React And React Native: Siblings, Not Twins

Chandler describes React and React Native as similar but distinct, like sisters rather than twins. Reusable components, props, JSX, state management, and the wider library ecosystem carry over. React Native also means building for iOS and Android, with Xcode and Android Studio useful for troubleshooting; Expo can help build apps without setting up those environments.

Instead of testing changes in a browser, developers run the app in an iOS simulator or Android virtual device, or connect a physical phone. React Native uses components such as View and Text in place of common web elements, and its component names are capitalized. Styling uses JavaScript through StyleSheet or CSS-in-JS libraries, with Flexbox.

Chandler highlights ActivityIndicator for loading, ScrollView for scrolling, and FlatList for rendering data from an array. The Platform object supports platform-specific configuration, while AsyncStorage provides temporary local storage and Redux Persist can retain Redux data. React Navigation handles movement between screens using a stack.

React Native upgrades must account for changes in React, iOS, and Android; Chandler recommends the upgrade command and Upgrade Helper to review version differences. She notes that components including WebView, ImagePicker, Geolocation, and AsyncStorage have moved from core to community packages. Mobile release involves Apple and Google processes: TestFlight supports iOS beta testing, while Google Play Console offers internal, open, and closed testing.