In the world of app development, React Native is among the most in-demand frameworks. It saves businesses money, effort, and time by letting them write the same code and use the same app on the Android and iOS platforms. However, in spite of the promise of the cross-platform experience, the reality lies in the apps being created and executed differently in Android and iOS. Whether you are having an app created by a company involved in the building of apps in React Native or by hiring expert React Native app developers, you are required to learn about the significant differences.

In this blog, we are going to discuss four major differences in Android and iOS development while working in React Native so you can make the most appropriate decisions in starting your mobile app project.

1. User Interface (UI) Design and Behavior

The user interface (UI) is the first thing users notice when they use a mobile app, and the building process of the app in React Native must accommodate platform-specific UI differences.

UI Guidelines: Android vs. iOS

• Android: It follows the Material Design, incorporating flat design elements, bold colors, and smooth animation. It also uses the bottom navigation and drawer, among others.
• iOS: On the other hand, utilizes the Human Interface Guidelines by Apple, placing an emphasis on clarity, deference, and depth. The typical navigation uses a tab bar or navigation bar, and the transition and design are sleeker and less cluttered.

When working with a company developing in React Native, the developers will typically build different components for Android and iOS to maintain the app's conformity to the respective platform's design conventions. Even if the UI components are shared between the different platforms through the use of React Native, customizations are required to provide the app's native feel to each platform.

If you're interested in having a smooth experience both in Android and iOS, you could think about hiring React Native developers who could focus solely on such UI customizations to produce the optimum.

2. Performance Optimization and Native Modules

Although React Native permits you to write most of your app's code only once and run it on both platforms, some tasks dealing with performance are platform-specific. This comprises the integration of native modules and the optimization of the app's performance.

Platform-Specific Performance:

• Android: Since Android phones are so heterogeneous in specifications, optimization in terms of performance comes into the picture. Android's heterogeneous hardware configurations and the underpinnings in the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) architecture typically cause the performance of React Native to trail the performance of iOS.
• iOS: iOS offers a less cluttered coding environment and less device variability. The apps in React Native run smoother in the case of iOS because of the company's standardized hardware and software infrastructure.

A React Native app company shall normally employ platform-specific optimization strategies, such as custom native modules, to optimize the app speed, memory, and CPU efficiency. Your hired React Native developers shall fully assess each platform's requirements and utilize customized solution strategies to support Android and iOS.

3. Native Characteristics and APIs Incorporation

Integrating native functionalities into the app in the building process is a crucial aspect. Android and iOS both offer a lot of built-in APIs through which you are able to obtain access to functionalities like the camera, location, notifications, and so forth. The APIs, nonetheless, vary between the two and could require alterations in the app building.

Differences in Native APIs

• Android: Android provides support for Google Maps, Firebase Cloud Messaging, and other device sensors by making use of APIs. More involved handling, in the case of background tasks and push notifications, is required in Android, most notably in the area of battery use and permission handling.
• iOS: iOS also comes with its own suite of APIs, including Apple Maps and the Apple Push Notification Service (APNS), optimized to run on iOS devices. Apple also implements tighter app permissions, so you have to control them in a careful manner.

To ensure smooth integration into the respective local functionalities in the respective platforms, the company developing the app using React Native shall use the bridging mechanism in React Native to interact with the local APIs. You ought to seek experience in dealing with the above-mentioned local integration if you are hiring React Native developers.

4. App deployment and distribution

Once your app is built in React Native, deployment and distribution are the most critical tasks. Android and iOS each publish apps to their respective app stores through different mechanisms, and the differences in the processes are what impact the overall development timeframe.

App Store and Google Play Store Submission

• Android: The Google Play Store offers a less restrictive submission model, less restrictive in content. It offers the mechanism to publish updates in a timely fashion, and the app gets updated more frequently. Google Play Store approval, however, takes some time.
• iOS: The submission process in the Apple App Store is tighter. Apple requires a rigorous examination, and apps are expected to be compliant in terms of design, functionality, and how they uphold users' privacy. This equates to longer approval and tighter scrutiny.

While iOS apps may call for greater lead time owing to the approval process, Android apps may be updated more regularly. If you intend to engage React Native developers, make sure they are knowledgeable with app store submission criteria for both platforms and will readily help your project through the process.

Conclusion: Maximizing the Potential of React Native for Android and iOS

While React Native offers the tools to build apps to run on multiple platforms, to build an app to run flawlessly on the Android and iOS platforms, you are required to think about the differences between the two. From UI customization to optimization and integration of the native components, there are some significant differences to think about to turn your app into a success.

Whether you’re hiring a company to build a React Native app or hiring dedicated developers in React Native, ensure they are qualified to combat the platform-specific problems. This way, you’ll be in a position to offer a quality app to satisfy the needs of both Android and iOS users.

For businesses keen to capture the promise of React Native, partnering with a quality React Native app company is an investment you will see a return in the form of quicker time-to-market, reduced app development costs, and improved experience in both platforms. Ready to build your app by making use of React Native? Contact a leading provider of React Native app development services and see your dream become a reality.