Introducing the React Native Builder

Sahu describes app development as graphic design, converting designs into React Native UI, and then adding business logic. He says designers and developers use different languages, so developers often rebuild the UI after the design is finished.

Builder X aims to let designers and developers work on the same codebase, with changes moving between the design tool and source code. Sahu demonstrates creating a screen with shapes, icons, and text, then editing it either visually or in code.

Designers can copy selected layers into VS Code or turn them into reusable symbols that can be imported into other screens. In a weather app example, a designer creates the interface and a developer adds API calls and an action listener to the project.

Sahu shows the weather app running on a device through Expo and says code changes in Builder X update the same files that Expo watches. He estimates developers could save around 50 percent of the time spent converting UI, and lists Flexbox, TypeScript, stylesheets, React web, and Flutter as planned additions.

Builder X was in closed alpha at the time of the talk. Sahu invited interested users to leave an email at BuilderX.io to request access and share feedback.