r/reactnative • • 1d ago

Help Android -> React native shift

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?

7 Upvotes

21 comments sorted by

13

u/CYG4N 1d ago

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. 

3

u/Huge_Pool7424 1d ago

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

1

u/Abo_Med7at 1d ago

Thanks for your advice

4

u/tr__18 iOS & Android 1d ago

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

1

u/Abo_Med7at 1d ago

Thanks a lot

2

u/Chefblogger 1d ago

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

1

u/Abo_Med7at 1d ago

So, you suggest learning React Native directly, correct?

1

u/Chefblogger 1d ago

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 🤣

1

u/Abo_Med7at 1d ago

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

2

u/neon_koi_glow 1d ago

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.

1

u/Abo_Med7at 1d ago

Thanks for your advice

2

u/_SyRo_ 1d ago

I made the same transition a few years ago

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

0

u/Abo_Med7at 1d ago

Thanks for the advice

1

u/Grimmjowx9 1d ago

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

1

u/Abo_Med7at 1d ago

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?

1

u/RangerOne122 1d ago

Honestly the iOS knowledge comes automatically if you need it. Jump into RN, ship something, then when you're staring at a native module you'll learn exactly what you need. Way more efficient than pre-studying.

1

u/Abo_Med7at 1d ago

Makes sense, thank you

1

u/maxyoudev 1d ago

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

1

u/Abo_Med7at 1d ago

Thanks a lot

0

u/raju_gupta 1d ago

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

1

u/Abo_Med7at 1d ago

Thanks