How I Made My React Native Apps Run Smoother Using Better Packages & Coding Practices 🚀

One of the biggest challenges I faced when building React Native apps was performance issues. Screens lagged, images loaded slowly, and unnecessary re-renders made everything feel unresponsive.

But after making a few key changes, my apps became much smoother and faster. Here’s what worked for me:

🚀 Best Packages for Performance Optimization

1. react-native-reanimated – For Smooth Animations

Instead of using the default Animated API, I switched to react-native-reanimated, which runs animations on the UI thread for better performance.

2. react-native-fast-image – Optimized Image Loading

React Native’s built-in Image component wasn’t cutting it. react-native-fast-image improved caching and loading speeds significantly.

3. react-query – Efficient API Caching

Instead of manually managing API state, react-query helped me cache and fetch data efficiently, reducing unnecessary network requests.

4. react-native-mmkv – Super-Fast Local Storage

Using AsyncStorage slowed my app down, so I switched to react-native-mmkv, a much faster storage solution for key-value data.

📌 Best Coding Practices for Performance

1. Minimize Unnecessary Re-Renders

✅ Use React.memo for components that don’t need to update often
✅ Use useMemo and useCallback to optimize expensive calculations

2. Optimize FlatList Usage

✅ Always provide a unique keyExtractor
✅ Use initialNumToRender to load only necessary items
✅ Wrap list items in React.memo to prevent re-renders

3. Reduce State Updates

Overusing useState can slow down your app. Instead:
✅ Use useRef for values that don’t trigger re-renders
✅ Manage global state with Context API or Zustand instead of prop drilling

🚀 The Result?

After making these changes, my apps felt much smoother—faster navigation, quicker loading times, and fewer unnecessary re-renders. If you’re facing performance issues, try these optimizations and see the difference!

💬 What other tricks do you use to improve React Native performance? Let’s discuss in the comments!

#ReactNative #MobileDevelopment #PerformanceOptimization #CodingBestPractices #CleanCode #SoftwareEngineering