Q&A Panel

The panelists describe varied routes into programming, from learning Bash and JavaScript for work to starting with HTML, CSS, PHP, or C++. Several adopted React Native when they needed to build mobile apps and could reuse JavaScript and React experience. Mike Grabowski says it helped him avoid building a separate Android app in Java.

Pavel is interested in using JSI for synchronous code splitting in Re.Pack, while another panelist points to Fabric and synchronous layout measurement. The panel also highlights improving upgrades and a more coordinated release process, with Facebook and Microsoft contributors taking greater ownership. Satya explains JSI as the foundation for Turbo Modules and Fabric, which handle native modules and UI rendering.

One streaming application targets six React Native platforms, with plans to expand to nine to eleven; the panel estimates about 60% of its code is shared. Platform differences still require custom APIs and native code, and the panelists expect Windows and macOS library support to vary because each platform adds maintenance work. They also discuss wearable support, a Viro library for AR and VR, and React Navigation’s limitations on desktop.

Library maintainers say issue triage and housekeeping can take more time than coding, with one maintainer estimating that coding accounts for about 10% of the work. Pavel describes Re.Pack as plugins that make webpack usable for React Native bundling, and explains that it can work with Hermes. The panel advises evaluating UI libraries against a project’s design needs and notes that Microsoft contributes to Windows support and React Native tooling.

Asked about React Native’s future and Airbnb’s departure, the panel says Airbnb’s experience reflected its native team and integration needs, and that the framework and integration options have since changed. Panelists point to Facebook, Microsoft, and less visible production apps as evidence of continued adoption. The closing view is that the new architecture and enterprise involvement could support further growth.