Develop apps with React Native and NativeScript
Two open source JavaScript frameworks, React Native [1] and NativeScript [2], help programmers develop native apps for Android and iOS by using their IDEs with JavaScript. This approach has advantages over classical web app development in the style of, say, the JavaScript Meteor [3] framework, which relies on Apache Cordova [4] and WebView.
In the Beginning
Native apps for Android are traditionally programmed with Java or Kotlin; iOS uses Objective-C or Swift [5]. Because Android apps access native code internally with C or C++, developers rely on Java Native Interface (JNI) [6]. The Android Studio [7] and Xcode [8] development environments help in programming an application and bringing it to the corresponding app stores.
However, this approach has drawbacks: Installing Android Studio is quite complex, and Xcode runs exclusively on Apple's Mac OS X operating system. If you also want to adopt an Android app for iOS, you have to reprogram the code one to one under Objective-C or Swift. However, this significantly increases the development effort and creates additional sources of error through code redundancy.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
KDE Linux Alpha Available for Daring Users
It's official, KDE Linux has arrived, but it's not quite ready for prime time.
-
AMD Initiates Graphics Driver Updates for Linux Kernel 6.18
This new AMD update focuses on power management, display handling, and hardware support for Radeon GPUs.
-
AerynOS Alpha Release Available
With a choice of several desktop environments, AerynOS 2025.08 is almost ready to be your next operating system.
-
AUR Repository Still Under DDoS Attack
Arch User Repository continues to be under a DDoS attack that has been going on for more than two weeks.
-
RingReaper Malware Poses Danger to Linux Systems
A new kind of malware exploits modern Linux kernels for I/O operations.
-
Happy Birthday, Linux
On August 25, Linux officially turns 34.
-
VirtualBox 7.2 Has Arrived
With early support for Linux kernel 6.17 and other new additions, VirtualBox 7.2 is a must-update for users.
-
Linux Mint 22.2 Beta Available for Testing
Some interesting new additions and improvements are coming to Linux Mint. Check out the Linux Mint 22.2 Beta to give it a test run.
-
Debian 13.0 Officially Released
After two years of development, the latest iteration of Debian is now available with plenty of under-the-hood improvements.
-
Upcoming Changes for MXLinux
MXLinux 25 has plenty in store to please all types of users.