No one wants an app that looks good on iPhone 12 but is a complete mess on iPhone 10. If you hire react native developers, you hire them to create an app that will be good on all mobile devices, not only on the currently trending ones.
So, the question arises: how do you do that? How do you make sure that your app is smooth and neat on all iPhones and Android phones alike.
Well, that is all this article is about: the responsive layouts in React Native.
For those unaware of what a responsive layout is, don’t worry: we’ll start from the very basics. So, let’s first understand:
What is a responsive design?
Responsive design is an approach in user interface design where you create content that can easily adjust to different screen sizes. In other words, you create responsive layouts that dynamically change depending on your viewer’s screen size and the device orientation.
What are the principles of responsive design?
Before we discuss the ways you can make responsive layouts using React Native, let’s understand in general terms what are its main “ingredients.” With the responsive approach, designers size their elements in different relative units. They also apply media queries for the design to adapt to different screen sizes and look the same.
Now,
Why does your app need a responsive design?
Well, most app developers try to make their app’s content consistent and beautiful across all the devices. If your app is iOS-only, it’s not a big task, because there are only a few Apple-supported devices to take care of. However, if you want your app to be available to everyone, it means you should also think about the Android devices, which have hundreds of screen sizes.
So, if you want to ensure the convenience of all your app users, the responsive design is a must.
And here’s when React Native comes into play. It makes it easy to create responsive layouts if you know some tips and tricks. And if you don’t know, you’re in the right place, because we’ll discuss them one by one!
Drum bells, we’ve finally reached the most crucial question:
How To Create Responsive Layouts In React Native?
As we promised, we’re going to give you some fantastic tips, so here you go:
Make use of Aspect Ratios
This is a feature that is available on React Native only. If you want extra help with keeping your element proportions under control, the aspect ratio feature of React Native is precisely what you need.
Suppose you only know one dimension of your elements: its height or its width. The aspect ratio will keep your second dimension in relation to the one you already know to simplify your job.
Make use of Screen Dimensions
Of course, it would be perfect if your design stayed the same for all the platforms and different types of devices. But we live in an imperfect world. In other words, more than not, we encounter difficulties with the specific device types and screen dimensions that need a special approach.
Now, by default React Native does not offer you properties that would clearly answer which device and what screen size it is. However, you can fix that. If you need to find out the screen dimensions, use the Dimensions API.
When you obtain the width of the range screen sizes, then you can pick the breakpoints for your layout to change. By the way, with React Native, you can also detect the platform and change your layout accordingly. To do that, use the Platform module.
Adjust according to the device rotation
Finally, one of the most common problems of any developer is making the app adjust even when the device is rotated. It is logical that if you designed your app for the horizontal view only, all the components would get messed up when your user turns the device and uses it vertically.
So, what is the solution? Well, design a responsive layout that does not break when your user changes the device’s orientation. With React Native, you can give your components different stylings depending on what the orientation is.
To sum up
Today responsive design is a must, as you want your design to stay consistent across all the devices. So make sure your react native developer knows all the tips and tricks of making the design easily adjust to all the screen sizes!
