10 ways to optimize React Native Applications Performance

React Native and React- these are two popular and useful tools to develop applications. To most of the developers, React Native has turned out to be one of the best options to build cross-platform applications within the shortest time. The hybrid framework, React Native is very effective for building iOS and Android applications. In fact, most of the developers have found that faster shipping and easier code sharing are the two most advantageous things of these tools.

Still, some programmers have a complaint against the performance-related problems of React Native. Hence, for these problems, they find a negative effect on app performance. 

The best React Native development companyknows how to manage the persisting issues of the applications. However, before talking about the problems, we have presented you with the merits and demerits of the tool.

Created by Facebook, React Native is a JavaScript framework to develop various applications. The web application and mobile app developers can create an application at a faster rate by using this framework. Moreover, it is also easy to develop apps for various mobile platforms by reusing and sharing the codes.

Now, there are a few issues with this framework. As there is no presence of any custom module, you will need to spend much time developing that module. For this reason, we have found out the ways, in which you will be able to optimize the performance standard of React Native applications.

React Native app functioning is dependent on Native elements, libraries, and the overall architecture. We can categorize the React Native architecture into two ways- One of them is the React Native, created on Objective, Swift and Java. Another one is Native, designed on JavaScript. Thus, for better application performance, you have to concentrate on these significant parameters.

Ways to optimize React Native application performance-

 1. From big to small application- Adjusting the size

The third-party libraries and native elements have much effect on the apps, created with the JavaScript framework. Hence, by applying more elements, you can find a bigger sized application. Optimization of resources is the best option for reducing this size. 

For instance, you may rely on ProGuard for doing it. It is also essential to create varied sized apps for various device architectures. Besides, you must ensure that you have compressed the images.

There are different other steps for controlling the application size. You can shift the available components to React Native from Native and decrease the bridge size, used by JavaScript for interacting with Native. Another option for you is to interpret open-source libraries for inspecting the stability.

Some of the components use heavy message queues at the time of interacting with the Native side. Thus, you must avoid passing them through the thread.

2. Memory leakage of React Native application

It is one of the most known problems in Android apps. The presence of several background processes is causing this issue. To solve this Android app memory leakage problem, you may use VirtualListSectionList, FlatList, and other scrolling lists. These lists are useful to smoothen the scroll pagination process.

3. Caching the image

It is one of the significant steps to enable React Native apps to perform in a much better way. Moreover, it is useful for faster image loading. However, only for iOS devices, React Native helps you to cache the image. In the case of Android OS, NPM libraries are available for image caching. They would not present you with the optimum level of performance.

You may also have various other problems related to libraries. For instance, after replacing the app page, you will not find preloaded images. We call it the cache miss.

Performance draining is another common issue while your cache logic works toward the application’s JavaScript side.

4. JSON data- Optimize it for your application

There is a need for loading resources for mobile apps. These resources are available from a remote URL to get a request for having data from the server. Moreover, the data, obtained by them from various APIs, is in the JSON version. 

Thus, it can lower the performance level, as the developers are saving that data for dealing with local offline. The best option for you is to make a conversion of raw JSON data for having less complicated objects.

5. Reduction of image size

For optimization of app performance, React Native developerdecreases the image size. We have already told you about the reduction of application size, and now, you have to control image size. The developers know that images consumers a higher memory. Thus, you must look for small-sized images. It is also essential to prefer images in the PNG file format. However, you may convert the image format to WebP.

The major reason behind it is that WebP is highly beneficial in various ways. It can increase the average loading speed and reduce the app’s binary sizes.

By applying these tricks, you will be able to avoid the sub-par performance of your applications.

6. Adjustments to the navigation

The navigation is one of the major parts of any application, and it affects the functionality. Thus, you must focus on it to make the navigation much better and to enhance the performance of Native and JavaScript elements. 

The four components, related to navigation, are Navigator iOS, Navigator, ReactNavigation and Navigation Experiment. The most important elements are useful for smaller applications and prototyping. For your iOS apps, Navigator iOS is applicable. Another component is for the development of GitHub-based activities. ReactNavigation, ensuring a seamless process, is designed for various apps.

7. Managing screen orientation

Programmers must solve problems related to screen orientation. Several app users have found the issue of crashing at the time of running the app and adjusting the screen orientation. For instance, the app can crash while shifting from portrait orientation to landscape orientation.

The developers have found React Native navigation could solve the issues. However, they ultimately do not find it. Especially for iOS mobile, it has not managed the orientation issues.

Thus, you have to optimize screen orientation while developing the app.

8. Animations, done for React Native applications

React Native gives you a chance of creating clear animations. If you have chosen 

React Native development services, then the developers will achieve an animated library for authorizing the driver. Moreover, the animations are helpful for implementing the major thread of JavaScript thread. The developers can choose Native Driver for configuring animation.

Native Driver relies on CADisplayin for dealing with every frame. Interestingly, for both the standard animation and Native Driver animation, you can calculate the values instantly.

9. Adjusting the map

In some cases, developers integrate a map into the app. However, the presence of the map can make the navigation slow. Thus, while adding map libraries, the developers have to eliminate console.log to improve React Native performance. There is no need of storing data in Xcode.

The primary intention behind it is to lower the JS thread load for making the map interactions much better.

10. Frozen User Interface

You can find this issue, while the major thread has blocked User Interface thread. For preventing these issues, you have to avoid using Object Finalizers.

By having a look at the issues, you may feel that React Native is not the perfect solution to build high-performance applications. However, with minimal effort for optimization, you can solve the problem.