This document introduces React Native, an open source framework that allows developers to build mobile apps using only JavaScript. It enables building iOS and Android apps with shared code, while reusing existing React skills. The author explains that React Native addresses the high costs and challenges of mobile development by traditional means. It also highlights Facebook's commitment to React Native, citing its use in major Facebook products and the significant time savings Facebook achieved in building a mobile app using React Native compared to traditional approaches.

1. Congrats Web Developer,
You Are Also A
Mobile Developer!
by Eyal Eizenberg

2. About me
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My name is Eyal Eizenberg
Engineering team lead at Samanage
I’ve been working with Ruby on Rails for over 4 years
At Samanage we use: jQuery, Backbone, Marionette, Underscore, React...
I don’t know Java or Objective C

3. Problems of going mobile
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All Rails, no one has done java/obj-c ever or in a long time
Bringing in a mobile developer is expensive
Using an external company is expensive and not a long term solution
A mobile developer probably won’t know Rails
A mobile developer doesn’t know the app, needs a supporting team member
An Android developer is not an iOS developer and vice versa
What happens after the mobile development has reached a plateau?

4. Enter React Native
We're not chasing the write-once, run-anywhere pipe dream... what
we want to do is chase the learn-once, write-anywhere paradigm
”
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5. About React Native
❖ React Native enables you to build world-class application experiences on
native platforms using a consistent developer experience based on
JavaScript and React.
Developed by Facebook
Facebook uses it on several production apps
Leverages node.js (node.io now)
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6. Why should I use React Native?
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Uses native components but write with Javascript
Asynchronous execution, make use of additional threads for great performance
The project runs from Xcode, but you code in your favorite editor
Use the iOS simulator or run on an actual device via USB
Debug in Chrome both for simulator and for an actual device
React components can be reused within the project and for Android

7. Why should I use React Native?
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Open source goodness
Loads of React Native components and packages by the community
Leveraging node.js means you can easily use many node packages
The world is going mobile, keep yourself relevant!
It’s really fun and easy to learn!
Supports ES6 out of the box
Easily use coffeescript

8. 18 Months
How long Facebook estimated it would take to build
their Ads Manager app for iOS using objective C

9. 5 + 3 Months
Using React Native they built the iOS app in 5 months
and porting it to Android took an additional 3 months
while using the same team of Javascript engineers!

10. What if Facebook drops this project?
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Facebook are fully committed and highly invested in React and React Native
Unlike other companies, they actually use the technology they build for their
major products
Their desktop app uses React and they have a couple of mobile apps with
React Native already (Facebook groups & Facebook ads manager)

11. Before diving in...
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You need: Mac, node.js, recent Xcode
Linux & Windows not officially supported yet
The React Native docs
UI Explorer
React Native Playground
React Parts and React Components
Flexbox
Use Flux or something similar

12. React.js Israel App
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Basic structure of app
Navigator vs. NavigatorIOS
Get json from meetup.com
Render a list view
Navigate to an event
Interaction manager
Animated

13. Thanks!
Eyal Eizenberg
eyal.eizenberg@samanage.com
We’re hiring!