Digital Products & Engineering · React Native & cross-platform
One codebase, two app stores, native feel
We build cross-platform mobile apps with React Native and Expo, sharing most of the code between iOS and Android while dropping into Swift or Kotlin wherever native behavior matters.
- Shared TypeScript core
- Platform-aware UI
- Native modules
Overview
Sharing code without sharing compromises
React Native lets one team write most of an app once, in TypeScript, and ship it to both iPhone and Android with genuinely native interface components. For many products that means faster delivery, one set of business logic and features that reach both platforms together. The trade-off is an extra layer between your code and the operating system, which needs experienced handling.
The decisions that matter are where to share and where not to. Navigation, data, forms and most screens share well. Platform conventions, such as back gestures, date pickers and share sheets, should still feel native on each side. Specialized features, from Bluetooth to background audio, may need native modules written in Swift or Kotlin. Expo tooling speeds up builds and over-the-air updates for most apps.
A good React Native app starts fast, scrolls smoothly through long lists, keeps animations off the JavaScript thread, and feels at home on both platforms. Its codebase is typed, tested and structured so web developers on your team can contribute. It also stays current: React Native and Expo release frequently, and a plan for regular upgrades prevents the painful version jumps that leave older apps stuck on outdated, unsupported libraries.
Who it’s for
Built for teams like yours
- 01
Startups launching on both stores
Founders who need iOS and Android at the same time on a sensible budget, without maintaining two separate codebases and teams from the very first release.
- 02
Teams with React web experience
Companies whose developers already know React and TypeScript, who want to share skills, libraries and sometimes business logic between their web product and mobile apps.
- 03
Owners of diverging native apps
Businesses maintaining separate iOS and Android apps that keep drifting apart in features, and who want to bring them onto one codebase over time. Users on both platforms get the same features.
Why it matters
When sharing code makes sense
Maintaining two separate native apps means two teams, two release schedules and features that drift apart. React Native lets one TypeScript codebase render real native components on both platforms, so new features reach iPhone and Android users together and your team only has one app to learn, test and maintain over the long run.
Where the shared layer is not enough, we write native modules in Swift or Kotlin rather than forcing a fragile workaround, so you get the efficiency of one codebase without giving up the features your users expect.
Every engagement includes
- Discovery & scopingwe confirm cross-platform is the right fit and flag any features that need native code.
- UX & interface designprototypes reviewed on both iOS and Android before development starts.
- React Native buildshared code, native modules and backend connections developed and reviewed together.
- Testing on both platformsautomated tests plus device checks on iPhone and a range of Android phones.
- Store releasesApp Store and Google Play submissions handled through your own developer accounts.
- Handoverdocumented repository, build setup and update process, with an optional maintenance plan.
Features
How we approach cross-platform
- 01
Shared TypeScript core
Business logic, state and API layers written once in TypeScript and reused across iOS, Android and, where useful, web.
- 02
Platform-aware UI
Components that respect each platform’s navigation patterns, gestures and typography instead of looking identical everywhere.
- 03
Native modules
Custom Swift and Kotlin bridges for hardware, SDKs or performance-critical features the JavaScript layer cannot handle well.
- 04
Expo tooling
Expo and EAS Build for faster development, managed native configuration and consistent cloud builds for both stores.
- 05
Over-the-air updates
Safe JavaScript updates for bug fixes between store releases, with channels and rollback so changes stay controlled.
- 06
Smooth performance
Optimized lists, Reanimated animations and the New Architecture to keep scrolling and transitions responsive on mid-range phones.
In practice
Where React Native fits well
Marketplace and booking apps
Two-sided apps with search, profiles, messaging, payments and reviews share nearly all logic across platforms, so new features reach every user on the same release date. Platform-specific payment sheets still feel native on each device.
Content and community apps
News, learning and community products with feeds, video, comments and notifications benefit from shared components and over-the-air updates for quick content-related fixes. Video playback and long feeds are tuned so scrolling stays smooth even on older devices.
Companion apps to a web product
A SaaS product adds mobile apps that reuse its API, TypeScript types and validation logic, giving customers consistent behavior on the web and on their phones. Changes to the API are caught early by shared types.
Consolidating separate native apps
Two native apps are brought onto React Native screen by screen, embedding new React Native views inside the existing apps so users never face a disruptive switchover. Native screens are retired gradually as replacements prove themselves.
Process
How we work
- 1
Sharing plan
We list every feature and decide what is shared, what is platform-specific and what needs a native module, and confirm that React Native is the right fit before committing. The plan also shapes the estimate.
- 2
Cross-platform design
Designs in Figma use a shared component library with deliberate platform differences, so each app follows iOS or Android conventions where users expect them to. Shared tokens keep colors, spacing and type consistent across iOS and Android.
- 3
TypeScript build
We build with React Native, TypeScript and Expo, writing native modules in Swift or Kotlin where needed, with automated tests and builds for both platforms every cycle. Test builds go to TestFlight and Play testing tracks.
- 4
Performance profiling
We profile startup time, list rendering, memory and animations on mid-range Android and older iPhones, and fix bottlenecks before they reach users in production. Measurements are repeated after each fix so improvements are confirmed rather than assumed.
- 5
Dual store release
We submit to the App Store and Google Play together, configure over-the-air update channels for safe JavaScript fixes, and set up crash reporting for both platforms. Releases are coordinated so features arrive together.
Deliverables
What you receive
- Code-sharing plan and native module list
- Shared component library in Figma
- One TypeScript codebase for iOS and Android
- Custom native modules where required
- EAS build and over-the-air update setup
- Performance profiling notes and fixes
- Both apps published to your store accounts
Tools & methods
Core
- React Native
- TypeScript
- Expo
- React Navigation
- Reanimated
Data & state
- TanStack Query
- Zustand
- GraphQL
- SQLite
- MMKV
Build & quality
- EAS Build
- EAS Update
- Jest
- Detox
- Sentry
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Anything else about React Native & cross-platform? Ask us directly.
For most business, commerce, booking and content apps, yes. React Native renders native components, and the New Architecture reduces overhead between JavaScript and the device. Apps built around heavy 3D graphics, complex real-time audio or video processing may still be better native. We assess your performance needs during discovery before committing to an approach.
Let’s work together
Have a project in mind?
Book a strategy call and we’ll show you exactly how to turn your goals into a system that generates consistent results.