Exploring React Native Libraries and Tools for 2023 Development

React is one of the most used javascript libraries among developers who wants to build a scalable and robust mobile application. It will continue to flourish in the coming years, owing to the advancement and innovations.

The React ecosystem comprises multiple components including tools, libraries, databases, and others. These components are essential for developers to create a full-fledged application. However, it’s a bit daunting to select the best combination of tools and libraries to deploy in your next project.

Therefore, we have compiled a list of the best React Native tool & libraries for you, so you can make a strategic and informed decision without compromising on quality.

Overview of React Native Ecosystem

It’s a well-known fact that React Native is a popular front-end, open-source framework, managed by Facebook and the community for developers to build interactive UI for web applications.

Unlike other frameworks, React Native has typically a more advanced dashboard UI. Since it is backed by Facebook, the developers don’t need to worry about its ability to manage complex codings. The easy render and view components option is what makes React Native more advanced when compared with other frameworks.

Moving to React Native ecosystem is a collection of frameworks, tools, libraries, and other resources for developers to create a web application.

Top React Native Libraries To Explore in 2023

1. NativeBase

NativeBase is a mobile-first library that is used to build a consistent design system across platforms like iOS, Android, and the web. It is an open-source user interface library that helps developers with components like cards, buttons input files, and more. It is like a CSS framework for creating mobile applications with React Native. Developers can get pre-built styles as per their needs. NativeBase can boost your development speed significantly since you don’t need to create the basic requirements like cards, buttons, and lists from scratch. This facility can be of more use when you are working on an extensive app, by saving your time, and effort, and boosting your productivity.

2. Redux

Redux library comes to the rescue when developers are working on a complex app with more components or if the numbers are to be increased in the future. It is basically used to manage the state, and by state management, the data scattered everywhere can be placed in a systematic manner.

Now, the technical part: Redux centrally places the state that is usually contained in the store, now this state defines the UI and the UI triggers the actions. After the triggering of the action, it is sent to the reducer, where the reducer calculates the new state based on the action as an input and sends the updated state to the store.

3. React Native Elements

React Native Elements is one the simplest and oldest React Native libraries to exist. It is a cross-platform user interface toolkit that uses material design.

This library offers a basic structure using its inbuilt component rather than providing opinionated designs which gives developers more control to customize the application. React Native Elements allows developers to go through multiple packages, that include modules, like divider, search bar, and others.

These packages are pre-built to assist developers in mobile app development. Developers can easily customize these components as per their needs. You can install React Native elements in two ways, the first is by using NPM and the second is by using Yarn.

4. Axios

Axios is a widely-known javascript library used to make HTTP requests in React Native apps. It helps developers to perform CRUD and other operations by sending asynchronous HTTP requests to REST APIs.

Axios is supported by many old browsers as well as it automatically signifies the data when you send a request, while you have to do it manually with others. It also has better error-handling capacities when compared to other APIs like fetch.

Axios further provides cross-platform compatibility that allows you to use a single HTTP request with React Native and the server-side Node.js. Moreover, it can handle request cancellations with ease and saves time, thus boosting efficiency.

5. React Native Vector Icon

I’m guessing that no one has ever seen an application without icons, stating how important it is for the visual satisfaction of your user. This is why we have a dedicated icon library from React Native, that allows you to add icons in your React Native application.

The application has around 3000 icons to choose from, and the developers can use and customize them as and when required. Not just this, you also get to make your own icons in case the present ones don’t satisfy your needs.

React Native Vector Icons are used by many popular UI libraries, such as React Native Paper, Magnus UI, and React Native Elements.

Top React Native Tools To Explore in 2023

1. Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio Code is among the most popular React Native tools out there. It is one of the most used IDE in React Native development and works on multiple platforms, like iOS, Android, Linux, and Windows.

Visual Studio Code has been written in programming languages like CSS, TypeScript, and JavaScript. It is an open-source, powerful, and free code editor.

Furthermore, it also has some built-in features like built-in Git commands, debugging codes, languages, smart coding with intelligence, extensible themes, and more.

2. Rectotron

Rectotron is a free desktop-supporting app used to inspect React Native applications like iOS, Android, Linux, and Windows. It also monitors API requests as well as responses.

Moreover, Reactotron tracks unexpected error events and dispatch action as well as keeps a check on Redux store interaction with the React Native app. Apart from inspection, it also performs debugging and monitoring tasks for your code.

The best part of Reactotron is that it automatically performs all these actions, thereby saving a lot of time for the developer and boosting the efficiency of the app development.

3. Nuclide

Nuclide is another free and open-source React Native development tool that is widely popular among developers. This tool can edit React Native elements on a real-time basis.

Nuclide can also have an inspection and debugging feature to assist the developer in the development process. The tool comes with important features like quick open, context view, health statistics, working sets, task runner, a debugger, remote development, etc.

All these features collectively aid in building a scalable and powerful React Native application. Nuclide is backed by Facebook and a large community of developers and is proven helpful for developers during tough times.

4. Webstorm

Webstorm is a simple and robust IDE for React Native development. This tool helps developers in writing high-quality code within no time regardless of the complexity of the project.

Webstrom can help with front-end development as well as back-end development with Node.js. Apart from React Native, it supports other technologies as well and helps the developers by saving their time in setting the environment and directly getting them to work.

Moreover, Webstrom provides a code completion feature for Flow and React Symbols. For React Native, this code completion works for React-specific attributes, React Methods, React events, HTML tags & components name, and others.

5. Atom

Atom is a popular open-source, free text editor known for its easy approach and hackability. Launched in 2014 by Github, it supports Mac, Linux, and Windows.

Atom allows developers to select multiple open-source libraries to create and customize the components by adding more functionality and features to them.

Atom provides the following services: Cross-platform editing, bespoke designs & themes, an in-built package manager, and navigation of multiple files via a single window.

These were some of the best tools and libraries of React Native. It might seem intriguing at first but it gets better once you get a hold of it. However, if you want to build your app from the hands and experience of the experts, I’ll suggest you hire a React Native developer for the same.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

React Native has been successful in building up a positive reputation for itself in the development industry. This is all because of the intuitive features and customization it allows the developers to play with. It doesn’t matter if you are just getting started with React Native or if you are a well-established developer in the field, these above-mentioned tools and libraries are going to help you in easing out the whole development process. Also, in case of any professional expertise, you can contact Protonshub Technologies, the best React Native development company to assist you.