Breaking Barriers: Transitioning from Web to Mobile Development with React Native

Editor’s Note: This blog encapsulates the insightful talk delivered by Rajat Choudhary at the GeekyAnts React Native Meetup 2025. With years of expertise as a Software Engineer, Raj provided a comprehensive outline of how web developers can make a confident transition into mobile app development. The session shed light on groundbreaking tools like NativeWind, shadcn and gluestack—revolutionary technologies that simplify React Native development. By bridging the gap between web and mobile ecosystems, these innovations empower developers to create seamless, cross-platform applications with unparalleled efficiency.

Good afternoon, everyone!
Let me take you on a journey of breaking barriers. Meet Kabir, a young web developer with a passion for exploring React Native but feeling overwhelmed by its unfamiliar syntax. He was accustomed to using <div> and h1 in HTML but found himself out of his depth when introduced to <View>, <Text>, and StyleSheet in React Native. The question that haunted Kabir was simple yet profound: Should I make this transition, or is it too complicated?

The answer is a confident yes. With tools like NativeWind, React Native development has become more accessible than ever. These tools allow developers to use Tailwind CSS-style utility classes, removing the need for complex StyleSheet configurations. Let me show you how.

NativeWind: Tailwind Utility Classes in React Native

Imagine being able to use the simplicity of Tailwind CSS while building mobile apps. That’s exactly what NativeWind offers. This powerful styling library leverages a Babel plugin to resolve class names into stylesheets at build time, ensuring zero runtime overhead. It’s efficient, intuitive, and eliminates unnecessary complexity.

When Kabir discovered NativeWind, his confidence grew. The idea of working with familiar utility classes made his journey into React Native far less intimidating and much more exciting.

shadcn: Simplifying Component Sharing

The next tool that caught Kabir’s attention was shadcn, a library designed to simplify component sharing for web applications built with Tailwind CSS. These components are fully accessible, customizable, and easy to integrate.

Here’s how shadcn works: with a single command, you can generate functional components ready for immediate use:

npx shadcn@latest add button

During my demo, I showcased how this command creates a fully functional button component in the components/UI directory. Kabir was intrigued. Could a similar experience exist for native devices?

gluestack: A Universal Component Library

Enter gluestack. This versatile library provides beautifully designed, customizable components that work seamlessly across mobile and web platforms. It bridges the gap between web and native development, creating a unified experience for developers.

Let me walk you through gluestack’s capabilities:

1. Initializing gluestack in an Expo App:
   npx gluestack-ui@latest init
2. Adding Components Like Alert:
   npx gluestack-ui@latest add alert
3. Customizing Styles: Components can be tailored directly in the components/UI directory.

During the live demo, I showcased how the Alert component adapts effortlessly to iOS, Android, and web platforms. gluestack is proof that the lines between web and native development are disappearing.

Expo’s Latest Update: ES Hosting

One of the most exciting updates I shared was Expo’s ES Hosting. Announced on January 14, this feature allows developers to deploy web apps alongside native ones. This milestone innovation is changing how we think about universal applications.

It raises an interesting question: Do we even need web-only frameworks like Next.js anymore?

From Barriers to Bridges

“From barriers to bridges, let’s keep building.”

With tools like NativeWind, shadcn, gluestack and Expo’s ES Hosting, the journey from web development to mobile app development is smoother than ever. Developers like Kabir are no longer held back by intimidating barriers. Instead, they are empowered to build confidently and seamlessly across platforms.