React vs React Native - What’s the Difference?

Non-technical founders usually hear these terms and assume they’re just interchangeable, or that React Native is just an “extension” of React. We can hardly blame them, since people use them in the same breath all the time. 

In reality, while they’ve come from the same place (both made by Meta/Facebook and both using JavaScript and a component-based architecture), their goals are different - React is a library for building web interfaces, whereas React Native is more of a framework for building native mobile applications. 

So, they’re like two siblings who speak the same language but work in different fields. Yes, they’ve both game the same “engine” - the React library and programming model - but you’d use one to drive UIs in a web browser, and the other to make native mobile apps. 

So, despite the commonalities, you need different materials and environments for them to work. Make sense? There are a few different areas we can compare React.js vs React Native on here to clear up some of the confusion, so take a look at these differences at a glance before we move on:

Purpose and Platform: Web Library vs. Mobile Framework

Where’s your product actually meant to live? A browser? Or a phone? You’ve seen how React and React Native share a name and a programming model, but they were designed for those very different environments:

React (React.js) - The Web UI Library

React was really just built for one thing: the web. You run it inside web browsers to make fast, interactive user interfaces for websites and web applications. You’re essentially creating a standard web app that’s made up of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript when you build with React. And that’s all rendered inside the browser’s Document Object Model (DOM).

• Platform:  Web browsers - desktop and mobile.
• Output: A browser-based application that’s rendered using HTML elements like  <input> and <button>. It’s styled with CSS and driven by JavaScript.
• Goal: You’re looking to make responsive web interfaces that feel a bit like an app, but without all the installations.

You’d ideally want React if accessibility and reach are big for you, since anyone with a URL can use your product instantly. So, if you’re looking to build a dashboard or SaaS product, for instance, React is really the only starting point.

React Native - The Mobile Framework

So with React Native, you’re taking all those same React principles but applying them to native mobile apps instead of targeting browsers. Now, you’re looking at iOS and Android operating systems. There’s no HTML or browser involved. Your JavaScript code is translated into real native UI components - basically like JavaScript for mobile.

• Platform:  Native mobile operating systems - iOS and Android.
• Output: A proper mobile app. All the React Native components, like <View> and <Text>, are converted into native equivalents such as UIView on iOS or android.view on Android.
• Goal: A high-performing mobile app that actually feels native, with a single codebase.

The result is an app that looks and behaves as if you wrote it in Swift or Kotlin- because under the hood, it is actually using native components. This makes React Native ideal when your product needs access to device features like the camera or push notifications. 

Under the Hood: Virtual DOM vs. Native Rendering

If you don’t know any better, React and React Native feel similar to work with since you’re ultimately still writing components and responding to user actions. But the main difference comes down to React rendering web interfaces inside a browser, while React Native renders real native interfaces directly on the device. 

React and the Virtual DOM

React was built for the web, and the web runs inside browsers. Browsers, in turn, rely on something called the DOM (Document Object Model) to display content.

But to keep web apps fast, which is obviously the goal, React doesn’t constantly update the real DOM every time something changes. That would make it super laggy, so it uses a Virtual DOM, which is like an in-memory copy of the UI. 

Then, when data changes, React compares the old version with the new one and updates only what’s necessary. It’s like you’re editing a document using “track changes.” React reviews what actually changed, then applies only those edits to the live page. This is why React web apps feel smooth and responsive, even as they get a bit more complex.

But the thing is, React is still browser-dependent. No matter how optimized it is, the final output is that same mix of HTML, CSS and JavaScript running inside a browser engine. 

That’s perfect for web apps - but it also means React can only do what the browser allows, which is why you need React Native for mobile apps.

React Native and the Native Bridge (or JSI)

There’s no browser or DOM with React Native. It renders real native UI components instead of rendering web elements. So that <View> becomes a native container, and <Text> becomes a native text label. Get it? Buttons, lists, gestures - all handled by the operating system itself.

So, how does JavaScript control native UI? Through what’s traditionally been called the bridge - and more recently, the JSI (JavaScript Interface). This layer allows JavaScript code to communicate with iOS and Android’s native components.

Now you’ve got an app that looks and feels native because it is native. There’s no web page wrapped in an app shell. 

Development Process & Team Requirements

Platforms and performance aside, choosing between React and React Native just generally shapes how your team works and what expertise you’ll need in the long term:

Shared Logic, Separate Interfaces

We’re big on how you can reuse code when you use React and React Native together, but let’s be clear about what can be shared and what can’t. Your teams can usually reuse the vast majority of the business logic for both React and React Native architecture. Like, 80-90%. This includes:

• State management
• API calls
• Data models
• Validation and core app rules

That’s a big win for speed and consistency. But the UI layer is where the split happens.

Web components like <h1> or <button> simply don’t exist in React Native. Mobile apps have their own native components instead, like <Text> and <Pressable>. TL;DR: all your UI code has to be rewritten for each platform.

Now, the upside here is that if your architecture is clean, building a mobile app after a React web app is more like an extension than a restart. You don’t need to re-learn the problem - more just how to present it.

Skills and Technical Dependencies

What really sets React and React Native apart are the dependencies and expertise needed. So, React (Web) leans more on:

• Web standards (HTML, CSS, browser APIs)
• Browser-based tooling and debugging
• Simple deployment pipelines (a URL is enough)

This generally means your development cycles are fast, and any updates are instant. Iteration is also pretty frictionless. Most teams want this since it’s usually the quickest and easiest way to get an MVP into users’ hands.

React Native, on the other hand, gets you a lot closer to the operating system. In addition to JavaScript and React, your team has to know about:

• Native modules and mobile-specific libraries
• Push notifications and background tasks
• Device hardware access (camera, GPS, sensors)
• Native build tools like Xcode and Android Studio

Even the deployment is more involved, since Mobile apps require everything from store submissions to approval cycles. Obviously, this means a bit more overhead, but that’s your cost if you want a true native experience.

Choosing between React and React Native

Again, the real question is just: what are you actually building? You want the one that best supports your users and how you plan to grow. In some cases, the right answer might actually be both - a web product for reach and a mobile app for deeper engagement. But first, let’s look at when each option makes sense.

Choose React When Your Product Lives on the Web

React (React.js) is the right choice when your product is meant to be accessed through a browser and speed-to-market matters. So, go the React route if:

• You Need an MVP or Product Accessible via a URL: You’ll want React if you want your users to click a link and immediately start using your product. There’s no installation barrier, which makes it perfect for early-stage MVPs and marketing-driven products.
• SEO and Web Visibility are Important: Is being discoverable on Google, or shareable on social media, important to you? A web app is your obvious choice. React can be made SEO-friendly and plays well with modern web frameworks.
• You Want Fast Updates Without App Store Issues: Web apps don’t need App Store approvals. You can ship fixes and improvements continuously - a big advantage if you iterate quickly or rely on frequent product updates.

Choose React Native When Mobile Is Core to the Experience

React Native is the better option when you want your product to feel like an actual mobile app. Not just a website on a small screen. Choose it if:

• You Need Access to Native Hardware Features: Does your app need the camera or GPS? Basically any device-level capabilities? You need a native mobile app, so you’ve got that access, but keep a shared codebase.
• Offline Usage and Performance are Critical: Mobile apps generally handle offline scenarios and performance-sensitive interactions a lot better than web apps, so if you think your users expect reliability on the go, React Native is the safe choice.
• App Store Distribution is Non-Negotiable: Some products simply need to be in the App Store and Google Play. React Native lets you ship to both platforms without maintaining two entirely separate teams.

Conclusion: Right Tool for the Right Platform

Look, it’s not really about which technology is superior in an absolute sense; you just want the right tool for your project. As mentioned, React is your go-to for modern web applications - everything from high-traffic websites to complex web apps - and React Native for mobile apps. 

So, once you know what project you’re building, it’s a pretty binary decision to choose one or the other.

But maybe your issue is more that you don’t know which route to take or how to architect a solution that might involve both web and mobile. Fortunately, we’ve got you sorted at Tapptitude, because we specialize in both React and React Native development, as well as web development vs mobile development. 

We’ve helped numerous founders and product managers make that exact choice by weighing factors like time-to-market and feature requirements so you’ve got the right stack.

Feel free to reach out for a strategy session - we’ll chat about your product idea and what the best approach (web or mobile - maybe both!) would be. Let’s pick the right tool for your vision and build something great together. 

FAQs

Can I use the same codebase for both React and React Native?

Not particularly - you can usually share the business logic, but the UI code has to be written separately because web elements and native mobile components are just fundamentally different.

Which one is faster to develop?

React is faster for web-only products. React Native is faster when you’re building both iOS and Android apps, since one shared codebase replaces two separate native builds.

Does React Native use web views?

No, React Native renders real native UI components, not HTML inside web views, which is why it gives us better performance and that truly native look and feel.

Can a web developer transition to React Native easily?

Yes, React concepts transfer well, but developers still need to know about mobile-specific components and native tooling like Xcode or Android Studio.