When it comes to cross-platform app development, Xamarin and React-Native are counted as the best framework to work with.
But the question arises:
- What’s the difference?
- What’s the similarity?
- Which one is a better fit for your project?
Today, we are here to discuss all these things to compare Xamarin and React Native. We hope you find this useful and able to pick a resourceful cross-platform app development framework.
Let’s go!
Table of Contents
A Comprehensive Comparison Between Xamarin and React Native
Before diving deep into the comparison session, let’s see how cross-platform mobile app development could help you.
As per Statista, more than 98% of smartphone users worldwide use iOS or Android as their main OS. Where 2.22 million apps available on the Apple App Store, and 3.48 million are available on Google Play Store during the 1st quarter of 2021.
Image Source: Statista
Subsequently, it’s an excellent idea for business leaders to satisfy users with flexibility using both platforms(Android & iOS) instead of prioritizing one. Since there are various benefits of cross-platform app development, including:
- Reduces time to market.
- Broader market reach.
- Allows reusing of codes.
- Quick and cost-effective development.
- Brand consistency.
- Support multiple platforms.
You should head into cross-platform development, but which technology you should use – Xamarin or React Native, might create confusion.
But don’t worry, this won’t happen to you. As we have mentioned earlier, this blog belongs to the comparison of Xamarin VS React Native. So after reading the complete blog, there would be no way of confusion besides it will help you understand the underlying principles of each platform in brief.
Let’s analyze each mobile framework one-by-one with its pros and cons:
1. React Native
Brief History of React Native
Launched by Facebook, React Native came into play in 2015 with many application development features. Since it is an open-source mobile development framework, many developers find it helpful to deal with JavaScript and derivatives like JSX. Thus, it is easy to create a fancy yet standard app using React.
Pros of Using React Native
- It’s open-source and free with Facebook’s support.
- Easy iteration for JavaScript developers.
- Impressive user experience; all credits go to the interaction with native controllers.
- A pool of easy-to-use features, modules, and components.
- Code reuse benefits.
- A single code base.
- Hot reloading, allowing to receive live feedback on the changes made.
- Huge community backing.
- Relatively faster app development and app delivery when compared with some other tools.
- Offer near-native performance via direct access to native APIs.
Cons of React Native
- Struggling interaction with some native elements.
- Lack of backing for all APIs, which may lead to custom coding.
- For CPU-heavy apps, it may encounter performance drops.
- Since initially it was created for iOS, it requires more attention to include better Android features.
Top Companies Using React Native
2. Xamarin
Brief History of Xamarin
Xamarin came across as one of the major players in building cross-platform mobile apps. It was a San Francisco-based company founded in 2011 and was acquired by Microsoft in 2006.
Pros of Xamarin
- Backed by Microsoft.
- Easy to share codes across various platforms.
- Performance metrics are high, way similar to Java, Swift or and Objective-C for mobile app development.
- Loaded with a vast library of learning/support resources, it allows timely and easy onboarding.
- It includes various testing and QA features for multiple devices.
- It has a complete development ecosystem with its own IDE, analytics modules, and distribution.
Cons of Xamarin
- Open-source framework with limited access.
- It confronts compatibility issues with some of the open-source libraries.
- Delayed support for updates.
- Their free version is insufficient for some commercial projects.
Top Companies Using Xamarin
Side-by-Side Difference Between Xamarin and React Native
To establish a reliable comparison, we will differentiate them in a set of measures for the evaluation:
1. Popularity
As of 2020, Statista states 42% of developers used React Native in their cross-platform app development projects, whereas Xamarin was used by 14% of developers.
Winner: React Native
2. Portability
React Native supports iOS, Android, Windows Phone, whereas Xamarin supports iOS, Android, Windows, Mac OS. In this way, the Portability advantage goes to none other than Xamarin.
Winner: Xamarin
3. Performance
You will receive a performance advantage while using Xamarin as your cross-platformer technology instead of technology like React Native, mainly due to C# being a compiler language.
Winner: Xamarin
4. Documentation
The documentation part of React Native is regularly updated and maintained by Facebook. For newbies or even experienced professionals, you have many reference guides, video tutorials, and discussion forums to learn everything about the RN.
Moreover, please check out their latest published blogs if you are curious to know new updates and features.
When it comes to Xamarin, they also share detailed step-by-step documentation for its components, features, and more. In addition, newbie developers can access its example apps and feature samples to kick start the app development journey. Even to have expert training, you can join Xamarin University.
Winner: Tie
5. Code Reuse
With the RN framework, developers merely need to write their code once, and it is super easy to share across both Android and iOS. Of course, this principle is also applicable to Xamarin too, meaning no more writing codes twice to handle two platforms.
Winner: Tie
6. Productivity
To make the development process even better, the release of React Native allows fast installation. But, the installation process of Xamarin takes long hours as it involves installing Visual Studio.
Winner: React Native
7. Development Languages
With the power of JavaScript, React Native made it possible for you to iterate faster. Whereas, Xamarin uses .Net languages, such as F#, C#, making it easy to learn.
As per TIOBE Programming Community Index, JavaScript holds 7th position, and C# is winning the race withholding the 5th position for the race of popular programming language worldwide as of June 2021.
Winner: Xamarin
8. Modern Development Capabilities
The rapid code delivery of RN allows businesses to gain a competitive edge and the opportunity to ship innovative products first to the market. The biggest reasons why the companies are choosing React Native as their main primary technology of choice for mobile development.
Since it is a JavaScript-based framework that offers more features and ultimately makes the development more convenient, it allows you to spend less time and resources on building the app on both platforms. Whereas, in Xamarin, some features like automatic restarting, instant updates, cold swapping code features are missing.
Winner: React Native
9. Lower Cost of Development
One critical business advantage of React Native is, the overall cost of building an app is less. It allows you to accomplish the same result as Native. Plus, It is faster with a smaller team and a lower HR and admin cost. They streamline the entire cost reduction. Furthermore, React Native is fully open source, easily accessible to anyone, and does not require any specific IDE.
Microsoft currently maintains Xamarin, and its pricing model is quite confusing. Yes, it is an open-source platform but with limited features. It will not cost you any fee for licensing, including for commercial use. Moreover, its subscription-based services are:
- ENTERPRISE: $1899per year
- BUSINESS: $999per year
- INDIE: $25per month
Winner: React Native
10. Huge Community Support
Thanks to the huge community behind React Native, which brings more reason to use this young framework. The best thing about it is constantly under active development. Both Facebook and the massive community behind React Native are constantly improving the framework.
You can also easily get help through different channels if you are facing issues with development. For example, React Native Community Q&A Facebook group, the Reactiflux Discord channel, the React Native Spectrum channel, and a few other company-based communities. Similarly, Xamarin is backed by Microsoft and has a strong community of contributors from over 3,600+ companies.
Winner: Tie
Xamarin vs. React Native: Tabular Comparison
| Xamarin | React Native | |
|
Popularity |
✅ |
|
|
Portability |
✅ |
|
|
Performance |
✅ |
|
|
Documentation |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Code Reuse |
✅ |
✅ |
|
Productivity |
✅ |
|
|
Development Languages |
✅ |
|
|
Lower Cost of Development |
✅ |
|
|
Huge Community Support |
✅ |
✅ |
| Modern Development Capabilities |
✅ |
Closing Words!
While looking at Xamarin vs. React Native, we found similarities and differences between the two cross-platform mobile apps development frameworks.
However, the majority of times, React Native is the winner in the comprehensive comparison. Also, if you prioritize performance and learning curve over other factors, Xamarin comes into play.
Do you know the difference between Flutter and React Native?
FAQs
Q1: Should I learn React Native or Xamarin?
A1: Both the app development framework is ideal for learning in 2021. Because communities surrounding both technologies are enormous, so you don’t have to worry about a situation when you run into a case of a problem. Many experts can answer your concerns and help you in getting out of them.
Moreover, as of 2020, Statista states 42% of developers used React Native in their cross-platform app development projects, whereas Xamarin was used by 14% of developers. So, looking at the popularity, you can go with React Native.
Q2: Is React Native better than Xamarin?
A2: While using React Native or Xamarin for a cross-platform app, you don’t have to rewrite the code for when you are trying to access something on the local database, and you are trying to send a request to a back-end server. You need to write a single app but distribute it on multiple platforms.
Q3: Is React Native dead?
A3: No, it is not going to die. As of 2020, around 42% of software developers with big companies like Facebook, Instagram, Flipkart, Pinterest, etc., are using React Native.
