WaveMaker Studio is making waves with the new React Native code generation engine. Now web devs can create beautiful cross-platform mobile apps fast, using the skills they already have in their toolbelt, and our intuitive drag-and-drop visual builder. Developers can now produce native-style apps for iOS and Android without the overheads of learning Swift, Kotlin, or a new mobile framework.

With WaveMaker Studio for React Native, anyone with a background in web-based JavaScript can get started with developing mobile native-style apps, fast!

Why React Native?

“React Native is used by over 20 thousand apps on the Google Play Store and 14% of the top apps” - AppBrain

React Native might be developed by Meta, but the software framework is free and open source, so anyone can adapt and use the framework in their apps - for iOS, Android, Meta Quest, and Desktop. React Native is an evolutionary product, developed by Meta engineers plus contributors from outside the business, for maximum usability. You’ll find React Native in some of the world’s most-used apps, from Microsoft Teams to Amazon Shopping, Shopify, Bloomberg, Coinbase, Discord, and more.

Open source is in our DNA at WaveMaker. We choose to work with open-source projects with a thriving, pervasive presence, for ultimate developer choice and opportunities - plus no extra hidden costs of ownership.

How does it work?

The WaveMaker low-code drag-and-drop UI builder

“For 64% of EMA companies, low-code is critical to success in order to make development processes more efficient and reliable.” - Shaping digital transformation with low-code platforms 2023, KPMG

The WaveMaker platform is a low-code, drag-and-drop UI builder, with visual data connectors and logic flows, and the ability to add custom code. The platform is designed to significantly reduce the time taken for developers to get apps to the production phase. By offering drag-and-drop visual components, templates, and more, building the basis of an app is on-sight, fast, and reconfigurable.

The Visual Builder
The WaveMaker Visual Builder contains drag-and-drop: branding, loading, navigation options, quick actions, featured content, buttons, text, lists, grids, pop-ups, app badge icons, user account fields, app settings, images and video, gestures, animations, status bars, and much more.
Prefabs, WaveMaker’s reusable, modular components encapsulate UI elements, logic, and functionality, for building apps super fast.

The Backend
Data models and backend services are managed by WaveMaker's visual database management tools and API integrations. App logic and use cases are created with JavaScript services, custom JS code, or WaveMaker’s built-in event-handling system.

Mobile Helper Systems
Every page in a WaveMaker app has a singleton instance, so developers can manage dynamic content loading, customize behavior, and optimize user interactions, such as swipe gestures or mobile-specific transitions. Here, devs can also handle mobile-specific events such as app lifecycle states.

Cloud-based, real-time collaboration with VCS

The WaveMaker platform with React Native is a cloud-based self-service platform with no environmental setup needed. The platform allows real-time collaboration with inbuilt conflict resolution, backed by versionability with version control systems like Git. This makes it possible for multiple developers to work on a project at once, without the headache of clashing code changes.

Customize with JavaScript

With WaveMaker, you can use the JavaScript ecosystem for component configuration and customization within the visual builder. By customizing with JavaScript, you eliminate the need to use unfamiliar mobile languages, libraries, and frameworks.

Integrate with ease

Already working with an existing codebase? No problem. WaveMaker code can easily be connected to legacy systems and other platforms; utilize APIs to integrate components from anywhere. Found some React Native components you’d love to add to your app? WaveMaker makes it simple to integrate any React Native components with a custom built-in widget.

Build once, deploy on both iOS and Android

“Cross-platform development significantly reduces development time and costs by allowing the organization to deploy a single codebase across multiple platforms.” - Market Guide for Mobile Development Frameworks, Gartner 2024

Thanks to WaveMaker’s React Native code generation, you can now build once in the platform, then package and deploy on both iOS and Android simultaneously - without any platform-specific changes. Of course, if you want to access device-specific features, there is the option to create custom modules to do so.

Test with WaveMaker and React Native tools

WaveMaker includes integrated testing tools, plus leverages React Native DevTools for iOS and Android debugging including live and hot reloads, performance monitoring, log inspection, and more. Flipper can also be integrated for debugging custom React Native components. Generated apps can be swiftly tested on-device by generating a QR code for evaluation.

Deploy with ease

While app store requirements vary, you can expect to optimize your app for performance, generate certificates and keys, ensure all compliance objectives are met, and gather all metadata. Once ready, AppChef or the WaveMaker CLI can package the app into .ipa and .apk files, ready for upload to App Store Connect or the Google Play Console.

WaveMaker Studio for React Native = Rapid App Building

WaveMaker Studio for React Native rapidly speeds up the time to develop apps, reduces the barriers of entry to app building, and is completely DevOps-able and cost-effective, making cross-platform development accessible to all. Whether you want to build a beautiful prototype in a day or create a fully functional native app, WaveMaker Studio for React Native can help you achieve your goals.

If you’d like to see WaveMaker Studio for React Native in action - and how it can help you rapidly build iOS and Android apps - please get in touch for a free demo.