Hybrid to Native Migration

There are instances where the app development teams may choose to migrate from React Native to native app development languages, such as Swift for iOS. This case study presents actual scenarios of mobile app development teams that undergoes the migration process from React Native to Swift.

• The migration process from React Native to Swift presents several challenges to the development team.
• One of the major challenges is the need to rewrite the entire UI layer of the app, as React Native relies on a different approach to building user interfaces compared to Swift.
• Another challenge is the need to re-implement app logic and business logic, as React Native relies on JavaScript while Swift uses a different programming language.
• Challenges in handling the differences in component libraries and APIs between React Native and Swift.
• This required additional effort in researching, identifying, and integrating native iOS libraries to replicate the functionality that was available in React Native.

• To address the challenges faced during the migration process, the development team implements several solutions.
• First, the team conducts an extensive research and training to familiarize themselves with the Swift language, UIKit, and Auto Layout.
• The team leverages their existing knowledge of React Native and JavaScript to understand the app's business logic and re-implement it in Swift.
• To replace the functionality provided by React Native components and libraries, the team identifies equivalent native iOS components and libraries that could be integrated into the Swift app.
• The app is thoroughly tested and validates the functionality of these native components to ensure they replicate the expected behaviour of the React Native components.
• The team also adopts a modular approach during the migration process, prospectively.
• This approach helps them to gradually migrate the app to Swift while keeping the app functional during the process.

• Native apps have the advantage of leveraging the full capabilities and performance of the underlying platform, resulting in faster load times, smoother animations, and better overall performance compared to hybrid apps.
• Native apps provides a seamless user experience, as they are designed to conform to the platform-specific UI/UX guidelines, design patterns, and interactions.
• Migrating to native development enables the app to fully leverage these native features, providing enhanced functionality and capabilities to the users.
• Native development allows for more optimized and platform-specific code, reducing potential workarounds or hacks needed in hybrid development.
• Migrating to native development provides the opportunity to deliver a more platform-specific and polished app for each platform, enhancing the overall quality of the app.
• Migrating from a hybrid to a native approach can future-proof the app by aligning it with the native platform's latest technologies, APIs, and updates, ensuring that the app remains compatible and well-supported in the future.