Introduction

Many people want to become Mobile Apps Developers but they don't know what to learn. Sometimes they have developer skills in Web Development but don't know that they can take advantage of the same skills to gain Mobile Apps Development skills.

In this article, I will list the 6 simple steps you can follow to learn React Native. I will share 9 video resources that I have handpicked for you from YouTube that you can use to learn React Native and become a Mobile Apps developer in less than a week. And finally, share helpful tips to help you become a ReactNative hero. Let's dive in.

What is React Native?

ReactNative also commonly known as RN is an extension of Meta's ReactJS technology that is used to write one code base to develop cross-platform Mobile Apps. A lot of buzz words!!!

Let's make it simple.

ReactNative is a Technology used by Web Developers to make Mobile Apps. The Mobile Apps Developed in ReactNative can work on Android, iOS and Windows phones. A developer doesn't have to learn multiple programming languages like Java, Kotlin and Swift to become a Mobile Apps developer. It's also important to know that you can use ReactNative on all major Operating Systems. Therefore whether you're a Windows, Linux or macOS user you're covered you don't have to change.

That sounds good. Are there alternatives to ReactNative? Yes, I recommend looking at Flutter and NativeScript.

Now, what are those 6 simple steps you should follow to learn ReactNative?

1. First and foremost learn JavaScript.

You need to learn JavaScript first because ReactNative relies on JavaScript and the syntax is based on JavaScript. Learning JavaScript will also require you to learn other technologies like HTML, and CSS which can set a strong foundation for you. You might also want to learn ReactJS first but it's optional. I for one, learnt ReactNative and have just learnt ReactJS recently. I suggest you make your decision according to learning style.

2. Install Android Studio

For ReactNative to be able to work on your computer you need to install Android Studio. It manages Gradle which compiles Mobile Apps.

Optionally set up an emulator if you don't have an actual device to use for testing your apps.

Go to the Android Studio website to download it. Here is the link developer.android.com/studio

3. Install Node

Node is necessary because it comes with Node Package Manager (npm) and Node Package eXecute(npx) commands which will help you set up and use ReactNative on your Developer Computer. The npm and npx commands will also help you add plugins to your ReactNative project.

If you want to become a serious developer, you can spare a few hours to learn about NPM. Here is the link to download nodejs.org/en/download

Be sure to confirm if Node has been installed

4. Install Yarn

Yarn is a package manager that doubles down as a project manager. It is used for hobbyists and industrial experts. I personally prefer it to npm. However, to install it we shall use npm.

To do so run the following command

npm install -g yarn

5. Use NPX to initialise a ReactNative app. Make sure to replace with the name of your app.

To initialise the app run the following command

npx react-native init <project-name>

If the command runs successfully, follow the instructions that you see in your terminal to preview the app on your device or emulator.

6. Watch YouTube videos

There are over thousands of video tutorials that you can learn and become a pro. It's what I have used to learn then relied on documentation to even learn more. If you are looking for paid and certificate awarding ReactNative courses stay tunned for e-book Next week.

That being said below are the FREE courses I recommend.

Latest ReactNative Crash course Video Tutorials on YouTube.

ReactNative Crash Course Resources which are 1 - 2 years old. I hand picked them for you because I believe they are relevant.

Tips to Become a Master at ReactNative

Don't stop at Watching the videos give yourself to build at least 3 Mobile Apps that solve your problems. Upload them to App stores, upload the code to GitHub and create a portfolio.
Don't jump on a new tool because of Fear Of Missing Out.
Promote yourself for gigs and jobs. The more you get challenged is the more you improve.

Conclusion

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David Wampamba

David Wampamba

How to Learn React Native in 6 simple steps for FREE 😄

Many Web developers don't know that they can take advantage of the same skills to become Mobile Apps Developers. It's not expensive and not so hard.

Introduction

What is React Native?

Latest ReactNative Crash course Video Tutorials on YouTube.

Conclusion