Building in React and React Native: 5 Years Ago & Now

Long time no see! We haven’t published a Coffee Talk since November, and in this one, Kuba comes back with a bang and two very special guests: 

• Ola Desmurs Linczewska, a React Native developer at Callstack and the author of “Simplifying State Management in React Native”
• Anisha Malde, a Developer Advocate at Amazon and a speaker at React Native EU 2023

The trio dives into the current state of React and React Native, comparing it to the landscape five years ago. They explore the significant changes, such as the shift to functional components and hooks, the introduction of the Context API, and the evolution of state management. Our guests also share their unique career journeys and offer valuable advice for newcomers in the tech industry, particularly women looking to start or grow in this field.

Topics covered

Our guests' journeys to being professional developer

• Career beginnings
• Current work

Changes in React and React Native over the past 5 years

• Shift from class components to functional components and hooks
• Introduction of the Context API
• Changes in how state is handled

Comparison of learning React/React Native now vs. 5 years ago

• Improved documentation and resources
• Importance of learning JavaScript basics first

State management options and trends

• Redux, MobX, Zustand, Jotai, Recoil, XState
• Rise of minimalistic state management libraries
• Categorizing state management libraries

Future of state management in React Native

• Potential impact of React Server Components
• Possibility of state management solutions that handle performance optimization

Advice for women looking to start or grow in the tech industry

• You can start from any background and find your place
• Don't be intimidated by the vast options; choose a path and learn
• Look for role models and examples of women in senior tech positions
• Don't get discouraged if a certain technology doesn't spark joy, keep exploring
• Put value on yourself and your work when job-seeking

Resources

• Anisha's talk on Storybook from React Native EU 2023
• Interview with Anisha explaining the roles of a developer advocate
• Szymon Rybczak’s talk on using server components for over-the-air updates in React Native‍
• Ola's book on state management