Microsoft ASP.NET is a set of technologies, built on top of the Microsoft .NET Framework, for building Web applications and XML Web services. ASP.NET web pages execute on a web server in IIS (Internet Information Server) and generate markup such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript and XML that is sent down to a desktop or mobile device browser. This is important because the application does not require any installation on the client computer beyond a web browser. This means your application can be run from anywhere, anytime, regardless of the hardware.

ReactJS and React Native Development

ReactJS and React Native Background

ReactJS and React Native are high-performing tools for building the user interfaces of web and mobile applications giving them rich user experiences. Both are open-source projects with thousands of contributors. Meta (formerly Facebook) maintains it.

While working at Facebook, Jordan Walke created React in 2013. ReactJS is a JavaScript framework that has since evolved into the most popular and widely used JavaScript library for building web apps. It lets developers create reusable user interface (UI) components, which can be rendered on the server or the client side. This makes it easier to create dynamic and interactive web applications that can be easily maintained and scaled. Jordan Walke is still actively involved in the development of React and has contributed significantly to the framework's evolution and growth.

React Native, on the other hand, was released in 2015 and lets developers build native mobile applications for iOS and Android using the same principles as ReactJS. It lets developers write code in JavaScript and render native UI components for each platform, making it easy to build cross-platform mobile applications that need to have the same functionality on each platform. This strategy saves a lot of time because the developer doesn’t need to develop separate native modules for each native platform.

Both ReactJS and React Native have a large and active user community of web developers and are frequently used by companies all over the world to build modern and responsive web and mobile applications. They are both known for their simplicity, performance, and flexibility, making them popular choices for developers of all skill levels.

What is ReactJS used for?

ReactJS is most commonly used for creating web applications. It allows business software developers to create reusable user interface components which can be rendered on the server or the client side. This makes it easy to create interactive web application browser code that can be easily maintained and scaled.

React uses a virtual DOM (Document Object Model) React-DOM to optimize modifications to the actual DOM, making it faster than other JavaScript libraries that manipulate the DOM directly. It is highly flexible, allowing web developers to use it with a variety of other tools and frameworks like GraphQL for data retrieval and Redux for state management. Handling events in React elements is similar to handling events directly on DOM elements.

It’s important to note that React is a software “library” rather than a framework, meaning it doesn’t come with all of the patterns, specifications and rules a fully-fledged framework would have. Conversely, React Native is a framework. Overall, ReactJS is used for creating modern and responsive web applications that can be easy to maintain and scale.

What is React Native used for?

React Native is a software development framework for building native mobile applications using JavaScript. It lets developers write platform-specific code in JavaScript and render native UI components for each platform, making it easy to create cross-platform mobile apps for iOS and Android.

React Native uses the same principles as ReactJS, making it easy for developers who are familiar with ReactJS to get started with mobile app development. It also lets developers reuse code between platforms, which can save time and resources when building React native apps.

React Native provides access to several native APIs that allow developers to build mobile applications that can interact with the device's hardware and software. Some of these APIs include camera access, geolocation, accelerometer, and contacts. By using these native APIs with React, developers can build mobile applications that offer a more immersive and engaging user experience. Additionally, using native APIs can improve the performance of the application since they are optimized to work on the device's hardware.

Objective-C is a programming language that was traditionally used for building iOS and macOS applications.
However, with the introduction of React Native, developers can now build cross-platform mobile applications using JavaScript and React, without having to write code in Objective-C. React Native has made it easier for developers to build mobile applications without having to learn multiple programming languages, including Objective-C.

React Native is used by a wide range of companies and organizations to build native mobile applications. Some examples include Facebook, Instagram, Airbnb, and Skype. It is known for its performance, simplicity, and flexibility, making it a popular choice for mobile app developers.

How does React help with web application front-end development?

React is often used for web application front-end development in conjunction with CSS stylesheets. It helps developers build modern and responsive web applications by providing a simple and flexible way to create reusable components and modules.

The learning curve for React can be steep for beginners who are new to the framework. However, once developers grasp the core concepts of React, they can quickly become productive and build complex applications. Additionally, extensive documentation, numerous tutorials, and a supportive community can help developers overcome any initial difficulties and accelerate their learning process.

Another benefit of React is its virtual DOM, which allows for efficient updates to the actual DOM. When a component in a React application is updated, the virtual DOM will create a new virtual tree representing the updated state of the code component. This new tree is then compared to the previous tree, and the virtual DOM will identify the minimum number of DOM changes that need to be made to bring the actual DOM into line with the new virtual tree. This process is much faster than manipulating the DOM directly and helps to improve the performance of React applications.

Another benefit of React is its ability to be easily integrated with other frameworks and tools. This flexibility makes it easy to build complex and feature-rich web applications using React.

Hot reloading is a feature in React that lets developers see the changes they make to their code in real-time without having to refresh the page manually. With hot reloading, as soon as a developer saves their code changes, the browser automatically updates the page with the new changes. This saves a significant amount of developer time and improves productivity because developers can quickly see how their changes affect the user interface without extra loading time.

Node.js can be used with React to set up a server that handles API requests and other server-side tasks, as well as building and bundling React applications for deployment. The create-react-app package is a popular tool for creating React applications with Node.js, providing a simple and efficient development environment. Overall, using Node.js with React provides a powerful and flexible toolset for building robust web applications.

React provides an Animated API that allows developers to create complex and interactive animations in their applications. The Animated API provides a declarative syntax for defining animations and allows developers to control the animation's properties, such as duration, easing, and delay. This feature makes it easier for developers to create visually appealing user interfaces in their React applications.

React strives for backward compatibility, meaning that updates to the framework should not break existing code. React also supports integration with other libraries and frameworks, making it compatible with a wide range of web development tools. This compatibility and flexibility make React a popular choice for building web applications of all sizes and complexity.

Overall, React helps with web application front-end development by providing a simple and efficient way to create and update UI components and by being easily integrated with other tools and frameworks.

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What is ASP.NET?

ASP.NET is a web application framework that was developed by Microsoft and first released in 2002. It allows developers to build dynamic websites, web applications, and mobile applications using the .NET platform. ASP.NET provides a set of libraries and tools that developers can use to create complex applications with ease.

ASP.NET is one of the best platforms for developing web and mobile applications for several reasons. Here are a few:

Platform Independence: ASP.NET Core is a platform-independent software development platform that can run on Windows, Linux, and macOS operating systems. This makes it easier for web programmers to create cross-platform applications that can be run on different devices and platforms.
High Performance: ASP.NET is optimized for high performance, which makes it ideal for developing scalable applications that can handle high traffic. It uses the JIT (Just-In-Time) compiler, which compiles code on the fly, resulting in faster performance.
Security: ASP.NET provides several built-in security features, such as authentication, authorization, and encryption, to help developers build secure applications. It also includes the ASP.NET Identity system, which provides a robust authentication and authorization system out of the box.
Easy to Use: ASP.NET is easy to learn and use, even for web developers who are new to the framework. It has a simple syntax, and many tasks can be accomplished using drag and drop functionality, which reduces the amount of code.
Large Community: ASP.NET has a large community of web developers who contribute to the framework's development, provide support, and create libraries and tools that extend its functionality.

Overall, ASP.NET is an excellent platform for developing web and mobile applications because of its platform independence, high performance, security features, ease of use, and large community.

Can ReactJS be used with ASP.NET?

Yes, it is possible to use ReactJS with ASP.NET by creating an ASP.NET Core project that acts as an API backend and then including a React project on the front end to act as the user interface (UI). This is possible through ASP.NET Core Single Page Application (SPA) templates that currently support both ReactJS and Angular JS.

There are a few different ways to incorporate React into an ASP.NET web application:

Include React as a script tag in the HTML of your
ASP.NET web page. This is the most basic way to use React with ASP.NET, but it requires you to manage the React codebase and its dependencies manually.
Use a build process that transpiles and bundles your React code. This is a more advanced feature that allows you to use modern JavaScript syntax and dependencies but requires additional tools and build steps. Unlike a compiler, a JavaScript transpiler is mainly used to convert JavaScript into backward-compatible JavaScript that can run in older browsers. It allows web developers to take advantage of the newest features of the language. Babel is a free, open-source JavaScript transpiler.
Use a software library like ReactJS.NET, which integrates React into the ASP.NET ecosystem. ReactJS.NET allows you to add React components and JSX syntax directly in your ASP.NET Razor views and controllers.

It is possible to use ReactJS with ASP.NET, but the specific approach will depend on your requirements and the tools and frameworks you are using.

ReactJS vs. React Native

React Native and ReactJS both have their pros and cons depending on your particular use case, needs, and specifications.

In general, you would use React Native instead of ReactJS when you want to build native mobile apps that run on iOS and Android platforms without having to maintain two different sets of native code.

React Native lets you build native mobile applications that have the same look and feel as applications built using native programming languages (such as Swift or Kotlin). It uses the same principles as ReactJS, making it easy for software developers who are familiar with ReactJS to get started with mobile development.

However, if you want to build a web application that runs in a web browser, you will use ReactJS instead of React Native. ReactJS is specifically designed for building user interfaces for web applications and is not suitable for building mobile applications.

You can also optionally use JSX when developing using React and version control software such as git or GitHub to make web application development as efficient as possible.

What are the main components of React?

ReactJS and React Native are both based on the same principles and concepts and have many similar functional components. Here are some of the main components of both ReactJS and React Native:

Components: In both ReactJS and React Native, components are the building blocks of an application. Components are reusable pieces of code that represent a part of the UI and can be easily reused and shared between different parts of the application.
JSX: Both ReactJS and React Native use JSX, a syntax extension for JavaScript that allows you to write HTML-like code in your JavaScript files. This makes it easy to create and manipulate UI elements using familiar HTML syntax.
Props: In both ReactJS and React Native, props are a way to pass data from a parent component to a child component. Props are immutable (i.e., they cannot be changed) and are used to customize the behavior and appearance of a component.
State: In both ReactJS and React Native, state is a way to store and manage data that can change within a component. State is mutable (i.e., it can be changed) and is used to manage the internal state of a component.

ReactJS and React Native have many similar components that allow developers to build user interfaces and mobile applications in a simple and flexible way.

Why should you outsource development to an experienced React Developer?

There are several reasons why you should outsource software development to an experienced React developer:

Expertise: An experienced React developer will have a deep understanding of the React ecosystem and best practices and will be able to apply this knowledge to your project. This can help to ensure that your project is developed efficiently and effectively and that it meets your software requirements and goals.
Time and cost savings: Hiring, onboarding, training, and integrating a new team member is tedious, time-consuming, and costs a pretty penny. What if you could expand your software team without all of the overhead? If you outsource your React development, you’ll be able to save money by temporarily hiring the help you need on-demand rather than taking on a brand-new full-time employee. Outsourcing software development can save you time and resources, as you don't need to hire and manage in-house developers. An experienced React developer can also help you to identify problems in your React project and suggest ways to address them.
Scalability: Individual developers can undoubtedly get the job done, but you might be waiting a while until that happens. When you outsource your React application to an experienced development team, you’re immediately getting access to a team of developers that’ll work to complete your application to the specifications provided quickly. A team works much faster than a single developer. An experienced React software development company can help you to scale your project as it grows and can provide guidance on how to debug, manage and maintain your application over time.
Access to a wider pool of talent: Outsourcing software development allows you to access a wider pool of talent, as you are not limited to developers in your local area. This is especially useful if you are looking for developers with specific skills or experience.

Overall, outsourcing software development to an experienced React developer can provide many benefits, including expertise, time and cost savings, scalability, and access to a wider pool of talent.

Let’s Build Something Great Together

Outsourcing the development of your React web application to a professional web application development firm can provide many benefits. You don’t have to learn React yourself. An experienced React developer will have a deep understanding of the React ecosystem and best practices and will be able to use this knowledge on your project. This can help to ensure that your project is developed efficiently and effectively and that it meets your software requirements and goals.

Outsourcing development can also save you time and resources, as you don't need to hire and manage in-house developers. An experienced React developer can also help you to identify any issues in your mobile development endeavor and suggest ways to address them.

Founded in 1987, our experienced web developers at Keene Systems have been building web applications since the 1990s, having learned and adopted modern technologies such as ASP.NET, ASP.NET Core, SQL Server, React Native, and ReactJS to serve our clients better. Call us today to hear how we can use React to build your next-generation web application, and we’ll put our extensive experience and expertise to work for you.

Call 603-726-5058 today to discuss your project needs, or fill out our contact form to tell us about your React development requirements.

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