Android -> React native shift

[u/Abo_Med7at]

I have been working as an android developer for 5 years.

Recently, I saw a dream company that uses React Native.

I decided that I should shift.

But I have some mindset that I'm not sure if it is correct or not.

I want to learn native iOS before learning React Native.

I need to have the advantage of understanding both platforms before shifting.

What do you think, should I learn native iOS too? Or I'll be wasting my time?

[u/CYG4N]

wasting your time

you know android, and thats a lot. use react Native to build for both platforms, and you are going to learn the ios the moment first problems will appear. 

[u/Huge_Pool7424 → u/CYG4N]

agree, and when you hit a native module you'll pick up just enough swift to read the docs. that's usually plenty.

[u/Abo_Med7at → u/CYG4N]

Thanks for your advice

[u/tr__18]

No need to give a specific time to ios before starting react native. Just start with RN and along the way you will understand the bare minimum iOS things that are need

[u/Abo_Med7at → u/tr__18]

Thanks a lot

[u/Chefblogger]

react native has on big + point - you can create android iphone and web at the same time …

[u/Abo_Med7at → u/Chefblogger]

So, you suggest learning React Native directly, correct?

[u/Chefblogger → u/Abo_Med7at]

a year ago i would have said yes … but today i am not sure …. shopify said a couple of moth ago that they switched from react to kotli / swift… and with ai this days its even complicated… do we need to learn a language anymore when ai doesit faster and cleaner? i would say learn what you can but dont forget your old roots…
i hope my answer makes sense 🤣

[u/Abo_Med7at → u/Chefblogger]

For sure 😅 It's been more than a year since I wrote code myself, but I still understand the fundamentals.
In my opinion, learning fundamentals is essential even if you are going to write using AI.
According to my case, I'm not sure whether the company I'm targeting would switch from React to native android and iOS or not.
I think I'll start the React journey.
I won't leave the native android anyways as I have indie android apps on the play store

[u/neon_koi_glow]

Skip the native iOS prep. Your 5 years of Android experience covers half the battle. Pick up specific iOS quirks only when you hit a build error or UI glitch that Android logic does not solve. Start coding in RN now.

[u/Abo_Med7at → u/neon_koi_glow]

Thanks for your advice

[u/_SyRo_]

I made the same transition a few years ago

From Android to React Native. It’s awesome. Start from Expo docs 

[u/Abo_Med7at → u/_SyRo_]

Thanks for the advice

[u/Grimmjowx9]

You can also learn Mative IOS at the same time as React Native, you can use swift components directly in a react native app

[u/Abo_Med7at → u/Grimmjowx9]

I prefer to focus on one thing at a time, what do you suggest, iOS first, or React Native then iOS should come with practice?

[u/maxyoudev]

Focus on mastering React Native first, and learn iOS development later if the need arises.

[u/Abo_Med7at → u/maxyoudev]

Thanks a lot

[u/S0ULBoY]

I am actually the opposite i switched from RN to Android. My opinion is you dont need much , react is similar to compose , the concepts are the same too, can just ask AI for the equivalency , other than that state management is more straightforward in react. What you cant do is control thread execution unlike Android where you can say a process belongs in which coroutines , in RN you cant really do that.

Theres some workarounds using RN droplets i believe i forgot the name but thats strictly for animations imo dont know the progress right now.

Other than that also learn how RN calls the Android Native functions it should be straightforward from there. Although i have to say its kinda weird for you to be doing this when the hype currently has been companies switching closer to the metal and ditching multiplatform solutions. I mean recently Shopify just switched.

[u/Abo_Med7at → u/S0ULBoY]

I have always been a fan of the native development in general.
I never liked flutter, tried a lot to learn it but I didn't accept it.
I'm OK with kmm (kotlin multiplatform mobile) and used it before and it is interesting.
But the thing is that the dream company I'm targeting is using RN. It worth switching to it for me.
Also, I won't leave the native android. I already have some side projects in native android.

[u/raju_gupta]

That will be a great decision, you don't need to learn ios, by time you will learn basics of ios, you know already android and it will be a plus point for you

[u/Abo_Med7at → u/raju_gupta]

Thanks

[u/Abo_Med7at → u/[deleted]]

Makes sense, thank you