If you are a mobile app developer looking for a popular framework for developing high-performance mobile applications, React Native is the go-to solution. React Native is an open-source platform that allows developers to write apps for multiple platforms with a single codebase.

But, the question is, what tools and libraries can make your React Native app development easier, efficient, and more successful?

Here are the top 5 tools and libraries you should consider for React Native app development.

1. Expo

Expo is a free and open-source platform that provides React Native developers with a set of tools and services for building, deploying, and testing high-quality mobile apps. It comes with a pre-configured development environment that eliminates the need for complex setup and configuration processes.

Some of the key features of Expo include live reloading, instant app updates, over-the-air (OTA) updates, and push notifications. Additionally, Expo provides easy integration options with third-party libraries, components, and APIs.

📷Expo development environment with a code editor and a live preview of the mobile app in different viewports.

2. Redux

Redux is a predictable state container that simplifies the management of application state in React Native apps. With Redux, developers can store and update application data in a centralized store, which makes it easy to debug and test app components.

Redux provides a unidirectional data flow, which means that the data can only be modified by dispatching an action, which updates the state, and triggers the UI to re-render. Redux also supports middleware, which allows developers to add custom functionality to the data flow process.

📷Redux state management process

3. React Native Elements

React Native Elements is a UI toolkit that offers a wide range of pre-designed components and styling options for React Native app development. It includes commonly used UI elements such as buttons, text inputs, sliders, and icons, which can save developers a lot of time and effort.

React Native Elements also provides a flexible theming system, which allows developers to customize the look and feel of their app components based on their brand or design requirements. Additionally, React Native Elements is highly customizable and allows developers to create their own unique components easily.

📷Sample UI elements from React Native Elements

4. React Navigation

React Navigation is a library that provides a simple and customizable solution for app navigation in React Native. It offers a set of navigation components, including stack, tab, and drawer navigators, which can be customized to match your app design.

React Navigation also supports deep linking, which allows users to navigate to specific screens within the app using deep links from external sources. Additionally, React Navigation provides a simple API for state management, which makes it easy to persist and restore navigation state across app restarts.

📷React Navigation in action

5. Jest

Jest is a popular testing framework that simplifies the process of unit testing React Native apps. It provides a simple and intuitive API for writing test cases, which can be run from the command line or integrated into your IDE.

Jest supports several types of testing, including snapshot, integration, and end-to-end testing. Additionally, Jest provides a mocking API, which makes it easy to mock dependencies and isolate your test cases.

📷Jest testing process

🏆 Conclusion

These are the top 5 tools and libraries that can make your React Native app development experience easier, efficient, and more successful. However, there are many other third-party libraries and tools available for React Native that can be useful for different purposes.

So, explore, experiment and find the right tools and libraries that can help you create stunning mobile apps using React Native!

😎 Thanks for reading!