The Pros and Cons of Swift vs React Native for iOS Development

There are currently more than 1.76 million apps on the Apple App Store.

Apps have become incredibly useful over the years, and they’re constantly improving. If you have an idea for an app, you might be wondering how you can turn it into a reality. Two of the best options for this are React Native and Swift, but it can be tricky to decide which to use.

A React development agency can help you build an app, but is this the way to go? By comparing Swift vs React Native, you can get a better idea of which option would work best for your idea.

In this guide, we’ll go over both choices, highlighting the pros and cons of each, so you can choose between either React Native or Swift. Keep reading for more.

What Is React Native?

React Native is a JavaScript framework developed by Facebook. It was created to build cross-platform mobile apps, helping to improve the mobile app development process.

It’s common to use React Native for IOS development, but it’s also ideal if you want to create cross-platform apps. You can write the code for iOS and Android at the same time, then design the UI for each separately. An iOS app built using React Native will have the same native UI as other native iOS apps.

Mobile APP Case study by Slick.Global

Pros of React Native

One of the main benefits of React Native is that it’s great for developing cross-platform apps. There are also several other advantages you should be aware of.

Hot Reloading

This is a feature that developers can use to visualize their code. It makes the entire development process easier and more streamlined.

Flawless Performance

Apps developed with React Native can take full advantage of the processing speed of a device. This provides error-free performance and easy use. It’s also great when it comes to ensuring an interactive UI, making things better for users.

Rich Library Support

There are tens of thousands of libraries and packages available. This can make things much easier in the development stage.

Easy to Integrate

Some apps make use of things like touchscreens, GPS, and cameras. It’s easy to integrate these features with React Native, as well as more advanced features like VR and IoT.

Reliable and Safe

Apps developed with React Native meet all operating system rules. The App Store evaluates and authorizes all of them to ensure they’re secure and reliable. Developers can also monitor bugs easily to deal with them quickly and effectively.

Cons of React Native

While React Native is an excellent solution, it’s not perfect. There are a few drawbacks that you should be aware of.

Complex Design

iOS (as well as Android) has specific app publishing guidelines. This can make it more complicated to build high-quality custom UI. Help from a professional React JS development company can eliminate this issue.

Longer Testing Process

You can build apps quickly using React Native, but the testing can take a bit longer. Things need to be precise, and errors aren’t uncommon. This step is essential as it will help you avoid launching an app that doesn’t function properly.

Swift vs React comparison

What Is Swift?

Developers have been using Swift for IOS development since it was launched by Apple in 2014. Beyond iOS, it’s also suitable for developing apps for other Apple operating systems such as macOS, tvOS, and watchOS.

It was created to replace Objective-C (the former Apple programming language). It has almost no loopholes and has become a very popular choice for iOS app developers.

Pros of Swift

Swift is specifically designed for Apple device apps, and some of the biggest include Airbnb, Twitter, and Lyft. There are several benefits that make it a good option.

Good Error-Handling

One of the key benefits of Swift is its robust error-handling system. This helps developers build without code crashes and other errors in the production environment.

Easily Scalable

Scalability is key to app development. Swift is a future-proof language that makes it easy to add new features and functions, so you can make improvements to your apps without any trouble.

Better Safety and Performance

Swift prioritizes safety and performance. It’s a significant improvement over Objective-C, boasting a performance boost of 40%.

User Experience

Swift apps are very lightweight, so they take up less storage space and install quickly. As Swift was built for iOS, it gives plenty of access to the native features of Apple devices. This offers better performance and functionality.

Cons of Swift

Swift was built with iOS devices in mind, but like React Native, there’s still room for improvement. A couple of drawbacks mean it might not be the best solution for your app.

Limited Talent

Swift has grown quickly, but the pool of developers still remains quite small compared to other programming languages. This can make it somewhat difficult to find the right Swift developer.

Only for Apple Devices

While it may be ideal for Apple devices, you can’t use it to create Android apps. This is quite limiting, especially if you want to reach as wide an audience as possible.

Working With a React Development Agency

Both React Native and Swift can be great for building tools, but it’s important to think about what you want to achieve with your app. For many people, building a cross-platform app is essential, in which case you’ll want to work with a React Native app development company.

Slick Studio is a leading React development agency. We can help you build modern apps for both iOS and Android and offer other services such as web design, marketing, and product development. Take a look at our Mobile App Design page today to find out more about how we can help you.