Developing an app for your business on a single operating system is like opening just one window to see through your customers. Even so, spreading your business through numerous customers can give you humongous growth, but is a single operating system enough to reach the target users?
Looking at the present competitive scenario, mobile applications have proven to play a vital role in wide spreading businesses. Still, launching the app out of place will never be enough to establish a user base. It depends on the choice of mobile app development and your target audience.
This is why Cross-platform apps are an all-in-one solution for mobile users. It can be developed by minimizing the costs of hiring Android or iOS developers. To develop cross-platform applications, there are two main open-source platforms to choose from Kotlin or React Native.
However, making a wise decision on choosing the right platform is perplexing since both have pros and cons like other programs, don’t they?
Keeping that in mind, we are explaining here the basics, advantages, disadvantages, and use cases for you to choose an optimum cross-application development platform, whether it should be Kotlin or React Native.
What is Kotlin?
Kotlin is an open-source framework majorly used for Android app development. It utilizes JavaScript programming language to set up Integrated Development Environment (IDE), making it a preferable platform for Android app development.
As Kotlin uses Java language, codes become applicable to integrate into Kotlin projects by various Kotlin app development services without any hindrances. But, for developing an app project through Kotlin, enterprises need to hire Kotlin developers who can deliver enhanced functions and user interface in the application.
What is React Native?
Like Kotlin, React Native is also an open-source platform, but it is a Java framework introduced by Facebook. It combines both JavaScript and React (JavaScript library) that is widely used for developing native-app-like functions on individual iOS and Android.
There are various features of React Native, but the most advantageous factor by far is its reusability. The code templates of React are like ‘write once, use anywhere’, which means its codes can be implemented into any app development project. Because of this given benefit, there are several use cases of react native which will be showcased as you scroll further.
Kotlin Vs React Native: The Main Differences
| Kotlin | React Native |
| Kotlin is an open-source JS programming language | React Native is an open-source JS framework |
| Introduced by Jetbrains in 2018 | Introduced by Facebook in 2015 |
| New platform supported by Google | Platform since years that has been used by huge companies over the years |
| Progressing ecosystem | Matured ecosystem |
| Defined yet growing community support | Huge community support |
| Majorly used for Android app development | Highly preferable for multi-platform app development |
| Has a steep learning curve for Kotlin developers as it requires the knowledge of Java and Swift collectively | Easy to learn and adapt, especially for the web app developers |
Kotlin vs React Native Pros Cons – Which is Better?
Like other app development platforms, even Kotlin and React Native have their advantages and disadvantages. So what do you choose between best for app development and how much knowing various about Kotlin or React Native?
For this reason, we are briefing here the specific pros and cons of Kotlin and React Native.
What are the Pros of Kotlin Platform
- Interoperability: Kotlin is interoperable with Java as it utilizes byte code files that are operated on Java Virtual Machine.
- Effortless Integration: As Kotlin is an SDK (Software Development Kit) of Java, it allows code and modules to be shared mutually with the developers. Moreover, the codebase parts can also be migrated to other files as well.
- Quick Learning: Kotlin’s syntax is similar to other programming languages like Swift. Also, its syntax is concise enough to reduce the barrier in app development.
- Native UI/UX: Unlike React Native, Kotlin contains guidelines and API components for Kotlin developers to flexibly create and modify the UI/UX design.
What are the Cons of Kotlin Platform
- Beta version: Kotlin was introduced in 2018, which hasn’t been that long for its SDK to upgrade with different functionalities and the newest tools.
- Slower Build: While Kotlin is speedier than Java in terms of progressive builds, however, it becomes slow when it integrates a full build. This is because Kotlin has more expressive syntax than Java, resulting in slower compilation.
- Cannot Replace Java: Undoubtedly, Java and Kotlin are similar so it’s hard to distinguish between the two. Still, both have a thin line difference while shifting from one platform to another, especially from Kotlin to Java. In that view, you need to hire Kotlin app developers in such cases.
- Limited Community Support: Since it has been only a few years post-launch of Kotlin, its community will take time to extend its resources and simultaneously its developers for knowledge growth.
What are the Pros of React Native Platform
- Hot Reloading: One of the top features of React Native is hot reloading which allows developers to track code changes instantly. This speeds up the development process and facilitates quicker iterations.
- Large Community and Ecosystem: React Native was introduced in 2015. Since it has been years, it has had large community support and an extensive ecosystem, consisting of several libraries, components, and resources, making development more efficient for various functionalities.
- Performance: Due to effective connectivity between JavaScript and native layers, React Native fastens the performance by allowing the developers to modify codes under the UI/UX layers. Hence, this is also one of the use cases of React Native.
What are the Cons of React Native Platform
- Performance Limitations: While React Native offers good performance for most use cases, complex animations, and heavy computational tasks may not perform as well as fully native solutions.
- Platform Dependencies: React Native is highly suitable for native app development. However, as it utilizes third-party plugins and requires accessibility from other sources, these dependencies complicate the logic codes.
- Learning Curve: Despite being introduced years ago, it needs a strong knowledge of basic JavaScript and React Native combined. Hence, it is considered to have a steep learning curve.
- Limited Access to Device Features: React Native may have extensive community support, resources, and libraries, still, it is not compatible with some feature-specific devices to provide efficient native-like functionality.
Top App Ideas For Startups To Launch
What are the Use Cases of Kotlin
Android App Development
Due to Kotlin’s language consisting of expressive, precise, and safer codes, it provided modern features and interoperability, making it easy to adapt for Kotlin app development services to build a seamless Android app.
Back-End Development
Also known as server-side development, requires an agile platform that connects both sides, clients and the web servers for information exchange. To establish a safer application, it provides strong syntax and null safety, making codes maintainable.
Full-Stack Web Development
As the logic codes are shareable within the client and server sides, it can efficiently create web applications that can be also modified according to the need.
Cross-Platform App Development
As Kotlin enables code sharing through multiplatform, it benefits Kotlin developers to build and modify applications. These codes can be used for all operating systems like Android, iOS, Windows, and the web. With this advantage, the business models and logic codes can effectively integrate the functionalities. However, to do so, you need to hire Kotlin developers.
What are the Use Cases of React Native
Native App Development
One of the Prominent use cases of React Native is native app development by using native components to modify underlying UI elements on each platform without changing the UX design.
Progressive Web App Development
React Native allows developers to reuse code and components to build PWAs. By modifying and customizing the same codebase, React Native enables to development of customized apps that behave like native apps across different platforms making it one of the top features of React Native.
Prototyping MVPs
It is an essential use case of React Native in app development because it provides access to Minimum Viable Product (MVP) development that acts as a customer portal. It functions as a product display that contains a variety of products.
Reusable Code Templates
This is another top aspect of features of React Native. As this framework has a component-based structure, it contains general code templates that can be utilized for all system platforms such as iOS, Android, etc. The developer has to just rewrite the business logic codes and design structure to customize the app.
UI/UX Design
Through the resources and available code templates for modification, it simplifies the use cases of React Native on multiple platforms. Additionally, its extensive ecosystem of libraries and reloading features of React Native during development speed up the process effortlessly.
IOS Vs Android App Development: Which Is Right For Your Business?
Final Point to Add…
Choosing between Kotlin or React Native for app development is a spiraling thought making you puzzled to decide. However, if you look thoroughly, cross-platform app development is not a tricky thing unless it is developed with intricacy and with expert knowledge from side to side by the developers.
Still, keeping in view developing cross-platform apps, integrating React Native codes with Kotlin requires an equal understanding of features of React Native and Kotlin functionalities. For that, you need to hire Kotlin app developers in India who offers a wide range of Kotlin development services along with maintenance and support service.
Nevina Infotech has an expert team that can provide consultation in app development services with a perception from our experiences. In case you have any concerns regarding Kotlin or React Native, feel free to contact us anytime!
FAQs
Can you use Kotlin and React Native together?
Yes, absolutely! Kotlin and React Native together has the potential to provide ample advantages in developing cross-platform application. Given that React Native contains native modules using JavaScript, it supports Kotlin code for developing specific functionalities. It also provides libraries that are significant for integrating functionalities into a cross-platform app.
Which is easier? Kotlin or React Native?
Both app development platforms, Kotlin, and React Native, vary in their criteria. Whether it is Kotlin or React Native, both utilize JavaScript. However, Kotlin is a newly introduced JS programming language, whereas React Native being a JS framework provides extensive libraries for cross-platform apps. Hence, one of the use cases of React Native is its code reusability, making it easier than Kotlin.
Why choose Kotlin over React Native?
Kotlin platform that uses Java Virtual Machine (JVM) has access to basic JavaScript libraries, allowing code sharing with other developers. Whereas, React Native is a framework that requires separate codebases to maintain without any alterations so that it can be reused for other app development projects. Moreover, Kotlin permits native Android APIs, whereas React Native uses third-party libraries.
What is unique about React Native?
React Native being an open-source platform combines JavaScript and React programs in cross-platform app development. Consequently, it allows code sharing on a single template for effortless and faster app development. As a result, this also minimizes the cost and development cycle.
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