React Native 0.75 is Out. What is new?

Introduction

The release of React Native 0.75 marks another step forward in the evolution of this popular framework, bringing new features and critical updates that enhance performance, developer experience, and compatibility.

Here, I’ll break down the key changes in this version, giving you the insights needed to take advantage of these improvements in your projects.

Terms and Definitions

Before diving into what’s new, let’s review some technical terms that are essential for understanding these updates.

Hermes as Default

Hermes is now the default JavaScript engine in React Native 0.75. Hermes is designed to optimize the performance of React Native apps by reducing app startup times and memory usage, which is crucial for delivering smooth user experiences, especially on low-end devices. This change also simplifies the setup for developers, as Hermes is integrated directly into the React Native build process.

Yoga in React Native

Imagine Yoga as the ruler and measuring tape for your app’s layout. Written in C++, it interprets your flexbox instructions and calculates the precise positioning of UI elements. This ensures a consistent and visually appealing design across various devices

Flexbox Gap Property Support

React Native 0.75 introduces support for the gap property within Flexbox layouts. This addition simplifies spacing between elements within a flex container, making it easier to design complex layouts without relying on cumbersome margin properties.

Term Explication: Imagine laying out photos in a grid where each photo needs equal spacing. The gap property allows you to set consistent spacing between the photos without adjusting each individually, streamlining your design process.

Yarn

Think of Yarn as your project’s librarian, meticulously managing the essential libraries (dependencies) your app needs to function. It streamlines installation, updates, and removal, keeping your project organized and efficient.

Android SDK

This toolkit, provided by Google, equips you with the necessary tools and resources to build exceptional Android applications

Enhanced TurboModules

This release also brings further optimizations to TurboModules. TurboModules are designed to improve performance by reducing the overhead associated with loading and executing native modules. In 0.75, these improvements mean even faster communication between JavaScript and native code, resulting in a more responsive app.

Term Explication: Think of TurboModules as express lanes on a highway, allowing data to move quickly between JavaScript and native code without getting stuck in traffic. This leads to faster responses and smoother app experiences.

Concurrent Rendering Enhancements

React Native 0.75 continues to refine concurrent rendering, a feature that allows React to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, improving responsiveness during heavy operations. These enhancements ensure that your app remains smooth and interactive, even when performing complex tasks in the background.

Term Explication: Concurrent rendering is like having multiple workers on a construction site who can handle different tasks at once. Even when one task is complex, others can continue without waiting, ensuring the project stays on track.

Breaking Changes

1- Deprecated APIs Removed

In this version, React Native continues its effort to streamline the framework by removing several deprecated APIs. Developers relying on these outdated APIs will need to update their code to avoid compatibility issues. This cleanup helps reduce the framework’s complexity and ensures that it remains modern and efficient.

2- PushNotificationIOS API Updates:

The PushNotificationIOS API has transformed, becoming more modular and paving the way for a community-driven approach. Be prepared to update your code to align with the revised API structure. Refer to the official documentation for detailed guidance.

3- Android API Level Requirement Raised

React Native 0.75 has increased the minimum required Android SDK level to 24 (Android 7.0). This update allows the framework to leverage more modern Android features, enhancing both performance and security while also reducing app size by dropping support for older, less efficient APIs.

Conclusion

React Native 0.75 introduces crucial updates that not only boost app performance but also simplify the development process.

With Hermes as the default engine, support for the Flexbox gap property enhanced TurboModules, and improved concurrent rendering, this release helps developers create faster, more efficient apps.

Additionally, by removing deprecated APIs and raising the Android SDK level, React Native continues to evolve as a modern, streamlined framework. Updating your projects to take full advantage of these improvements is highly recommended.

For more details about the latest version of React Native, check this article: or in official release notes.

If you need to upgrade your React native version to the latest stable version, check this service:https://casainnov.com/mobiledevelopment.

What is new in React Native 0.75