pull down to refresh
77 sats \ 9 replies \ @rblb 25 May \ on: If you were to create an SN native app would you use React Native or Flutter? AskSN
For the way sn is built, it doesn't make a lot of sense to build a native app, i mean, a native app here would just be a webview with some bindings eg. for notifications.
But in general i would use dart+flutter, as it is cleaner than react.
However i find it higher level and more opinionated than react alone... so i'd say it depends
- if you don't need a lot of customization for the ui and you can build it out of mostly prefab components: dart+flutter
- if you need to do something crazy : react
It does if you are not a fan of PWAs. The SN PWA is serviceable but I want more of a native app experience. So if am able to build something that I would like to use it will be a net benefit for me. The problem is that I am learning to develop application on my own time without formal instruction.
reply
reply
Stop auto updates to the PWA. Plus I can try to add minor things that annoy me like making sure articles I have read remain darker. Also I can tell family and friends to download the app and not going through the steps of how to install a PWA to their home page.
reply
If you don't want updates for whatever reason, just take an older commit of SN's front-end (it's open source) and connect it to the current API. Boom, you have a frozen frontend until it breaks because the backend changes (then you'll realize why auto-updates weren't necessarily a bad thing). Still don't need a native app.
The problem that you mention (styling articles) is a you-specific problem. Suppose you write an app that does that. But someone else doesn't want that, they actually want them a different color/font/whatever. Should they now write their own app or fork yours? The real problem is that mobile browsers have limited options for injecting custom styles compared to desktop (a PWA is a browser window sans the browser UI). Or, SN could just add an option to inject your own CSS.
Also, I'm surprised that you think going to an app store, finding an app and installing it is better experience (and easier to walk someone through that) than visiting a link and clicking an automatic prompt to install.
reply
Current API on iOS? That doesn’t make any sense to me.
The problem that you mention (styling articles) is a you-specific problem.
Exactly I am wanting to build a mobile app for myself.
Suppose you write an app that does that. But someone else doesn't want that, they actually want them a different color/font/whatever. Should they now write their own app or fork yours?
Yes exactly. It will be open source free for anyone to copy and fork
The real problem is that mobile browsers have limited options for injecting custom styles compared to desktop (a PWA is a browser window sans the browser UI).
Correct again! Another reason why I want to try to make my own native app.
Plus it will be a tremendous learning experience for me about app development and the process it takes to go from knowing absolutely nothing about development to having an app I put together on the App Store
reply