--- title: "React Native for Mobile Apps in 2026?" description: "React Native used to be my default for mobile apps. With coding agents writing native code for both platforms, I am leaning towards native, so here is the best case I can make for a single codebase, and why it is getting weaker." url: https://manytomany.co/blog/react-native-in-2026/ published: 2026-10-08 --- # React Native for Mobile Apps in 2026? 8 October 2026 ![Cover image for React Native for Mobile Apps in 2026?](https://manytomany.co/content/blog/react-native-in-2026/cover.jpg) React Native was my go-to tech [for a long time](https://manytomany.co/blog/react-native-pros-and-cons/). Having a single codebase for iOS and Android was [too good to ignore](https://manytomany.co/blog/mobile-development-cross-platform-vs-full-native/). I even went a step further and [built](https://manytomany.co/case-studies/courtsapp) [apps](https://manytomany.co/case-studies/stirred) that share one codebase across both mobile platforms and the web. In the era of coding agents, I struggle to find a good case for React Native anymore. Code generation is cheap and reasonably good, even if [not always spot on](https://manytomany.co/blog/liquid-glass-toolbar-buttons/) yet. It gets even better when you have a working example on platform A and just ask the agent to build the same thing for platform B. So why not build native apps and skip the hassle? Still, a case can be made for a single codebase. ## Maintaining the code takes more effort than generating Two codebases mean two of everything to review, test and debug, for every feature and every fix, for as long as the app lives. Porting a feature from iOS to Android with an agent works on day one, but by month six the two apps quietly drift apart: an edge case handled here but not there, a validation rule that differs, an analytics event with a different name. And a lot of that duplicated code is not even UI. Networking, auth, offline sync and business rules are the same on both platforms, so writing them twice buys you no nativeness at all. #### Counterpoint You can put an agent to work specifically on finding and reconciling drifting behavior, and it will do it relentlessly, in a way no human would. ## Agents are not as good with native code as they are with TypeScript The [Liquid Glass button](https://manytomany.co/blog/liquid-glass-toolbar-buttons/) an agent gets wrong passes review unless the reviewer knows SwiftUI well. Going native with agents only works if someone on the team can judge Swift _and_ Kotlin output at that level, and many teams that pick React Native do not have that person for both platforms. Agents are also arguably at their best in TypeScript and React, while the newest SwiftUI and Compose APIs are exactly where they stumble. #### Counterpoint Agents and models keep improving, and they are already perfectly capable of producing good native code. ## Some things native cannot do Over-the-air updates let you ship a fix in minutes instead of waiting for App Store review. And if the web is a third target, a shared React codebase still covers it. #### Counterpoint No real counterpoint here. OTA is a lot of hassle in practice and I’d rather avoid it, but slow App Store reviews make it a good option. ## Conclusion? These are fair arguments, and for some projects they will tip the scale. The usual tie-breaker still applies: how much of the user value comes from the mobile app itself, and how much from the service behind it? I wouldn’t write off React Native just yet, but its case is getting weaker. [Shopify agrees](https://shopify.engineering/back-to-native) for what it’s worth. ![Vitalii](https://manytomany.co/vitalii-yellow.png) ## Hi. I'm Vitalii. I’m a software developer, technical manager and solo entrepreneur. I have been building software products all my life. I am offering **CTO as a Service** at many-to-many. ## Contact me Let me know what are you looking for. I will reach out to you via the provided email with quote and follow up questions. Alternatively, [book a call](https://calendly.com/many-to-many/intro) or reach me directy by email [hello@manytomany.co](mailto:hello@manytomany.co). Or using your preferred messaging app: [![WhatsApp QR Code](https://manytomany.co/qr/qr-whatsapp.png)](https://wa.me/qr/QH6GQNCO5CZEO1)[WhatsApp](https://wa.me/qr/QH6GQNCO5CZEO1) [![Telegram QR Code](https://manytomany.co/qr/qr-telegram.png)](https://t.me/wicharek)[Telegram](https://t.me/wicharek)