ReactJs Vs React Native Vs React VR: Differences Explained

Even though these technologies belong to same parents with similar names and technology backbone; they still stand miles apart from each other. How?  

In this article, we are going to talk about these differences and how can they benefit your business for app development. 

Let’s begin with the basics of these technologies: 

Everything React: What is React?

React is one of the most common amongst mobile and web applications. Today, every brand seems to be exploring new options in order to create virtual reality experiences & are finding React VR quite a suitable option. This is indeed true. 

Till now, every one of us was aware that React is used by many popular brands like Facebook, Instagram, Netflix and many others, however, the same libraries and frameworks are used for a variety of tasks. The purpose of writing this piece of article is to get you through the major differences that I have encountered as a React developer who has multiple skills to use React-native & has built a few native applications using ReactJs. I also have worked with React VR. So, I will be able to explain you these different versions of React family. 

Let’s go deeper. 

Basic Understanding

While many of you must have an idea about these three technologies, there are a few people who do not have knowledge about them. 

To begin with, ReactJs is created by Facebook & maintained by a large pool of independent programmers and developers to make it high-performing and dynamic Javascript libraries. 

React Native has been launched around 4 years ago & became one of the most used Javascript frameworks as it may be used for Android & it even allows individuals to build cross-platform mobile applications. 

Talking about React VR, it is quite similar to React Native as both of them have common set of advantages. One main advantage of React VR is that it allows the web programmers & developers to leverage their expertise & allow them to apply it to the new surroundings. This technology has offered a lot of flexibility to the multiple enterprises and businesses. 

Let’s dive deeper into each one of them.

Also Read: Top React Development Companies in India

React Js

ReactJs  usually referred to as React or React.js. It is the most famous front-end Javascript libraries that is responsible for rendering the UI components. React gives support for both the front-end and server-side. 

As per statistics, ReactJs is the most popular Javascript library used by the developers and programmers alike. 

What are the business advantages of using ReactJs?

• It is SEO friendly: One of the difficult challenges faced by many of the JavaScript frameworks is, they are not search engine friendly. From the past few years, there has been some tremendous improvement in this particular area. One of the best parts of React js is that it stands out of this category. React js is able to run on the server and DOM would be accomplished & returned to the browser as a simple web page.

• It is extremely efficient: React js develops its own DOM (virtual) where different components live. This amazing sort of approach gives a programmer an incredible performance and high affability gains. Since, React js calculates the desired change in DOM in advance & updates the DOM-trees accordingly.

• Quite easy to learn: We must clearly understand that React is NOT a framework, but a library that is constantly used in synchronization with other Javascript libraries. Therefore, there is a short learning curve that is involved in learning React compared to the other comprehensive libraries. Businesses, hence, are able to streamline the development without spending huge capital on the current existing system. 

In the image below, it can be clearly seen that the ReactJs advantages clearly outweigh the disadvantages: 

React Native

As per the statistics, it is noticed that by the year 2020, mobile apps are set to generate around USD 188.9 billion in global trends via in-app advertising and app stores. That is really a huge opportunity for the businesses. React Native is the best solution at your disposal.

React Native is one of the best and most exciting tools for building native applications by using a popular language ie Javascript. React Native makes use of a set of mobile-tailored components carried by React package. 

What are the business advantages of using React Native?

• High efficiency: React Native is known for bringing incredible movability and effectiveness of web development to smartphone. React Native utilizes Facebook's React Javascript library for the UIs. The upsides of React, similar to a virtual DOM and high performance are with React Native also. To clarify how React Native gives high effectiveness, we can give you an example: React Native may interface with the third party modules so that you may utilize the gadget's own functionality and likewise the sensors like gyroscope and accelerometer.

• Offers reusability: React Native was at first created by Facebook so as to structure the UI of the mobile application. In the beginning stage, React Native just worked with iOS. In any case, presently it can even make mobile UIs for Androids. As other hybrid mobile applications use webview elements, React Native utilizes native components that compile legitimately to the gadget's very own machine language.

• Easy to learn: If someone has a basic knowledge of Javascript, then React Native is quite easy to learn as it allows most of the front-end web developers to become mobile developers. You only need to have a little knowledge about some native UI elements like platform APIs, Javascript and you are all set. 

React Native is everything about bringing high speed, agility and responsiveness of web app development with the best user experience to hybrid space in order to provide the users with a native application experience. 

React VR

React VR is a Javascript library that makes it possible for individuals to build interactive UIs for the VR based web applications. With the same react design, it lets you develop various experiences and 3D scenes in VR. 

The main purpose of React VR is not at all meant to create complex VR games, it’s primary focus is on panoramas rendered & 3D scenes in VR. Hence, it lets you merge 360 degree images with the user interfaces & text to produce eye-catchy & brand new scenes. 

What are the business advantages of using React VR?

• React VR is open source and free to use, hence, VR development is quite less expensive if you need to build basic 3D scenes. 

• Expanding the toolset with Javascript and React in order to offer a huge range of services to the customers.

• React VR is a continuity of React Native, that lets the individuals to reuse the code in different places and extending it for 3D. 

How React VR, React Native and ReactJS work together?

The React ecosystem works as follows:

• React VR is a new library that may be embedded into the existing applications through the user interfaces in VR. React VR is one of the favourable choices when it comes to the VR app development as it eliminates all the difficulties that the businesses/companies come across when they develop VR applications. 

• React Native focusses to build native applications for Android as well as iOS through native components. 

• React/ReactJs is mainly responsible for the UI elements & its original library targets browser based web apps. 

Summary

React seems to be a perfect development kit for virtual reality applications, mobile apps and websites. The community of React is quite big and it seems to be growing more with each passing year. This means, React is not going away soon. Hence, if you are a business owner or running a startup, you can consider using React for developing any type of application. Trust me, giving it a try won’t hurt your pocket. 

If you are keen in knowing what other things can be gained with React, hire react developers from a renowned and reputed React app development company that can provide you robust, scalable and affordable React app development services.