React native vs. ionic – which one is better and why

Gmail, PayPal, Microsoft Ofﬁce
And Forbes Are Using Angular
– Learn Why?

Table of Contents
1) 1. The popularity factor
2) 2. The functionality factor
Dynamic Runtime of React Native
WebView Wrapper of Ionic
3) 3. The learning curve factor
4) 4. The stack structure factor
The structure of React Native
The structure of Ionic
5) 5. The size factor
6) 6. The time factor
7) 7. The security factor
Ionic encryption
React Native encryption
8) 6. Your choice
2

Introduction
Are you trying to gather information about cross-platform development frameworks for your project? Your exploits will inevitably lead you
to React Native and Ionic. At the moment, both frameworks stand out from all others. However, one of them is better than the other in
some ways. So, which one should be your choice?
If you’re planning to develop a mobile app, you should take a look at this write-up. Choosing to build an app is an excellent decision,
considering the fact that almost everyone uses smartphones these days. There isn’t anything better than an app for a business to engage its
uses and enhance their lives.
Studies conducted by the experts of Gartner prove that about 70% of all interactions on business software solutions will take place via
mobile devices within this year. Then again, the ecosystem of mobile devices is a complicated one. To get your app published on both Apple
App Store and Google Play Store, you may require two native development teams.
As you can probably guess, building applications for two different platforms separately will ultimately contribute to your expenses. It’s one
of the main reasons why app development maestros created cross-platform development frameworks. Among them, React Native and
Ionic stand out from the rest. This topic will try to establish differences between the two.
By contemplating those differences, you can determine whether to hire a react native app development company or opt for Ionic app
development. 3

1. The popularity factor
Which one of the two is more popular? It’s the ﬁrst question that comes to the minds of business owners attempting to get an app created
for their entrepreneurial ventures.
Both frameworks receive support from a massive community spread throughout the world. Both frameworks have also won the trustand
respect of some of the largest enterprises. These business ﬁrms utilized their React Native and Ionic apps to accumulate massivevolumes
of customer data. Also, end-users have been using apps designed on these platforms for years.
Then, in 2019, Facebook worked hard on making React Native better than it was by introducing a more stable library. Facebook even
kept on updating it regularly while incorporating it into its exclusive digital products and displaying more success stories.
Here are some results of popularity surveys conducted by market researchers in 2020.
● Over the last few years, about 86% of all web developers utilized Ionic SDKs to develop apps extensively. On the other hand,only
16% of web developers chose React Native.
● 71% of app developers have created PWAs using the libraries, frameworks, and tools of Ionic. Conversely, only 21% of React
Native developers managed to do the same.
● On Github, Ionic enjoys 13.3k+ project forkings and 41k Github stars. Also, Ionic has about 238+ versions. React Native has a
star-count of 89.1k on Github with 19.8k+ projects forked consistently. Until now, React Native has released 346+ versions.
4

5
2. The functionality factor
Just because React Native won the round of popularity doesn’t mean you should go for react native app development services. There are a few other factors worth paying
attention to. The next point of comparison is the functionality of each framework.
● Dynamic Runtime of React Native
The creators of React Native wrote the framework using JavaScript. The code of JavaScript communicates with Android and iOS with the aid of a mobile JS API. This API
transfers the necessary functions and data calls to the native platform API as the two remain connected by a bridge.
● WebView Wrapper of Ionic
React Native depends on the Dynamic Runtime approach, but Ionic is all about Cordova that piggybacks on a WebView component or a browser view devoid of chrome. The
component of WebView leverages an HTML layout engine for rendering HTML/CSS user interfaces.
3. The learning curve factor
Both frameworks have a core SDK comprising JavaScript, but there are differences. The fundamental ﬂex layout of React Native lets developers obtain the necessary
components with ease. There is one limitation, though – a developer has to get familiarized with CSS. They may even need to learn Flexbox, Redux with React, Axios to call
APIs, ES6, and more.
Conversely, Ionic is easy to install via npm commands through Cordova. The ngcordova component provides developers with a powerful collection of all services and
extensions of AngularJS. Furthermore, Ionic even has an Ionic Academy, which is an online education establishment. It offers step-by-step courses for developers of various
levels to ease learning.

4. The stack structure factor
Now, it’s time for you to look at the frameworks from the perspective of the tech stack. It’ll help you to determine whether react native app development services are better
than Ionic or vice versa.
● The structure of React Native
You already know that React Native establishes communication between native and JavaScript components by bridging the gaps between the two correspondences.
The most attractive feature of React Native is that a developer won’t be able to do anything using the JavaScript aspect. They can ofﬂoad it to the native section of an app
only. In other words, developers will create some parts of the app in React Native and the rest using full-ﬂedged native components.
As the name of this framework has the word “native,” you may be wondering whether it can facilitate cross-platform development at all. Well, it can, but it isn’t a hybrid
platform per se. Developers can’t use it to build one codebase that’ll run on both mobile operating systems.
● The structure of Ionic
The stack structure of Ionic has three different layers.
Ionic as the user interface framework
One of the primary functions of this framework is to offer UI components that don’t exist in the web app development ecosystem. It also has a CLI tool to make building,
creating, and launching Ionic apps easier.
6

Cordova as the hybrid app framework
Cordova delivers a web interface to work between a device’s WebView API and native API. The main feature of Cordova is to cover the gap between the two tech stacks of Native API and
WebView HTML.
Angular as the web app framework
Ionic depends on AngularJS to build its customized UI components. Furthermore, Angular also simpliﬁes things for Ionic to leverage one of the necessary framework powers, such as MVVM, MVC,
or MVP.
5. The size factor
If you have to evaluate cross-platform development frameworks like Ionic and React Native, you must consider the size of the platforms. For react native app development, companies like Moon
Technolabs have to spare about 8.5 MB of space for the framework.
On the other hand, Ionic needs only 3.2 MB. Ionic is also the better platform when it comes to building smaller applications.
6. The time factor
Even the best developers can take almost a month to build the simplest applications using Ionic. However, the same developers need about one and a half months to complete their work on an app
using React Native.
If you want to publish your mobile business solution as fast as possible, you should put your faith in Ionic.
7. The security factor
App security is one of the most crucial determinants of today. What can Ionic and React Native offer in terms of security?
7

● Ionic encryption
When working on an iOS app on Ionic, developers can add encryption features on their devices using the secure storage plugin of Cordova. On Android, they need a screen lock or swipe system on the
device for encryption purposes.
Also Read: Comparisons: React Native vs. Flutter vs. Ionic vs. Xamarin vs. NativeScript
● React Native encryption
Developers can depend on several third-party libraries for storing sensitive data locally. Some of these third-party libraries include React Native secure storage, React Native keychain, and React
Native sensitive info.
6. Your choice
Several other factors require your attention if you hope to make an informed decision. Unfortunately, it isn’t possible to include any more information in this write-up. Nevertheless, you should stick to
react native app development offered by Moon Technolabs if your project fulﬁlls the following criteria.
● Your existing website or applicant works on React Native.
● You need native platforms as they’re mission-critical to your project.
● You have a team of developers with expertise in React Native.
● You have enough funds to meet the budgetary requirements of an extensive process of development.
● You have enough time to dedicate to React Native development
8

9
Ionic should your choice if your project adheres to the following criteria.
● You have an exclusive app idea and you’re attempting to launch your startup.
● You prioritize time over everything else.
● You need your MVP development to raise funds and grow your business.
● You and your competitor have the same idea to extract the most value out of the digitized markets of
today.
● You have a tight budget and you have to keep your expenses as low as possible.
If your app is about P2P marketplaces, video streaming, ﬁtness, social media, or something similar, Ionic will be
perfect.
Conversely, React Native would be the better choice if you hope to create a powerful solution with higher
performance standards and responsiveness. Those who choose React Native don’t have to worry about budget
or time-related restrictions.

3. Forbes
Last year in April, Forbes, the world-renowned subscription-based magazine, pushed all limits by reeling
in 173.5 million visitors to its pages. This publishing company favours reduced webpage loading time and
responsive user experience. That’s why it uses Angular in its frontend. You can do the same if you hire
dedicated angular developers.
10
4. PayPal
Another leading company from the USA called PayPal Holdings Inc. operates a huge online payment
system spanning the entire world. It facilitates swift online money transfers. It also works as a
third-party electronic payment method that proved itself as an excellent alternative to conventional
procedures, such as money orders and checks. PayPal utilizes Angular to build dynamic web pages that
can support the feeds of PayPal transaction data in real-time.

5. Samsung
It didn’t take long for Samsung to establish itself as a monumental competitor in the industry of
electronics since its inception in 1938. Of course, the brand resonates with physical hardware more
than anything else, but it did create responsive front-page sites powered by Angular. Among all the
businesses using Angular, Samsung managed to set itself apart as the primary leader in the sector of
electronics.
11

12
Endnote
Indeed, the ﬁrst few stable releases of this framework didn’t exist longer the four years. No matter how
weird it sounds, it’s the truth. In less than ten years, Angular earned a reputation in the whole world
because it got associated with some of the most recognized names, including Microsoft, Google, and
PayPal. So, if you want a takeaway from this write-up, it’s this – Angular is a framework with a universal
presence and it can convert interactivity and functionality of web applications for the better. That’s why
you should hire dedicated angular developers right now from the top angular development company.
Original Source: https://www.moontechnolabs.com/blog/gmail-paypal-microsoft-ofﬁce-and-forbes-are-using-angular-learn-why/

React native vs. ionic – which one is better and why

More Related Content

What's hot (20)

Similar to React native vs. ionic – which one is better and why (20)

More from Moon Technolabs Pvt. Ltd. (20)

Recently uploaded (20)

React native vs. ionic – which one is better and why