The main difference between React.js and React Native lies in what they build and how they render the UI.
Overview
| Feature |
React.js |
React Native |
| Purpose |
Build web applications |
Build mobile applications (iOS & Android) |
| Platform |
Web browsers |
Mobile devices |
| Rendering |
Uses HTML + CSS with Virtual DOM |
Uses native components with a bridge |
| Developed By |
Facebook |
Facebook |
Core Differences
| Category |
React.js |
React Native |
| UI Components |
Renders to HTML elements (<div>, <h1>) |
Renders to native components (<View>, <Text>) |
| Styling |
Uses CSS (or CSS-in-JS libraries) |
Uses StyleSheet API (JavaScript-based) |
| Navigation |
React Router or similar |
React Navigation / Native Navigation libraries |
| Code Sharing |
Web-only |
Cross-platform (iOS & Android) |
| Animations |
CSS / JS-based animations |
Uses Animated API or Reanimated |
| Build Tooling |
Uses Webpack, Babel |
Uses Metro bundler |
| Platform APIs |
Limited to browser APIs |
Can access device APIs (camera, GPS, etc.) |
When to Use Which?
| Use Case |
Use… |
| Building a responsive website |
React.js |
| Building a cross-platform mobile app |
React Native |
| Web-first project |
React.js |
| App needs access to device hardware (camera, sensors) |
React Native |
Example Comparison
React.js Component:
React Native Component:
Summary
| Feature |
React.js |
React Native |
| Platform |
Web |
iOS & Android mobile |
| Rendering |
HTML, CSS, JS |
Native mobile components |
| Code Reuse |
Web-focused only |
Cross-platform mobile apps |
| Styling |
CSS or libraries |
JavaScript-based styling |
