With over 1.6k active contributors constantly working to improve and advance React Native, the potential of this powerful framework has not gone unnoticed by developers looking to make a name in the world of cross-platform app development.

The large and dedicated community of contributors is constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible with React Native, making it an increasingly attractive option for building high-performance, user-friendly, and visually appealing applications.

Despite the numerous advantages and opportunities that this framework offers, the React Native app development process is not completed without challenges. At the ground level, developers may encounter a multitude of obstacles that can impede progress and impact the quality of the final product.

Here in this blog, we will discuss some of the limitations and inconsistencies faced by React Native developers.

Let’s get started!

Limitations Faced While Developing Mobile App By Using React Native

1.   Requires Expertise of Native App Developers

Although React Native is intended for cross-platform app development, sometimes it requires the expertise of native app developers as well. This need could happen when you want to create a mobile app with dynamic functionalities.

2.   iOS App Development Is Particularly Difficult

iOS app development can be particularly difficult when it comes to React Native app development for a number of reasons.

• iOS has a strict App Store review process which can make it more difficult to get an app approved for the App Store. That’s why developers may need to put in extra effort to ensure that their app meets the guidelines and passes the review process.
• Accessing certain device features such as the camera, microphone, and sensors can be more difficult with React Native on iOS because it requires additional configurations and permission settings.
• The iOS ecosystem is generally more tightly controlled by Apple, which may make it harder to find solutions to troubleshoot issues.

3.   Relies Mostly On Third-Party Libraries

The process of React Native app development is greatly enhanced by the use of third-party libraries. But sometimes it comes with a lot of challenges as well.

• Developers may have to put extra effort to find suitable libraries for their apps, this means evaluating them, testing them, and implementing them.
• Third-party libraries are not always actively maintained by their creators. This can lead to bugs and compatibility issues, especially when libraries are deprecated or no longer supported.
• These may contain security vulnerabilities that could compromise the security of an app.
• Third-party libraries do not always integrate seamlessly with other libraries, causing conflicts and bugs. That’s why developers have to spend extra time resolving these issues and integrating libraries together.

4.   Challenges Thrown By Abstraction Layer

To render more functionality in the React Native application, abstraction layers are added after each platform. But the abstraction layer in itself comes with some persistent issues likewise:

• They can cause unexpected bugs in the application which are way too difficult to diagnose and rectify.
• Abstraction layers can make it more difficult to maintain and update the app. Changes to the abstraction layer can impact the functionality of the app, requiring developers to make additional changes to the codebase.
• Lastly, these can add an additional layer of complexity to the app development process which can create major issues.

5.   Lacks Support For Multiprocessing Or Parallel Threading

Yes, you read that right!

React Native does not render any kind of support for multiprocessing or parallel threading. It comprises only a single JavaScript thread because of which developers might observe slow performance at the time of executing multiple threads.

Let’s elaborate on this more with an example.

Suppose that you want your app to execute video and live chat in parallel. And for this, you will need some other framework because React Native can only execute one task at a time.

6.   Performance Issues

These performance issues in React Native app development arise because React Native is still not mature enough.

• React Native uses a JavaScript bridge to communicate with the native components which can cause a performance bottleneck, especially on lower-end devices.
• React Native uses the browser to render elements, which can cause slower performance than native apps. That’s why hire React Native app developers who can use techniques such as code splitting, lazy loading, and server-side rendering to optimize performance.

Mistakes To Avoid During React Native App Development

●     Incorrect Redux Store Planning

When developers get a project, they focus more on planning the layout and less on the data handling part of it.

Redux store helps in data storage, planning, and debugging of the app states. When planned correctly, it can be a powerful tool for managing the app data. But when not it can mess up many things in the project.

Now let’s discuss some ways that can be followed for redux store planning and management.

• Use an immutable data library such as “immutable.js” to ensure that the state is only changed in a controlled manner and that the previous state is not modified accidentally.
• The principles of redux should be followed such as the single source of truth, immutability, and pure function to keep the store well structured.
• Test the store to ensure that it is working as expected and the state is being managed correctly. This helps to catch bugs early and ensures that the store is working correctly.

• Before starting the app development process, take time to plan the store structure and design. This will ensure that the store is well-structured which can save time and effort in the long run.

Although, redux store planning is not appropriate for small projects because then you will have to write long lines of code even for minor changes.

●     Left Console.log Statements

Console log statements are extremely handy for React Native app development services. They can even help with debugging the app execution. But do you know what will happen when you leave the log statements in the app?

• They can add extra code which can increase the size of the app. This will take up more space on a user’s device and make it take longer to download.
• They can slow down the performance of the app, especially if they are placed in high-traffic areas such as the main UI thread.
• Log statements can reveal sensitive information such as user data, API keys, and other confidential information. This can create a security vulnerability that could be exploited by malicious factors.
• They might cause battery drain by increasing CPU usage and network traffic.

●     Not Writing Unit Tests

Working without unit tests is a major React Native app development mistake. Although, the developed app will still work regardless of whether you write unit tests or not. But it will cause a lot of problems once you launch the app in the market.

Therefore it is better to test the functionality of the app before launching that in the industry. Want to know more about the benefits of unit testing? Then keep reading the blog till the end!

• Unit testing allows developers to detect bugs early in the mobile app development
• Unit testing provides a form of documentation that describes how the code should behave.
• It can be used to test small parts of the code which can reduce the time needed for testing the entire application.

●     Using Stateless Components

The stateless components do not own any class or we can say that they do not extend any class. Basically, it takes any argument as a display and includes them in the DOM (Document Object Model). It offers many benefits such as:

• They are simple and easier to understand than stateful components.
• They can be reused across the app, making it easier to manage and maintain the codebase.
• Stateless components are more concise because they don’t require the use of “this” keyword or lifecycle methods.
• They are somewhat more predictable because they receive input (props) and return output (JSX).

However as the technologies are evolving, it is suggested to use pure components instead of stateless components. Here’s why-

• Pure components improve performance by only re-rendering when the component’s props or state changes. This can help to reduce the number of unnecessary re-renders, improving the overall performance of the application.
• They are easy to test because they have predictable behavior.
• Pure components use an immutable state which means that the state is never mutated. This helps to ensure that the component’s behavior is predictable and that the component’s state is always in consistent state.

●     Wrong Estimations

• Wrong estimations can lead to delays in the development process, as developers may need to spend extra time working on features that were not initially planned. Significantly, this will slow down the project timeline and may cause the project to go over budget.
• Wrong estimations can cause stability problems. This can cause issues with the app’s performance and make it difficult to add new features in the future.
• In the case of a web application, all the endpoints offered by the backend should be checked thoroughly. The logic, entities, and database structure should be coded correctly.

That’s why it is very important to define the scope of work and then define the timelines.

Conclusion

Knowing the mistakes already that can ruin the user experience can be a good starting point for developers who want to provide the best React Native app development services.

To overcome these challenges developers must have a good understanding of the framework and be familiar with the tools and techniques used in React Native development. They must also be prepared to address these challenges and use the right techniques to ensure that the app functions correctly and meets the desired quality standards.

Lastly, it is suggested to hire a reliable React Native development company to get the best job done!