Since it was launched in 2013, the use of React has grown rapidly. If you are not familiar with it, React is a JavaScript framework that is used for developing web sites, web applications and mobile applications. It is based on a JavaScript library created by Facebook and is a powerful tool when used for native mobile app development. Its use has skyrocketed over the past 6 years, in fact, it is currently used by some of the most popular brands in the world, such as Facebook, Instagram, Walmart, Bloomberg, Apple, PayPal, Netflix, Skype, Tesla, Airbnb and many more.
With React, developers are able to build a rich UI for native apps that is supported by both iOS and Android platforms. Mobile application development companies have embraced React as a powerful tool for developing mobile apps and you should consider utilizing React for your next project. Here are a few reasons why:
Reuse of system components
React’s ability to reuse system components is one of its best features. This approach helps give your project a more consistent look and helps facilitate codebase maintenance and growth. This feature is particularly useful for large scale enterprises. With its ability to re-use code components, it makes version management and the further use of components on a growing app ecosystem easier, along with helping maintain consistent internal coding standards.
Stable code
To make sure that even the smallest changes that take place in child structures do not affect their parents, React uses only a downward data flow. To change an object, developers simply modify its state, make the change, and then only those particular components are updated. This structure helps to ensure that the code is stable.
Faster rendering
Another particularly exciting feature of React is Virtual DOM. Facebook introduced this feature to improve performance on high load or dynamic solutions. Since React utilizes a virtual representation of a document object model, all of the changes will be applied to the virtual DOM first and then afterword, it calculates the necessary DOM operations and updates the DOM tree is accordingly. This process reduces the time used and guarantees better user experiences and a better performing mobile application.
Proven performance
Since thousands of companies across the face of the globe have chosen React to develop their apps and web sites, including some of the largest in the world, you can feel confident in it as a development tool. For example, Baidu Mobile, which was developed with React, has over 600 million users.
Conclusion
In summation, React is not only a stable choice that reduces risk but it is also responsive and an advanced tool that has been more than proven. It is a highly recommended tool that is very effective when building large-scale enterprise applications that utilize dynamic data that changes.
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If you have been thinking about having a mobile application built for either yourself or your business and have done some research, you have probably come across Flutter during your search and want to learn more about it.
To start with, Flutter is an open-source SDK that mobile app developers can use to create native-looking Android and iOS mobile apps. Perhaps the biggest advantage of Flutter is that it is a cross-platform tool that was developed to create both Android and iOS mobile applications from a single code base utilizing a modern framework.
Mobile apps built using Flutter are created using a simple object-oriented programming language called Dart.
Flutter focuses on the use of widgets to build mobile applications. User interfaces are created by combining different widgets. Each defines a structural element (such as a menu), a stylistic element (such as a font), a factor of the layout (like margins), or other items related to the application. Flutter does not utilize widgets from the hardware but instead has its own widgets that look native to either the Android OS or Apple iOS. Additionally, it’s also possible to create custom widgets if your application requires them.
While Flutter isn’t widely used yet, it is growing rapidly and has been used to build several very popular mobile applications, such as Alibaba, Reflectly, Birch Finance, and the Hamilton Musical app to name a few. Many other apps currently in the app stores have been built utilizing Flutter. You probably have some on your smartphone right now and didn’t even realize they were built using the Flutter framework.
Flutter has several benefits when compared to the traditional way of building mobile applications.
Fast and Simple
One of the most useful features of Flutter is the ability to instantly view the changes you made to the application on emulators, simulators, and hardware. Almost instantly, the updated code is reloaded with no need to restart. This is an exceptional feature that saves developers a great deal of time creating applications.
Increased Productivity
Since Flutter allows developers to utilize the same code base for both iOS and Android apps it saves a great deal of time and resources in the development process. Businesses looking to accelerate the timetable of bringing their apps to market or looking to contain costs will find Flutter is an excellent way to accomplish both of these goals.
Enhanced Performance
The Dart coding language utilized by Flutter compiles into native code so they will perform just like the native apps you have loved for years. As an additional benefit, you will find that since apps built using Flutter have their own widgets, the apps will not need to access OEM widgets, which translates into less mediated communication between the app and the platform. The end result is fast app startup times and fewer performance issues.
Improved Compatibility
Since Flutter widgets are built into the app and it’s not as dependent on the platform, it will reduce compatibility issues between different OS versions. This will save you time and money when you start testing your application.
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People rarely go anywhere without their smartphone, making mobile is a powerful tool for real-time marketing. But beyond that mobile allows you to take advantage of location, allowing you to customize your message to a user’s location. These users are also using their mobile devices to research products when not on the go. In fact, 93% of consumers who use their smartphone to research a product will go on to make a purchase (Facebook).
After several years of meteoric growth, mobile ad spending will reach the $100 billion mark in 2016, an increase of 430 percent from 2013 (eMarketer). Clearly the businesses that can adapt to mobile will reap the rewards as because mobile is an environment where users are more likely to engage with brands that with other medias.
Before you start your mobile app development project, here are a few tips to help you succeed:
1. Target your message
In ways marketers never could before, mobile allows you to target your message to your users. Are you allowing your app users to set preferences that allow you to target based on their wants and needs? Are you asking them for demographic information that you can use to target your messaging? If not, you are missing out on a real opportunity to engage your users. Mobile users are often quite willing to give you the information you need to target your messaging and improve engagement and effectiveness. Plan ahead when building your app to be able to leverage this powerful tool.
2. Measure
Old school metrics like views and clicks are not representative indicators of engagement. Mobile is a perfect platform for measuring engagement, as mobile users can check out a product, make a purchase, share or tweet with a touch of a button. These customer behaviors can all be tracked allowing you to review progress.
3. Prioritize mobile
While many large brands responded to the industry’s mobile surge and embraced mobile, many have yet to properly engage their customers via mobile. A lack of a mobile marketing strategies can result in poor results. Additionally, mobile must be seamlessly integrated into existing marketing strategy to keep the brand’s message consistent.
4. Personal connection
Did you know smartphone users twice as likely to feel a sense of personal connection to a brand (Google). The sense of connection inherent with mobile makes it the perfect tool for brands to build a personal connection with their users.
Closing thoughts
The businesses who have been the most successful have found ways to blend their mobile strategy into their existing marketing. These companies are treating mobile as its own channel and not an extension of desktop. Marketers who embrace mobile can enjoy the benefits.
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