20 Apr, 2021 | mobile app development

Latest Updates In React Native & Their Benefits

React Native Community is spread across the globe to connect developers and React Native users with each other. Other than the Global Summits, Conferences, and annual meets, the ReactFlux chat, forum-like groups, and company-based communities; enable communications about the platform & understand it in a better manner. Moreover, this welcomes more queries and concerns regarding the platform, features, and its compatibility with other components & supporting libraries available on the web. Technology keeps evolving & so is the React Native platform. That’s what makes it a choice of several people, including both users and the developers. Development is a never-ending cycle. With every update & need of the industry, the arrival of updates is a sure shot. Here, we will be talking about the React Native updates that the community came recently in 2020 and the first quarter of 2021.

The latest releases of React native in the reverse chronology are:

React Native 0.64- Support of Hermes on iOS
React Native 0.63- Enabling LogBox by default
React Native 0.62- Support of Flipper by default

React Native 0.64- Support of Hermes opt-in on iOS

Earlier, Hermes support was only available for Android. Now, with the release of React Native 0.64 latest in March 2021, the support extends to building an iOS app as well. Hermes is a JavaScript engine that is optimized to run React Native & improvise its performance. It helps by minimizing the utilization of memory, reducing download size & reducing ‘time to interactive’ (TTI). React Native 0.64 comes with:

It is enabling Inline Requires as a metro configuration to improve the startup time by delaying the execution. It performs Babel transformation on input modules and imports it to inline. It was available as an opt-in configuration for few years, and with this update, the option is enabled by default.
React 17 is coming with a new JSX transform to improvise it to be able to use JSX without importing.
Hermes with Proxy Support to enable compatibility in migration of project packages to make JavaScript engine default for Android.

To make your React Native app compatible with the latest version 0.64, here are certain software dependencies to be addressed:

Mandatory- Xcode 12 and CocoaPods 1.10
Node Support ranging from Node 10-12.
Flipper bumped to 0.75.1
Drop-in Android API levels ranging from 16-20.

React Native 0.63- Enabling LogBox by default

They were addressing the issues of errors, warning and log system with the redesigned version of LogBox considering primary goals of concise, formatted, and actionable logs. The Redbox, yellow box designed LogBox is set by default to attain the performance goals with the features including log notifications, code frames, component stacks, stack frame was collapsing, and syntax error formatting. LogBox.ignoreLogs() and LogBox.ignoreAllLogs() are depreciated from the API of LogBox. With the next update of React Native 0.64, these options will be totally removed, so keep that in mind when upgrading next. Moreover, React Native 0.63 comes up with:

Native colours that enable you to change the colour of the platform with the PlatformColor option and that of a different button with DynamicColorIOS for giving the freedom to customize your platform as per your choice. These accessibility settings are in addition to the default themes settings of Light/Dark mode.
Minimized the compatibility checks by dropping iOS 9 ad Node.js 8 support to optimize the performance and implement the latest security fixes.
Change of iOS Lauchscreen from xib to storyboard to provide app’s launch screen compatible with all the iPhone screens.
Enables trouble-free rendering of <View/> inside any <Text/> without any size restrictions on these components.

React Native 0.62- Support of Flipper by default

From the early months of the 2020s, React Native version 0.62 enables the support of Flipper by default. It is a developer toolset for debugging Android & iOS mobile apps, which is applicable for both existing & upcoming apps. It is an extensible platform; you can pull the plugins from the marketplace & install custom ones as per your project’s requirements. The provided features of this tool enable metro actions, viewing crash reports, an inspection of native layout output, logs, databases, and preferences. With React native version 0.62, we moved from Apple TV to react-native-tvos to bring Apple TV in line with other platforms, namely React Native Windows and React Native macOS. If you are an existing user of Apple TV projects, you need to upgrade your Apple TV project to use react-native-tvos 0.62. also read about Top React Tools & Libraries

In addition to these features, version 0.62 is coming with:

The dark mode gives you the freedom to switch between the colour scheme. You can access it from the Appearance module.
The extension of React Native Upgrade helper tools from version 0.61 to Upgrade-Support in this version. It a GitHub issue tracker that submits your issues regarding your continued projects to receive assistance from the community.
Accessibility improvements like the addition of accessibilityValue, missing props on Touchables, onSlidingComplete accessibility events, change of switching element.
TextInput changes by removal of onTextInput to assure W3C compliance.
Removal of PropTypes from core components to minimize the size of React Native core app size.
Upgrade to React DevTools v4 for performance gains, navigation options, and support for React Hooks.

Get benefited from React Native updates by climbing the ladder of Mobile app development for your business on React Native platform. To discuss your project requirements, write to us at sales@wedowebapps.com. also, read about Why is React Native the future of mobile app development?

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the latest updates in React Native and how do they benefit app development?

The latest updates in React Native include improvements to performance, such as reducing startup time and improving memory usage. There is also improved support for AndroidX and 64-bit devices. One of the major benefits of these updates for app development is that they allow for faster and more efficient development of cross-platform mobile apps. This means that developers can build apps for both iOS and Android at the same time using a single codebase, saving time and money in the process. Additionally, the improved performance and support for newer devices ensures a better user experience for app users.

2. What are the benefits of using the latest React Native libraries like React Navigation v6 and Animated 3.x?

Using the latest React Native libraries like React Navigation v6 and Animated 3.x can offer several benefits for developers. Firstly, React Navigation v6 provides a more customizable and flexible navigation experience, allowing developers to easily create complex and dynamic navigation stacks. Additionally, Animated 3.x provides improved performance and ease of use for creating animations and transitions within React Native applications. This can result in a smoother and more engaging user experience, ultimately leading to better user retention and increased revenue for businesses. Overall, staying up-to-date with the latest React Native libraries can help developers stay ahead of the curve in terms of application development and user experience.

3. How do new features like the WebView component and Flipper support app development in React Native?

The WebView component and Flipper are two exciting new features that enhance app development in React Native, particularly in terms of debugging and performance optimization. The WebView component offers a way to embed web content into your app, allowing for greater flexibility and customization. Flipper, on the other hand, is a debugging tool that offers real-time insight into your app's performance, allowing for quick identification and resolution of issues. Both of these features help to streamline the development process, making it easier and more efficient to build high-quality apps for your users.

4. What are the best practices for upgrading to the latest version of React Native?

Before upgrading React Native to the latest version, make a backup of your codebase, especially any changes you've made to the libraries. It's also a good idea to test the upgrade on a separate branch before implementing it in your main codebase. Additionally, make sure to read the release notes for the latest version carefully, as there may be breaking changes that require you to modify your code. Once you've upgraded, run unit tests and end-to-end tests to ensure everything still works as expected. Finally, consider upgrading any third-party libraries that may also require upgrading to work with the new version of React Native.

5. What are the potential challenges and limitations of adopting the latest updates in React Native development?

One potential challenge is that new updates may require changes to existing code, which could lead to bugs and compatibility issues. Additionally, training developers on the latest updates may require resources and time. Another limitation could be that not all third-party libraries and tools may be immediately compatible with the latest React Native updates, which may slow down the development process. It's important to carefully consider the benefits and drawbacks of adopting new updates and to have a solid plan in place for implementing them effectively.

6. How do updates to React Native shape the future of mobile app development?

Updates to React Native are critical to shaping the future of mobile app development. These updates introduce new features, functionality, and performance improvements that make it easier for developers to create high-quality mobile apps. For example, recent updates have introduced support for new platforms like Windows and macOS, improved the performance of animations and navigation, and introduced new tools for debugging and testing. These new features and improvements will continue to drive innovation in mobile app development, making it easier and more accessible for developers to create the best mobile apps possible.

Written by Milan

Milan is a co-founder of WEDOWEBAPPS LLC. He has been at the forefront of the business, expanding it globally with the latest technologies. He also has a passion for sharing his expertise with clients and other enthusiasts. He usually writes about technology, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship.