Advanced Guide to React Native: In-Depth Topics and Optimization Techniques

This guidebook on React Native, written by @anisurrahman072, offers an extensive look into more than 70 advanced topics in the field. The book is structured into 12 chapters and maintains a focus on RN v0.71.

Ultimate Guides for React Native Development

Each chapter in the book is titled as the "Ultimate Guide" on various React Native topics, ensuring that readers receive comprehensive information and instructions for each subject.

Chapter 001: New Architecture

The first chapter dives deep into React Native's new architecture, covering:

  • Codegen: For generating native code.
  • JSI (JavaScript Interface): Improves communication between JavaScript and native code.
  • Hermes Engine: A new JavaScript compiler aimed at improving performance.
  • Turbo Modules: Represent the next generation of native modules.
  • Fabric: A new rendering engine for React Native.
  • Yoga: A cross-platform layout engine that React Native uses for UI layout.

Chapter 002: Debugging and Optimization

The book continues with a guide on debugging and profiling, where readers can learn about:

  • Development menus for iOS and Android.
  • Chrome Dev Tools and Performance Monitor.
  • Understanding React Native's four threads.
  • Using Flipper for JavaScript context tracking.
  • Profiling tools in Xcode Instruments for iOS.
  • Android Profiler in Android Studio for Android app profiling.

Chapter 003: Component Testing with RNTL and Jest

The third chapter focuses on testing in React Native, highlighting the React Native Testing Library (RNTL) and Jest configurations. It discusses:

  • Various APIs for rendering, user events, firing events, etc.
  • Functionality of jest.fn() and jest.mock() for mocking behaviors.
  • Testing strategies for host and composite components.

Chapter 004: Hermes & Static Hermes

This chapter provides insights into:

  • Bundle release procedures and the relationship between the bundle and Hermes.
  • What Hermes bytecode (.hbc) is and how to enable the Hermes engine.
  • Instructions for enabling Hermes in older React Native versions and what Static Hermes entails.

Chapter 005: Enabling New Architecture

An important guide for enabling the new architecture, including:

  • Setting up the development environment.
  • Npx commands for both Android and iOS platforms.
  • Confirming the action of the new architecture within projects.

Chapter 006: Performance Optimization

Further, the guidebook discusses several strategies to optimize React Native performance such as:

  • The use of the new architecture and specific components like FlatList and SectionList.
  • Tips to avoid unnecessary console logs, implement cache mechanisms, and optimize images and animations.
  • Memory usage monitoring and navigation optimization practices.

Chapter 007: Virtualization Optimization

This chapter offers advice on how to optimize the virtualization of lists in React Native through:

  • VirtualizedList, FlatList, SectionList, and ScrollView optimizations.

Chapter 008: FlashList Optimization

It introduces FlashList and cell re-cycling as a performance-enhancing technique, discussing:

  • The RecyclerListView component.
  • How cell re-cycling differs from blank cells.
  • Effective implementation and performance monitoring of FlashList.

Chapter 009: Nested Virtualization Anti-Patterns

The book addresses common issues with nested virtualization and provides:

  • Explanations of the nested VirtualizedLists error.
  • Solutions to anti-pattern problems.

Chapter 010: Component Call Anti-Patterns

This chapter sheds light on best practices for component calls, detailing:

  • The differences between functional and React-specific ways of component calling.
  • Analysis of common errors and violations of React Hooks rules.

Chapter 011: In-App Purchase Guides

An invaluable resource for implementing in-app purchases, with topics like:

  • The basic flow of payment gateways.
  • Testing and implementation instructions for both Google and iOS in-app purchases.

Chapter 012: High-Level Component Patterns

Lastly, the guide touches on high-level component patterns and custom hooks covering:

  • Higher Order Component and Render Props patterns.
  • Comparing custom hooks with HOCs.
  • Scenario-based usage of custom hooks in state management.

Anticipation for Future Content

The book teases upcoming guides on C++ and JSI modules for readers to look forward to.

Contributions and Endorsements

The guidebook encourages community engagement through contributions and pull requests for enhancing the content. It has received endorsements from figures within the React Native community, including names from the RN Radio Podcast and Callstack.

End note: This book is positioned as a helpful resource for intermediate to advanced developers looking to deepen their knowledge of React Native, optimize performance, and create robust applications.


Tags

  • #ReactNative
  • #AdvancedGuide
  • #PerformanceOptimization
  • #NewArchitecture

https://github.com/anisurrahman072/React-Native-Advanced-Guide

Explore the Exciting World of React Native at App.js Conf 2024

App.js Conf is returning to Kraków, Poland from May 22-24, 2024, offering a dynamic platform for experienced developers and newcomers alike to delve into the latest innovations in React Native and Expo. This vibrant conference is a must-attend event to learn about new techniques, optimizations, and to network with fellow enthusiasts from across Europe.

React Native: Pushing the Boundaries

React Native is renowned for transcending the traditional limitations of mobile app development. It enables developers to write code in JavaScript while still providing a seamless native user experience on both Android and iOS platforms. With its declarative nature, React Native has simplified the development process, making it more approachable and efficient.

Declarative Animations with Reanimated

Reanimated is a game-changing library that brings a declarative API to React Native animations. This means a more straightforward approach to creating animations, with a significant decrease in complexity. By defining what an animation should look like, Reanimated takes care of the rest, animating the styles and properties automatically.

High-Performance, Smooth Interactions

Performance is key in mobile applications, and Reanimated excels in this area. It allows developers to define animations using plain JavaScript, which then run natively on the UI thread by default. This translates to consistently smooth interactions and animations, exceeding 120 frames per second for a truly native feel and a superior user experience.

Feature-Rich Capabilities

Beyond simple views or image animations, Reanimated offers a wealth of features. It integrates with device sensors and keyboards, allowing for more innovative and immersive experiences. Its capabilities also extend to Layout Animations and shared element transitions across navigation screens, facilitating more complex and visually striking effects.

Code Snippets: Witness the Power of React Native

App.js Conf 2024 will showcase how React Native and Reanimated come together to create stunning, high-performance applications. Here are some tantalizing snippets:

Gestures with Ease

import { Gesture, GestureDetector } from "react-native-gesture-handler";
//...

Gesture integration with Reanimated makes for fluid, natural interactions within apps.

Seamless Layout Animations

function App() {
  //...
  return <Animated.View entering={FadeIn} exiting={FadeOut} />;
}

With just a few lines of code, views animate smoothly as they enter or leave the screen.

Sensor-Based Interactivity

const gyroscope = useAnimatedSensor(SensorType.GYROSCOPE);
//...

Connect animations to gyroscope or accelerometer sensors for engaging, responsive designs.

Keyboard-Aware Animations

React Native's power further unfolds with animations that adapt based on the device's keyboard state and position, allowing for a more intuitive user interface.

Shared Element Transitions

function App() {
  //...
  return <Animated.View sharedTransitionTag="hero-element" />;
}

Elevate user navigation through shared element transitions, animating elements seamlessly between screens.

Conclusion: A Conference Not to Be Missed

App.js Conf 2024 in Kraków is shaping up to be an essential meeting point for the React Native community, packed with learning opportunities and showcases of cutting-edge technology. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting, this conference is the perfect place to expand your skills, discover new possibilities, and be inspired by the vast potential that React Native has to offer.


Learn More:
For further information and to keep updated on the conference’s schedule and speakers, attendees are encouraged to read the latest article on Reanimated 3 and the future of React Native animations.


Tags: #ReactNative #AppjsConf2024 #Reanimated #MobileDevelopment

https://docs.swmansion.com/react-native-reanimated/

Implementing Design Tokens from Figma to React Native using Specify

Overview

Specify simplifies the way product teams work by automating the updating of design data, such as syncing design tokens and assets from Figma to React Native projects.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure you have:

  • Created a Specify account
  • Collected design data from Figma into a Specify repository

Specify's Functionality

Specify acts as a Design API that offers three main avenues for pulling design data:

  • Specify REST API
  • Specify CLI
  • Specify GitHub Application

Using the CLI

The Specify CLI allows for the extraction of design tokens and assets straight from your terminal or within a CI/CD pipeline.

Installation and Initialization

To implement the CLI, you must first install it using yarn and then initiate the configuration:

yarn global add @specifyapp/cli
specify init

Configuration Steps

Adjust the configuration to fulfill specific requirements, such as transforming design tokens into CSS Custom Properties, converting icons, and optimizing font files.

Sample Configuration for React Native

Here is a .specifyrc.json example that demonstrates how to configure Specify for a React Native project:

{
  "repository": "@acme-inc/all-design-data",
  "personalAccessToken": "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN",
  "rules": [
    {
      "name": "Design Tokens / Generate theme",
      "path": "./output/theme.ts",
      "filter": {"types": ["vector", "color", "font", "textStyle"]},
      "parsers": [{"name": "to-react-native", "options": {"colorFormat": "hex", "assetsFolderPath": {"vector": "assets/vector"}}}]
    },
    // ... additional rules for assets like vectors and fonts
  ]
}

Replace YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN with your actual token generated from the Specify repository.

Executing the Configuration

After finalizing the configuration, run the specify pull command to pull the repository data:

specify pull

Using the GitHub App

The Specify GitHub app automates the distribution of design tokens and assets by creating a Pull Request directly in your GitHub repositories whenever updates occur in your Specify repository.

Setup and Pull Request Creation

Setup entails adding a destination in your Specify repository and selecting the "React Native" template to integrate with a GitHub account and repository. Following that, a Pull Request is created automatically.

Conclusion

By utilizing Specify's tools, either through the CLI or GitHub app, developers can efficiently integrate and manage design tokens and assets in React Native projects, streamlining the development process and fostering team collaboration.

Tags: #ReactNative #Specify #DesignTokens #FigmaIntegration

https://specifyapp.com/blog/figma-to-react-native

React Native UI Kitten: A Comprehensive UI Solution

UI Kitten is a feature-rich React Native UI library designed for creating impressive cross-platform mobile applications. It leverages the Eva Design System to promote design consistency and scalability. The library provides a collection of general-purpose UI components which are styled uniformly. One of the key features is its dynamic theming capability, allowing for theme changes at runtime without the necessity to reload the application.

Key Features and Components

UI Kitten offers over 25 general-purpose components, including:

  • Theming System: Allows customization and real-time changes.
  • SVG Eva Icons support: Provides integration with Eva Icons.
  • Eva Design System Support: Ensures design coherence and scalability.
  • Comprehensive documentation: Guides users through the library's features.
  • Starter App: A Kitten Tricks react-native starter kit with over 40 screens in dark and light themes.

Getting Started

Start from Scratch

To start using UI Kitten in a new app, you can initialize your app with the UI Kitten template:

For JavaScript:

npx react-native init MyApp --template @ui-kitten/template-js

For TypeScript:

npx react-native init MyApp --template @ui-kitten/template-ts

Documentation and Support

Extensive documentation is available to help developers understand and implement UI Kitten's components and features. Additionally, UI Bakery, a platform designed to aid in building applications, further supports the use of UI Kitten.

Community Engagement

Developers can support the UI Kitten project through several avenues:

  • Star the GitHub repository.
  • Contribute to the project by creating pull requests, reporting bugs, and suggesting new features or documentation improvements.
  • Engage with the developers and community through social platforms such as Medium, Twitter, and Facebook.

Licensing

UI Kitten is 100% free and open-source, distributed under the MIT license.

More from Akveo

Beyond UI Kitten, Akveo provides Eva Icons and actively engages with the developer community through social media channels such as Twitter.

Conclusion

UI Kitten is an open-source library that simplifies the development of visually cohesive mobile applications. With its emphasis on a theming system, icon support, and comprehensive documentation, it empowers developers to build applications with a consistent design quickly. Its dynamic theming feature enhances the user experience by enabling theme changes without reloading the app. The active community and easy-to-follow documentation make UI Kitten an accessible and valuable tool for React Native developers.


Tags

  • #UIKitten
  • #ReactNative
  • #EvaDesignSystem
  • #MobileDevelopment

https://github.com/akveo/react-native-ui-kitten

Understanding the Importance of a Design System in Brand Consistency

Consistency Across Products

Design systems serve as comprehensive guides to maintain visual and functional harmony across various products of a brand. Without a design system, products built at different times, by different teams, and for different purposes can result in a disjointed appearance that can confuse users and dilute brand recognition.

Benefits of Design Systems

Time Savings and Efficiency

Using a design system can significantly accelerate the development process. By having a predefined set of design rules and components, teams can avoid starting from scratch for each project, ensuring faster and more efficient product development.

Decreased Errors

The standardization inherent in design systems can lead to a reduction in errors. With less variability, there's a decreased chance of design inconsistencies, leading to a more polished and professional end product.

Increased Satisfaction

Not only do design systems benefit the end-users by providing them with a coherent experience, but they also boost the satisfaction of the development and design teams. Clear guidelines and reusable components make the development process smoother and more enjoyable.

React Native and Design Systems

Applying a design system in React Native development brings the unique advantage of consistency across both iOS and Android platforms. This approach promotes a uniform app experience regardless of the device, enhancing the brand's coherent visual communication.

Specific Tools and Solutions

  • Storybook and Zeplin are collaboration applications that can facilitate the transition from designs to React Native code.
  • IcoMoon, Jest, and Styled-components are other tools that can be integrated within a React Native design system.
  • Patch-package and React-native-shadow address platform-specific difficulties, such as implementing custom shadow effects on Android devices where React Native's built-in capabilities fall short.
  • React-native-svg allows for the use of scalable vector graphics within React Native applications, essential for incorporating custom designs.

Documentation and Example Apps

To ensure that developers can make the best use of a design system, comprehensive documentation and example applications are crucial. These resources provide clear instructions on how to use the components and preserve design integrity.

Limitations in React Native

While React Native streamlines the development process, it does have its own set of challenges when it comes to design systems:

  • Dependency on Third-party Packages: Projects often rely on third-party packages, which can introduce complications if they are not well-maintained or fall out of compatibility with new updates.
  • Visual Regression Tests: Tools like Loki help with visual regression testing in React Native, which is essential for maintaining consistency, but can add complexity to the development workflow.
  • Complicated Charts: Implementing complex charts in React Native sometimes requires specific packages like victory-native, which might not always align perfectly with the design system.

Design Systems Beyond React Native

Netguru's experience extends beyond React Native to design systems implemented in React for web applications. Having the web and mobile platforms share the same design system fortifies the brand's consistency, ensuring that all components behave uniformly across different media.

The Power of a Design System

A design system is an invaluable tool for any organization looking to establish and maintain a strong, consistent brand identity. It simplifies the development process, reduces errors, and ensures that all products resonate with the brand's ethos, regardless of the platform.


Tags: #DesignSystem #BrandConsistency #ReactNative #MobileDevelopment #WebDevelopment

https://www.netguru.com/blog/design-systems-in-react-native

Carbon for React Native: A Guide to the Carbon Design System

Carbon Design System is an open-source design system created by IBM for digital products and experiences. It provides a collection of reusable components, guided by clear standards, that can be assembled together to build applications.

What is Carbon for React Native?

Carbon for React Native is an extension of the Carbon Design System tailored specifically for mobile application development using React Native. It enables developers to use Carbon's design philosophy and components within their mobile apps, ensuring consistency and efficiency in design.

Key Features of Carbon for React Native

Carbon for React Native offers several key features for developers who want to implement the Carbon Design System in their React Native applications:

  • Pre-built Components: A set of ready-to-use components that can be easily integrated into React Native applications.
  • Customizable Themes: Support for light and dark themes, with the ability to customize colors to fit your brand.
  • Icon Library: A comprehensive set of icons provided by '@carbon/icons', suitable for mobile interfaces.

Getting Started with Carbon for React Native

To start using Carbon for React Native, you should first install the package using a package manager like npm or Yarn:

npm install -S @carbon/react-native
# or
yarn add @carbon/react-native

For iOS applications, you need to run pod install inside the ios directory of your React Native project.

Additionally, you'll need to ensure the following dependencies are installed and up to date:

  • @carbon/themes
  • @carbon/icons
  • @carbon/icon-helpers
  • react-native-svg
  • react-native-webview

Recommended Settings and Configuration

Carbon for React Native recommends certain configuration settings, such as adding the font assets to the react-native.config.js file and setting android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustPan" in your Android app to improve user experience.

Usage: React Native Components and Theming

The Carbon for React Native package makes using components straightforward. For instance, to use a Button component, you would import and implement it as follows:

import { Button } from '@carbon/react-native';

<Button kind="primary" text="My Button" onPress={() => {}} />;

The system also includes functions to work with themes and colors:

import { getColor } from '@carbon/react-native';

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  example: {
    padding: 16,
    color: getColor('textPrimary'),
    backgroundColor: getColor('background'),
  },
});

Overriding Themes and Contributing

Carbon for React Native allows developers to override the default themes to customize color schemes and fonts according to their branding needs. Developers can also contribute to the system by following the Carbon Design System's contributing guide.

Licensing and Community

Carbon for React Native is released under the Apache-2.0 license, ensuring that it can be freely and reliably used in commercial projects. Furthermore, developers are welcome to the community and are encouraged to contribute. There is a continuous integration (CI) workflow in place to ensure that all contributions meet the required standards. Additionally, developers can chat and collaborate on Discord.

In summary, Carbon for React Native is a powerful tool for implementing the Carbon Design System in mobile applications, providing a wide range of components, customization options, and community support to create cohesive and user-friendly designs.


Tags: #CarbonDesignSystem, #ReactNative, #OpenSource, #UIComponents, #MobileDevelopment

https://github.com/carbon-design-system/carbon-react-native

Top React Native Chart Libraries for Enhanced Data Visualization in Mobile Apps

Data visualization plays a crucial role in understanding complex datasets, making it easier for users to comprehend and utilize data effectively. By using graphs, charts, diagrams, and interactive infographics, we can present data simply and understandably. One such technology offering excellent data visualization is React Native, a popular framework for creating superior user interfaces.

This blog post explores a selection of the most effective React Native chart libraries, complete with examples and benefits, that you can utilize in your mobile development projects.

Importance of Charts in Mobile Applications

In mobile apps, data visualization is not only a choice but a necessity. Converting data into an easy-to-understand format gives users a better engagement experience, transforming raw, and unorganized data into valuable insights.

Through this article, we’ll journey through the top React Native chart libraries to help you enhance user experiences in your app, making data more understandable and actionable.

Best React Native Chart Libraries for Mobile App Development

React Native Chart Kit

React Native Chart Kit

The React Native Chart Kit is an excellent library for creating engaging charts. It offers a variety of chart types, including bar, pie, progress, bezier line, and line charts. It is responsive, easy to integrate, and comes with variable color schemes.

GitHub Repository

Benefits of Using React Native Chart Kit

  • Instant development environment
  • Dynamic tappable toolkits
  • Simplified productivity tool
  • Exceptional visualization of charts

React Native SVG Charts

React Native SVG Charts

This library utilizes React-native-SVG for rendering its graphs. It supports most chart forms, including Line, Pie, YAxis, XAxis, StackedBarChart, StackedAreaChart, Area, and progress circle charts.

GitHub Repository

Benefits of Using React Native SVG Charts

  • Straightforward visualization project
  • Professional approach with maximum convenience
  • Native SVG support

React Native Charts Wrapper

For Android:
React Charts Wrapper for Android

For iOS:
Native Charts Wrapper for iOS

This open-source library supports both iOS and Android platforms. It offers a variety of supported chart types, like line, scatter, bubble, pie, and more.

GitHub Repository

Benefits of Using React Native Charts Wrapper

  • Suitable for beginners
  • Uses HTML5 Canvas elements
  • Easy to understand and implement
  • Provides JavaScript-specific library creation

Victory Native

Victory Chart

Victory Native is very well known for its composable and declarative API, making the creation of interactive data visualizations a breeze.

GitHub Repository
Documentation

Benefits of Using Victory Native

  • Easy and straightforward chart integration
  • Identical APIs for Android and iOS data generation
  • Simplified cross-platform charting

Other Noteworthy Libraries

  • React Native Pie Chart
  • React Native Responsive Line Chart
  • React Native E-charts Wrapper

Conclusion

All the libraries mentioned in this blog post are great tools for data visualization in React Native. Depending on your app’s needs and requirements, you can choose and experiment with the one that suits your project best. By embracing these frameworks, you can create clear, attractive, and helpful graphical representations of your data, enhancing the user experience of your mobile apps.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is the best chart library for react native?
  2. What are the libraries for charts in React?
  3. How do you implement a chart in react native?
  4. Can I use GraphQL with React Native?
  5. Should I use Axios or React Native?

Tags: #ReactNative #DataVisualization #MobileAppDevelopment #ChartLibraries

[Reference Link](https://webmobtech.com/blog/react-native-chart-libraries/)