over less critical ones.
- Suspense: Improve the loading experience by showing fallback content while data is being fetched.
- Impact: Better user experience, smoother animations, improved performance under load.
The React Native community is thriving, and it's driving innovation at a rapid pace.
- Reanimated V3: Significant updates to the Reanimated library for performant animations.
- Tamagui: A complete React Native meta-framework focused on performance and developer experience.
- New UI Libraries: Constant emergence of new and improved component libraries to enhance your app's look and feel.
- Focus on Accessibility: Greater emphasis on creating accessible mobile applications.
- Update React Native CLI: Ensure you're using the latest version of the React Native CLI.
- Explore Community Resources: Follow React Native developers on Twitter, subscribe to newsletters, and participate in online forums.
- Experiment with New Libraries: Don't be afraid to try out new libraries and frameworks.
React Native remains a leading choice for cross-platform mobile development, continually evolving to meet the demands of modern applications. By staying informed about the latest developments and embracing community-driven innovations, you can build exceptional
mobile experiences for users worldwide.