Facebook has finally launched the latest version of React Native labelled as Version 0.60. Months of perspiration and hard work has made it possible to launch the final product for which users are excited as well as curious.
The best part about it, as usual, is the upgraded features to make things simpler for users.
The highlight, of course, is the fact that the new version blends the Cocoa Pods into it, making a strong, comprehensive case of blending React Natives’ iOS project.
On the other end of the spectrum, there is some squeezing out too. The Web View and Net Info which was once extracted into separate repositories is no longer the part React Native’s repository.
Before dwelling further into its features, let’s understand the nuances of React Native to better understand its framework.
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React Native is Facebook-developed open-source mobile application framework and highly preferred for developing cross-platform mobile applications.
It can also be called React Native mobile app development for platforms like iOS, Android and even Windows.
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Using advanced technology, React Native offers an efficient web app development solution as well.
It is renowned for saving time and thereby offering a cost-effective alternative for mobile app development – reducing expenses up to 50%.
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The latest update of React Native 0.60 comes with Accessibility improvements, Cocoa Pods for iOS, fresh start screen and plenty other stuff.
Furthermore, React Native is an open-source framework which is distinctive from its primary version of React version.
Talking of functions, they are capable to run actively in the background defining written JavaScript by developers. For all the users currently engaging the React Native, 0.59 can avail this upgrade.
Developers facing some or the other issue with the previous versions can now make the most out of latest edition as this comes with quick fixes.
The problems and glitches of 0.59 are now no more and thereby users can get a seamless experience with the optimized version to better outputs of React Native app development
Let’s take a quick glance at some of the key features that React Native 0.60 has to offer to start with Auto linked-ability and new tool Upgrade Helper for simplifying the upgrade process.
Enhanced accessibility
This latest version is really pathbreaking one as far as an open-source mobile application framework is concerned.
There are a lot of accessibility API enhancements for both the mobile app development platforms – Android and iOS.
It comes with the ability to merge platform-specific APIs with native support technologies.
And there are more improvements on the accessibility front with Reach Native 0.60. This includes;
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Assistance for accessibility flags and reduces motion for iOS. This means one can develop cross-platform apps for iOS effortlessly in less time with precision.
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Inclusion of plenty of missing roles for different elements for using it efficiently based on the requirements.
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Inclusion of on Click call back and a clickable prop. This helps to beseech actions via keyboard navigation.
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Assuring enhanced web assistance in a future run with the availability of the latest accessibility states API.
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Enabling maximized accessibility actions to add the call-backs for handling user-specific functions accessibility.
The 0.60 release also introduces massive improvements in terms of API accessibility for both, the iOS and Android platform.
There’s a list of improvements while entailing elements like action support advancements, announce For Accessibility, flags and roles to name a few.
Support for AndroidX
React Native migrates to the AndroidX (Android Extension Library) and this will have major implications for those looking to develop cross-platform apps for Android.
This is so because developers need to migrate the native codes and dependencies as well. Such a shift demands React Native apps to mandatorily use AndroidX all by themselves.
And to address this, the React Native has come up with a quick fix in the form of Jetifier. It is an AndroidX transition tool having a React Native compatible style.
Though developers need to change their own native code, this tool is useful for patching all the node modules.
For all those library maintainers, this update is inherently mandatory. But using the Jetifer tool along with the latest React Native 0.60 will help to launch a new AndroidX version. Therefore, it is best to consider this if you are finding AndroidX errors.
Being an open-source mobile application framework, React Native makes migrating easier for Android developers.
This is because AndroidX too is an open-source project that helps to map original support library API packages to the AndroidX namespace.
Now here’s where developers need to make a choice as the latest version of React Native won’t allow using AndroidX with the old support library.
Removing lean core
With React Native 0.60, the placement of Web View and Net Info offers a change. Both now go into the separate repositories.
Not only both are just removed from the React Native repository but their Geolocation is also removed.
This change is purely based on the community feedback received over a period of time.
It’s not strange when one juxtaposes this with what Mark Zuckerberg said about HTML – “The biggest mistake we made as a company was betting too much on HTML as opposed to native”.
Referring to the above statement, it is safe to note that the React Native offers a better choice when it comes to picking up an open-source mobile application framework.
This is because of the popularity that React Native has gained over short span which is pure because of its performance.
Moreover, on efficiency level, it is to be assumed that React Native 0.60 will save more than half the time thanks to lean core removal.
Cross-platform app development for iOS and Android remains unaffected as these iOS will remain the same being platform agnostic.
Now, React Native repository is in a favourable condition with the success of Lean Core Project.
The all-new React Native 0.60 completes the much-expected migration to abide by the new App Store rules as Geolocation too is eliminated.
A fresh, new start screen
The much-discussed new screen is finally here with the latest version of Native React Version 0.60.
This one comes with the latest, sleekly designed app screen offering a much better user-friendly experience.
Things are simplified for developers it shows up all the requisite instructions regarding documentation linkage, starting the debug menu, and even editing App.js.
For web app development, it shows up your project aligning with the impending website design.
This means developers can now get the guided route for all the prospective website redesigning and alignment.
The UI is named ‘Hello World’ which help users to get acquainted with the entire React ecosystem and make the most out of it.
IOS and Android auto-linking
Until now, the developers are used to know the React Native libraries that are usually compromised of only the native or platform-specific.
But, with this fresh release, the auto-linking mechanism offers using the code by discovering it for the existing project.
Moreover, there are improvements in the Auto-Linking at the React native CLI front.
For this, the team responsible for rolling out the React Native CLI too launched the primary enhancements for the native module linking.
Such auto-linking frees developers from using the react-native link even if they are engaging maximum conditions.
The linking procedure too is updated which demands the backend team to make amendments in every pre-existing dependency by unlinking the existing react-native.
CocoaPods for iOS
The app-level reliance manager is here in the form of CocoaPods. This is specifically for iOS as CocoaPods come by default with Swift CocoaPods and Objective-C.
Using this latest version will require developers to open and use the iOS platform code with the xcworkspace file.
Pod specifications for the internal packages also get an update so that they are now compatible with the Xcode projects.
This helps developers to debug and troubleshoot any issues with iOS app development easily.
It is rather safe to conclude that React Native 0.60, currently makes up for one of the better platforms around as a means if open-source mobile app development.
Even in coming times, the React Native platform will be soaring in demand and increase the user-base too.
The user-friendly UI and effortless functionality in the latest update make way for that.
Apart from these update-specific changes, the React Native community is also active and always agile when it comes to resolving any issue.
Conclusion
Currently, it looks like React Native 0.60 is set to lead the React Native Mobile app development with the number of features and upgrades available.
Possible that developers will have plenty of technological stacks, choosing React Native over others will need it to make a strong point. And that is what this latest update does.
With such drastic changes and efficiency-amplifying updates, the diligent work from many contributors across the globe has paid off in a rather lucrative manner. More and more developers are expected to adopt this latest version very soon.
