Progressive Web Apps vs React Native: What any CTO Needs to Know

Most mobile web developers are shifting from making native mobile apps to either progressive web apps(PWAs) or react native web app development. Chief Technical Officers (CTO) are trying to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of the two alternative applications that seem to be taking over the market. However, understanding how progressive web applications and react native apps (in the familiar guise of native apps) work can be tricky at first attempt.

The mobile application market that has emerged over the past decade has essentially created a new industry altogether. Earlier, games and applications had to all be inbuilt, and then came native apps which blended in easily with existing hardware. However, today, there is a movement away from these types of apps and react native or progressive web app developers are introducing new apps to the market. If you are a CTO who is confused about which direction to follow in these changing times, here are some of the basics that you can start with.

What are progressive apps

A PWA combines the world of the world wide web and that of mobile applications. Progressive web app developers essentially use contemporary web expertise to create a user experience that is similar to using mobile applications. They start by developing browser tabs which are then nuanced in order to create an app-like experience that retains the low friction qualities of a web page.

PWA sare usually written on Angular or React and are responsive apps that are compatible with all devices.However, on certain operating systems such as Android and Windows, these PWAs can interact with native hardware. PWAs are, more than anything else, an entirely new approach to the process of developing mobile applications. As a CTO, you would have to hire a talented progressive web app developer to join the team. Being different in its development but providing a user experience which is familiar is a great tactic to break into and take over the market.

What are react native apps

A react native app brings the features of react apps and native apps together. While the development of the app itself has evolved from native methods, the user experience is very similar to a native application. React native apps are not built on HTML5app or hybrid app, they are built using Javascript or React. However, what allows react native apps to retain the native experience is that the foundation stones are the same.

That is to say, that a react native app uses the same UI building blocks or components that would be used in native Android or iOS applications, but the monument is cemented using JavaScript or React. A react native app is an effort at combining the advantages of native and react applications. The development of the app using JavaScript or React automatically allows greater scope for nuance while the user experience remains smooth and the app behaves like a native one.

Advantages of progressive apps

·        Fast development- These applications are the quickest to develop and spend the shortest amount of time in the workshop. They are far quicker to bring to the market.

·        One codebase for all platforms- Progressive apps have one code base across all platforms such as Web, Android and iOS,

·        Multi-platform- They run on multiple platforms such as your tablet, mobile phone, laptop, etc.

·        No need for app store- PWAs don’t need to be launched on app stores which makes them more profitable since no one is taking a cut. Progressive web app developers have autonomous control over updates.

·        No installation- Since they are web based, PWAs don’t need to be installed.

·        Consistency in performance offline- They are designed to work on low quality networks and are cached offline in case you lose connectivity.

·        Secure- Progressive web applications are protected by TLS to make sure that no data from the app is tampered with.

·        Can be found easily- They are easily discoverable through searches on various search engines.

·        Re-engageable- They are very re-engageable through push notifications and other features

Read the blog- Key Skills of Successful Web Application Developers

Disadvantages of progressive apps

One big disadvantage of PWAs is that they are not compatible with Apple yet. A feature called ‘service workers’ is not supported by Apple. This feature is necessary to allow the app to adopt native qualities and in the absence of that they can’t run smoothly as a mobile application.

Advantages of react native apps

·        Easily replicable- They are easily replicable and once you have learnt it, you can write it anywhere.

·        Best of both- Since this is a marriage between react apps and native apps, it is possible to inject native code such as Objective-C and Java if it is necessary.

·        No recompiling- It is possible to run new code while retaining the original application shape due to hot reloading.

·        Better performance- Since this app runs in JS runtime, it is better than any hybrid app or any WebView based application.

Read the blog- Why are Xamarin and React Native Among the Best Platforms for Enterprise Mobility Solutions?

Disadvantages of react native apps

·        New in market- Not enough people are willing to accept this as a reliable method of mobile application development. However, it has received support from industry giants including Facebook and AirBnB.

·        Network traffic- The network traffic doesn’t show up in the developer tools on Chrome since all network APIs are polyfilled. It is relatively more difficult to debug network traffic.

·        Different code- it is not possible to share the same code between Android and iOS devices.

Conclusion-

From the lists outlined above, it may appear the PWAs have more advantages than disadvantages than react native apps. However, it is not the quantity which should be the deciding factor. If you are leaning more towards PWAs, then as a CTO you need to consider if losing the Apple market is a cost that you are willing to bear.

Similarly, if you are leaning more towards react native apps you must take into account if gaining the Apple market is enough reward for a longer development process. Ultimately, only after conducting due market research will you be able to decide between progressive web apps and react native apps depending on what your priorities in the market are.