React Native Is One Hell Of An Idea

React native is one hell of an idea. And i mean it. I was never interested in looking under the hood but, as you code, you get errors from C++, Java, Kotlin, … you name it!

Though it’s installed using npm, you can see that packages do contain C++ code. I was surprised when i first installed a C++ patch in a typescript project. Like, seriously!

Look, React is crazy enough. You need to learn React, and stuffs like hooks, states, effects and context. Now mix in Android concepts. And the ability to call native Java or C++. Making it ‘native’. That’s a lot of things to pick up.

React native also contributes a layer between native and React. It translates React component into native ones and native stuffs like events into React terms: what view it belongs to, and what happened to notify affected components.

This is where you see the importance of structures like trees and appreciate decisions.

If you ask me what’s the return for investing in going into internals, i’d say: tons of clever tricks and inspirations to apply through your career. The broader your surface, the better the results.