Top 4 Databases For React Native Application Development

React Native is acknowledged as a leading technology for developing cross-platform mobile applications, and it has gained significant popularity among businesses of all sizes. Whether it's a startup that needs to quickly produce a high-quality app or a well-established organization seeking to adopt a new tech stack. It is the most famous cross-platform mobile app development framework loved by developers globally. As per a survey conducted by Statista, 42% of software developers utilized React Native for cross-platform application development. 

This popularity of React Native has created a variety of technology stacks around it and made it important to define suitable databases for React Native applications. 

Recommended: What Are The Reasons Contributing To React’s Popularity?

In this article, we will showcase the best databases used for React Native mobile application development.

Before we start, here’s a summary of what you’ll learn in this article: 

1. Factors to consider when choosing Databases for React Native Application Development
2. Comparison of Top 4 Databases for React Native Apps

Let’s start with the factors you should consider while choosing a database for React Native App Development.

How To Choose A Database For Your React Native Application?

You should know about the benefits of React Native while choosing a database for your React Native app it is important to consider these aspects:

• Ease of Use

The first and most important factor to consider while choosing a React Native database is the ease of use. You should always look for a database that can be easily combined with your app with less effort. This will simplify the developers’ job and enhance your development procedure.

• Memory Handling

The memory handling capabilities of a database are a make or break for your app. Consider a database that is efficient with memory handling and your app will crash. So, always consider how well a database can tackle memory. Most databases usually clear their cache in short intervals to ensure that sufficient memory is available for an app to run properly.

• Data Complexity

In most applications, data is stored either in the form of key values or a JSON structure. Always choose a database that can efficiently manage complex data structures such as objects or full documents. 

• Data Conflict Management

Read the database documents to check how it manages data syncing and conflicts, and explore the trade-offs and the impact it creates on the app.  If your app contains cooperation-related features, more data conflicts are expected to follow. You must choose a database that shares the conflict management rules on the repository pages or website.

• Concurrency

With the growing popularity of your app, developers’ responsibilities will also increase, which means they will have to manage a lot of data. Users will make multiple requests and providing precise data for every request is a hefty task. So, it is essential to explore the concurrency method applied by React Native local databases.

• Offline Data Synchronization

Today, it has become common to develop apps that work in both online and offline modes. That is why it’s important to integrate React Native database that allows data synchronization when users connect to the internet. 

• SQL vs No SQL

It is better to decide whether SQL or NoSQL will work best for your React Native application. To better understand consider these points:

1. First, decide whether you need a relational database or a non-relational one. SQL is considered a relational database and NoSQL is known as a non-relational database for React Native.
2. Find out whether your app will process structured or unstructured data. For apps that process structured data SQL databases are the go-to option due to predefined schema and use of structured query language. On the other hand, if your app process unstructured data, NoSQL databases are the best option.

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Which Database is Best for React Native Application?

Now that we have learned the major factors to consider when selecting a database for a React Native application, let’s move on to the main part and learn which are the best databases used for React Native application development:

1. Firebase for React Native Application

Firebase is a Google-owned NoSQL database. It is suitable for applications that are more into offline data updating and data synchronization. MVC-based React Native apps with high data requirements can be easily managed with Firebase. 

Additionally, Firebase’s performance tracking tools help access bugs in your React Native app, and along with this Firebase is considered one of the best databases to create the react native app. You can also have full access to remove data from the Google server. Firebase offers assessment procedures like ISO 27001, SOC1, SOC2, and SOC3. It provides up to 1GB of free database storage and then you have to pay $25 for storing 2.5 GB of data. 

Benefits of Using Firebase Database for React Native App

• It provides multiple users’ roles to help you fix controls on file.
• Firebase is easy to integrate with any application.
• It caches data on devices for offline access.
• Firebase synchronizes data throughout different platforms.

2. SQLite for React Native Application

SQLite was originally built for making local storage databases for mobile apps. ‘Lite’ represents the database’s lightweight, which means it requires a minimal setup. It contains most SQL policies with extra tools to manage data easily. Although its performance is debatable, good backend developers can accomplish amazing results using it. SQLite source code is free for everybody.

Benefits of Using SQLite Database for React Native App

• Data save in the cross-platform database file.
• It gives the option to allow offline persistence in an app.
• SQLite is ACID-compliant so it executes all SQL standards.

3. PouchDB for React Native Application

PouchDB is an open-source JavaScript database. It supports mazing features by enabling all CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) functions using a simple JS API. It even allows apps to store data locally when offline and then syncs it with compatible servers when the app is back online. This makes it the most reliable database to keep all user data synced regardless of where the login is next.

PouchDB is a lightweight database. It easily secures data for a React Native application. Having a built-in authentication system for React Native applications offers strong security with the PBKDF2 crypto encryption algorithm.

Benefits of PouchDB Database for React Native App

• Data synchronization with any supported server.
• Support for both offline and online capacities.
• Secure data encryption with AES256.
• Professional data replication.

4. MongoDB Realm for React Native Application

MongoDB Realm is an object-oriented and flexible database. It easily adapts to your existing level of coding. Realm database was specially designed for mobile applications which makes it most suitable for React Native cross-platform application development.

Benefits of MongoDB Realm Database for React Native App

• Doesn’t require extra code to update data.
• Data can be easily read and write in an offline setup.
• Transparent decryption and encryption.

Key Takeaways

When looking for the best local database for React Native application development, prepare a list of your demands. Never compromise even a single requirement while selecting a database because it will create problems in the long run.

moveIf you are still confused about choosing a suitable database for your React Native application, you can hire React Native app developer to help you select a suitable database for your React Native application.

Also Read: How To Find And Hire Top Reactjs Developers?

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is the best offline database for React Native?

The best offline database for React Native is SQLite, which is a popular lightweight and fast relational database. Another option is Realm, which is a NoSQL database that provides real-time synchronization and cross-platform compatibility.

How do I use a database in React Native app?

1. Install a database package such as SQLite, Firebase, or Realm.
2. Set up the database configuration and initialize it in your React Native app.
3. Write CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations for your database using the appropriate methods provided by the database package.
4. Integrate the database operations into your React Native app to allow for data storage, retrieval, and manipulation.

Which is better React Native Firebase or SQLite?

React Native Firebase is a library that allows developers to easily integrate Firebase services into a React Native app, including authentication, real-time database, cloud storage, and more.

SQLite, on the other hand, is a software library that provides a relational database management system. It is embedded in the app and provides local storage and data management.

So, which one is better depends on the specific needs of your application. If you need a backend platform with various features such as authentication, real-time database, cloud storage, etc., then React Native Firebase might be a better option. However, if you just need local storage and data management within your app, SQLite might be a more appropriate choice.