Exploring The Limitations of React Native Development

2. Development & Maintenance Complexity

This is the second category of React Native limitations, where we will assess the difficulty of building and maintaining a React Native app at scale.

2.1. Dependency Management Can Get Messy

One of the biggest cons of React Native is its heavy reliance on third-party libraries, many of which are maintained by open-source contributors rather than Meta itself. Even core functionalities like navigation and gesture handling are external dependencies. While the community is active and growing, dependency mismatches, outdated packages, and abandoned repos can create serious bottlenecks for development teams.

2.2. You Still Need Platform-Specific Knowledge

Despite its cross-platform promise, React Native still requires developers to have a working knowledge of native platforms, especially iOS. Whether it's debugging a broken build or customizing behavior with native code, platform familiarity often becomes essential. This means training or hiring developers who can operate across the native stack, not just JavaScript.

2.3. Keeping Up Isn't Easy

Upgrading React Native versions can be a real challenge, especially if you have fallen behind by a few releases. Updates often involve changes to native configurations for both iOS and Android, along with potential breaking changes in third-party libraries. It's not uncommon for teams to delay updates due to fear of breaking the entire build.

2.4. OS and Tooling Changes

React Native depends on iOS, Android, Xcode, Gradle, and a host of other tools. When any of these updates, it can break your build in unpredictable ways. For example, Apple just announced a new update to iOS called "liquid glass." Now the libraries, the tools, and everything will need to be updated for it to make it feel native.

2.5. Debugging the Core

The core codebase of React Native is large and complex. If you hit an edge case or undocumented issue, especially after a major OS update, it can feel overwhelming. Debugging deep Objective-C or Swift internals may not be feasible for every team, making such problems time-consuming and expensive to resolve.

2.6. Third-Party SDK Headaches

Integrating third-party SDKs into React Native can be far from straightforward. Conflicts between dependency managers like CocoaPods and Swift Package Manager, or incompatibilities with the React Native bridge, can delay releases or require awkward workarounds. Native integration remains smoother for many of these cases.

Addressing Common Misconceptions & Providing Balance

After discussing these limitations of React Native, one may begin to form false assumptions as well, so let’s clear the air first. React Native often gets dismissed for reasons that don’t always hold up under closer inspection. While it’s important to acknowledge its limitations, some of the more common criticisms are either outdated or apply only in specific contexts. Let’s take a closer look at where the line between fact and assumption tends to blur.

Misconception 1: "React Native apps are always slow."

This is partly true, but only under certain conditions. Performance issues are more noticeable in apps with high computational complexity, like advanced animations or large data-heavy lists. But in most typical use cases, especially with the help of libraries like FlashList or Reanimated 2, performance remains well within acceptable limits. For features that truly demand more power, developers have the option to implement native modules.

Misconception 2: "You don’t need to touch native code."

React Native handles a lot out of the box, but there are still situations where writing native code is necessary. This applies when working with specific device hardware or integrating certain SDKs. That said, many teams get by with minimal native work, especially when using libraries maintained by the community or tools like Expo for less complex apps.

Misconception 3: "React Native is not production-ready."

React Native has been used in production for years by companies like Meta, Shopify, and Microsoft. It’s not a perfect fit for every use case, but it's mature enough for many real-world applications, provided teams understand its boundaries and plan accordingly.

Misconception 4: "It’s only for MVPs or startups."

React Native does reduce time to market, making it a strong choice for MVPs. However, that doesn’t mean it can’t support long-term products. Many teams continue using React Native beyond the MVP stage, scaling their apps with native integrations where necessary.

Misconception 5: "The open-source ecosystem is unreliable."

There are challenges in managing dependencies, especially when relying on open-source libraries. Still, the ecosystem has improved over time, and many widely used libraries are now actively maintained. Developers may need to take more ownership when issues arise, but that’s not unique to React Native.

When React Native Development Still Shines (Despite Its Limitations)

React Native is a great JavaScript framework that many developers and companies use. It continues to be a practical choice for many teams, not just for early-stage products, but also for long-term mobile app development. The key is understanding where it works best and what trade-offs are acceptable for your goals.

1. Shared Codebase Across Platforms

One of React Native’s main strengths is the ability to share most of the code between iOS and Android. This significantly reduces development effort, especially for teams with limited resources. For startups or companies maintaining multiple platforms, this can mean faster delivery and easier maintenance.

2. Faster Iteration and Development Speed

React Native enables quicker development cycles thanks to tools like hot reload and a familiar JavaScript/React syntax. This allows teams to push updates, fix bugs, and test changes without the lengthy build times required in fully native workflows.

3. Strong Community and Ecosystem

While not without its challenges, the React Native ecosystem has grown considerably. There’s active support from Meta and companies like Software Mansion and Callstack, as well as a large community of contributors. Whether it’s UI kits, navigation solutions, or performance tools, developers often don’t need to start from scratch.

4. Flexibility with Native Code

React Native’s ability to bridge into native code allows teams to optimize specific areas of their app without having to go fully native. This hybrid approach is particularly useful when parts of the app demand more performance or rely on platform-specific features.

5. Cost Efficiency for Product Teams

From a business perspective, React Native helps reduce overall development and maintenance costs. Fewer developers can manage both platforms, and updates can be rolled out more consistently. Even with its limitations, this balance of cost and capability is what makes React Native worth considering.

Final Thoughts

React Native may come with many hurdles, but that doesn't mean we cloud the benefits behind the curtain of limitations. From performance constraints on lower-end devices to the occasional need for native code, there are real limitations that teams need to be aware of.

But context matters. The benefits of React Native still outweigh the drawbacks for many products that target multiple platforms with limited engineering resources. The key is knowing where it fits and where it doesn't. Understanding these boundaries helps teams make better decisions and avoid any pitfalls in the long run.

If you are considering React Native development for your next project, or already using it and hitting roadblocks, stepping back to evaluate its limitations is often the best way forward.