In a very short span of time, the Facebook-backed mobile app development framework React Native has gained a lot of popularity and has become a first choice for the startups and entrepreneurs who are looking to enter the mobile app domain in a cost and time-efficient manner. With this, the focus has been shifted to mobile app development especially when the entrepreneurs are planning to develop cross-platform apps.
As the React Native app development is getting so popular, there is continuous pressure on the mobile app developers for developing high-performance mobile apps with the option of scalability. That’s why they are turning to look upon the technology stack and the choice of platform to develop React Native applications. The backbone of the React Native mobile application is the React Native database.
With this blog, we will give you the best database names which are perfectly fit for developing React Native mobile apps and can be listed in the top React Native Databases.
Best React Native Databases for the App Development: Realm, Firebase, SQLite, PouchDB, Async Storage, Watermelon DB, Vasern, BerkeleyDB
Considerations while choosing React Native Databases:
Data Complexity:
Key-value storage would be a default option for client-side and server-side scripting languages. Both keys and values should be in serial format in strings either by the library or by the React Native developer. It is required else there would be halts and issues in the application performance, especially during the availability of limited resources in the users’ smartphone.
Hence, a React Native mobile app development company must opt for a database that can store highly complex data in comparison to the key-points pairs such as full documents & objects.
No. of codes lines:
Just for writing a simple CRUD operation, if you are taking more than 20 lines of code, then you must not choose any advanced database. The reasons are that an advanced database can make the coding complicated and can also affect its performance. It will also impact the cost of React Native App Development. Also, processing so many lines of code will impact the speed.
So don’t use a database that has very advanced functionalities.
Offline Data Syncing:
If your target is to develop a less complex app then you can choose a database that can work with simplified synchronization functionality. The apps would be able to sync whenever the internet connection is available.
As collaboration is the main feature of the application, the syncing feature requires a complex database. For e.g. Trello is not able to show different document versions but requires to React Native app development for perfect synchronization.
Handling Data Conflicts and Concurrency:
As you will integrate more features in the mobile application, there would be more chances of data conflicts. Hence, you must look for the databases which share the policies of the conflict-handling. Check the database documents to know how they handle syncing and conflicts.
Memory Management:
If you don’t handle the database memory properly, then it can lead to crashes. Compaction is one of the most important processes of memory management in which the unused memory of documents or data will be deleted from the memory.
This is also termed as “garbage collection” in the memory.
On the basis of these factors, these are the React Native databases that you can use for your next React Native application development.
React Native Databases:
Realm
If you want to develop real-time or offline apps that can also work on wearables apart from smartphones then you must consider the Realm database. Realm is not built on ORM or on SQLite and it comes with its own database engine and doesn’t rely on the value stores.
One of the major reasons why React Native developers opt for this database is that it can handle large data for developing high-performance applications. You can find other databases as well, but this combination is optimal for large-sized apps.
- Sync services operate in the background
- Save data records and requests
- Best for the offline-first architecture
- Multiple encryption standards
It is open-source hence it is completely free. But it’s pro version comes with a cost.
Firebase:
Firebase Is popular for supporting real-time NoSQL databases. Its main benefits are offline data change & synchronization. It can easily handle the requirement of M&C in MVC while developing react native applications.
- Data gets sync real-time which is highly important if the app goes offline unannounced.
- Minimal setup efforts with the help of a cross-platform API offered by Firebase
- Developers can develop an app with offline persistence capabilities
It is free upto 1GB of data storage. But if you need more storage then you have to pay at least $25 for 2.5 GB storage.
SQLite:
SQLite is designed for offering local storage to mobile apps. Using the word lite in its name implies that it is a lightweight library & requires minimal setup. You can integrate it into the mobile app directly for database access.
-
It is ACID compliant which implements SQL standards with some omissions. The tools can handle all data types with simplicity & ease.
-
For enabling offline persistence through SQLite, the developers can use a react-native SQLite storage plugin for data management.
It is open-source and free to use for the public. But if you want the license for copyright infringement, then you have to pay a fee of $6,000 one time.
PouchDB:
This is an open-source JS database that can store data in JSON format and the developers can leverage using React Native in the easiest manner. They can develop, read, update, query, and delete queries using a single JS API. It is also compatible with other databases such as MySQL, CouchDB, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB.
There is no need for performing queries over the network as PouchDB stays inside a browser. This will lead to faster queries’ execution.
Developers can sync data with any supported server and can run apps both offline & online.
Async Storage:
This is a local storage system by which the developers can store data locally and persist data between the app reboots. The database comes in-built with React native so it can be used without any additional deployment.
It is easy if you want to save the data which the app needs to use after the app has been closed by the user
Watermelon DB:
This database is built on SQLite and comes with very high performance. It can scale hundreds to thousands of records without losing speed. The database has been well-optimized for building complex apps in React Native.
Apart from scaling such a huge number of records, it is beneficial for React Native developers as they can take advantage of the offline first system, static typing with Flow, and building apps on SQLite Foundation.
Vasern:
Vasern is another very light-weight, fast, and open-source database to React to Native app development. The Vasern API is not only optimal for local data storage but also for cloud storage. There are many different open-source databases by which its design has been inspired.
- Open source
- End-to-end database syncing
-
Consistent and high performance
-
Fast operation
BerkeleyDB:
Last but not least, BerkeleyDB is another open-source database that comes with very high performance and the developers can handle data in multiple ways. It offers an API for multiple languages which includes iOS and Android.
It can handle data through a relational way or through Key/Value pair data as byte arrays and support multiple data items.
Wrapping Up:
In this article, we have presented you with the list of best React Native databases that you can use for your next app development. At Amplework, the best React Native app development company in India, we are having expertise in developing custom mobile apps as per your industry or business niche. Let us know your requirements.
Let’s Construct a Digital Brilliance Together
