The Cross-Platform Promise Can Become a "Worst of Both Worlds" Nightmare
React Native offers a seductive promise: "learn once, write anywhere." It allows web developers to leverage their React knowledge to build native mobile applications for both iOS and Android from a single codebase.
But this promise is a minefield for the inexperienced. In the hands of a developer who treats React Native as "React in a phone-shaped box," you do not get a high-performance native application — you get a slow, clunky hybrid imposter.
An engineer who can render a <View> is not a React Native expert. An expert understands the architecture of the bridge, when to drop into native code, how to debug performance issues in Flipper, and how to design UI that feels native on both platforms.
Traditional Vetting and Vendor Limitations
Traditional nearshore vendors treat React + JavaScript familiarity as React Native mastery. This produces the predictable pain points below.
- Slow List Catastrophe: Using ScrollView instead of FlatList.
- Bridge Bottlenecks: Overloading the RN bridge with frequent events.
- No Native Module Capability: No one knows Swift/Kotlin to build a needed module.
- Platform-Agnostic UI: Apps feel wrong on both platforms.
How Axiom Cortex Evaluates React Native Developers
Dimension 1: React Native Core + Performance
- Diagnosing performance issues using Flipper.
- Using FlatList with correct virtualization props.
- Managing the bridge to avoid UI blocking operations.
Dimension 2: Native Module Integration
- Handling native module installation & linking.
- Designing conceptual native modules for advanced features.
Dimension 3: Platform-Specific UI & UX
- Using platform-specific components and file extensions.
- Managing pixel density, screen sizes, and responsive layouts.
Dimension 4: Testing & Deployment
- Writing Jest + RN Testing Library tests.
- Automating builds with Fastlane or CI pipelines.
Case Study: From Webview Imposter to Native Experience
A retailer’s RN app went from 2.5⭐ to 4.5⭐ after Axiom Cortex–selected engineers rebuilt lists, navigation, and asset optimization pipelines.
What This Changes for CTOs & CIOs
Hiring React Native engineers via Axiom Cortex means hiring true mobile engineers. Not “React developers who can run Expo.”