Learn React Native: The Best Courses and Resources

Have you ever created a mobile app only to have a confusing or unappealing user interface tarnish your product? Learning React Native has become a popular solution to this problem.

In the digital era, many of us are moving toward using our smartphones or tablets more often than our desktop PCs. This has driven up demand for high-quality mobile applications. It’s more essential now than ever before that the user experience of a program is well thought out and executed.

React Native has been specifically designed to help software developers create apps that are attractive and user-friendly.

What Is React Native?

React Native is an open-source framework based on the JavaScript library that is used to create mobile apps. As the name suggests, it can be used to create applications for any mobile phone operating system using its native platform.

React Native was born out of the need to move away from HTML in mobile apps. While HTML is usually a reliable programming tool, it translated to a shoddy, unrefined mobile experience. 

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Jordan Walke took notice. Fueled by the need to improve Facebook’s mobile applications, they combined React and JavaScript to create a framework that would optimize user experience.

Now, React Native has become a standard for creating mobile applications on multiple platforms. 

What Jobs Use React Native Skills?

Now that you know what React Native is used for, let’s look at how React Native skills can benefit your career. Below are some jobs that use React Native skills. 

• Software engineer. When becoming a software engineer, you will need to learn programming as well as user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design. Using programming languages, sound design principles, and platform-specific features, software engineers can create mobile apps with a strong UX design. 
  
  
• Web designer. Whether you choose to specialize in front-end, back-end, or full-stack development, becoming a web designer can lead to unique career opportunities. Using React Native, web designers and web developers can apply their existing skills to create comprehensive mobile applications. 
  
  

Although React Native focuses on mobile apps, many of the same UX/UI principles apply to both mobile app design and web design.

• Data scientist. Coding and data are nearly synonymous with one another. As one of the best tech jobs, learning data science can open up many job opportunities. Using coding provided by React Native, a data scientist can parse through large datasets, improve machine learning algorithms, and analyze data.
  
  

Steps to Learn React Native

Now that you know the basics behind React Native, let’s look into how you can go about learning it and creating your own engaging mobile apps. 

1. Learn the Basics of Programming Languages

Although the aim of React Native was to eschew the use of HTML in mobile apps, you still need to have a basic understanding of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to succeed as a React Native developer.

After you get some of the basics down, you can move on to learning React. This JavaScript library is the backbone of React Native.  

2. Take Online Courses in React Native

The Internet is brimming with online courses, and it’s fairly easy to find reputable classes on React Native. By taking an online course in React Native, you will enhance your knowledge of the JavaScript library and learn advanced skills.

3. Attend a Coding Bootcamp

Coding bootcamps are a reliable way to learn programming languages, design principles, and other tools that can be used to create mobile apps and software. 

These bootcamps are intensive curriculums that usually last from a few weeks to a few months. The courses on offer will differ based on the institution. For example, you can choose a more general subject like software engineering, or you can choose a course that highlights one or two programming languages. Many coding bootcamps offer React Native crash courses, along with classes in some of these other top programming languages.

4. Practice and Experiment 

Like every programming language and open-source framework, the best way to get better at React and JavaScript is through practice. One way to do this is by building a basic mobile application. You can even try to develop the same app for multiple platforms.

Practicing and experimenting will also give you some content to add to your portfolio. Any hiring manager would admire the effort, especially when combined with a certificate from a coding bootcamp or a bachelor’s degree in computer science.

The Best Courses to Learn React Native

Taking React Native courses is one of the best ways to master this JavaScript library. There are both free and paid options, so choose the one that best suits your resources. Below, let’s look at the best React Native programs.

The Complete React Native + Hooks Course

Brought to you by Udemy, this comprehensive course will throw you right in the deep end, covering every aspect of React Native. Accomplished software engineer Stephen Grider teaches how to build native applications, with students even building a mobile app prototype at the end of the course. This unofficial capstone project will ideally be marketable on Google Play, Apple, and Android app stores. 

The course’s 34 sections and 425 lectures will give students all the information they need to get a very firm grasp on user interfaces, platform-specific mobile apps, and the nuances of the JavaScript library. 

React Native – The Practical Guide [2021 Edition]

Updated for 2021, this online Udemy course is great for beginners, covering all the React Native fundamentals. 

Taught by accomplished developer Maximilian Schwarzmüller, this 2021 guide to React Native covers how to develop native applications using Hook, Redux, and push notifications. This 30-hour course is a great first step toward learning more complex React Native topics.

React Native: Getting Started from Pluralsight

This Pluralsight Native React course is for total beginners. In it, students will learn to create mobile applications that they will publish on the Google, Apple, and Android marketplaces. 

This React Native course is just two hours, so it won’t flood you with too much complex information. Instructor Hendrik Swanepoel also teaches more advanced courses in React and TypeScript if you decide you want to continue your education. 

Multiplatform Mobile App Development with React Native

Coursera is one of the best learning resources on the Internet. Often sponsored by major universities and other higher institutions of learning, its specialized courses are a great way to start learning new topics.

Offered by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and taught by Jogesh K. Muppala, this course is perfect for beginners and intermediate React Native users. 

This program is part of a larger full-stack web development specialization. In this specific class, students will master React Native and learn to create mobile apps for multiple platforms. After developing an app, students will also use Redux to flesh out the UI and UX. 

React Native: Advanced Concepts

If you feel you are confident in React Native basics, then it’s time to ramp things up. This Udemy course by instructor Stephen Grider will take your knowledge to the next level.

Along with React Native, students will learn how to use Google Cloud, Firebase, Redux, and Expo to perfect their mobile applications and prepare them for download. The course lasts a little over 16 hours and contains downloadable materials and other resources.

Professional Certificate in Computer Science and Mobile Apps from Harvard University 

Although this Harvard certificate course is a bit more general, it will give a great boost to your resume. In the program, students will learn React native, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python. 

Overall, this is a fantastic mobile app course. It goes without saying that earning a certificate in mobile development from Harvard University is a pretty big deal. 

To complete this certificate, students start out with a computer science intro class, which lasts 12 weeks. Then, students can select their focus for the next quarter. Among the options is a 12-week React Native course. 

Best React Native Resources

Whether or not you decide to take a React Native course, you can still browse the supplemental resources to learn more about the framework. Check out the websites, forums, and tools below.

Information from React Native

The natural first step in exploring React Native resources is to head to the official website of the JavaScript library. This exhaustive list of tools and resources will give you tips on developing mobile applications, and placing them on different native platforms and app marketplaces.

This site also explains how to debug apps, and create user interfaces.

native.directory

This resource is a blog for app developers. It includes numerous posts, articles, and opinion pieces that outline trends in the programming community. Although this website isn’t entirely focused on React Native, it is still useful for readers who want to get an inside look at the mobile app industry. 

Reactiflux

Reactiflux is a huge community of mobile app developers who specialize in React and React Native. With over 20,000 members, you are sure to find the answer to any question you may have about the JavaScript library.

You can also get access to great tips, check out Q&A sessions, and watch videos shared by professional developers. 

Why Learn React Native?

If you are aiming to start a career in app development or front-end web development, then you should learn React Native in order to create pleasant, functional user experiences. 

By practicing the fundamentals you have learned in coding bootcamps or classes, and using resources to stay up to date with React Native developments, you’ll be well on your way to a successful career in app development.