Going Native with Your Web Dev Skills

Abstract

This workshop will show how web development skills can be used to develop mobile apps (iOS, Android, and Web) using a JavaScript library called React Native, an open-source framework developed by Facebook. React Native extends the popular React web framework with support for truly mobile apps. After completing the workshop, participants will have a classroom-ready assignment to share with their students. In this workshop, we will explore the fundamentals of React, discussing concepts such as Components, State, and Props. Next, we will discuss the native features added by React Native and build an app that will run on the Web and natively on iOS and Android devices. We will also incorporate mobile-specific concepts, such as Touch Events and Scroll Views. Finally, we will introduce more advanced React Native topics, including debugging techniques and deployment to actual iOS/Android devices. This workshop requires a laptop. Deployment of code to an actual device is optional but requires either an Android or iOS Device. Prior to the workshop participants will be given instructions for both software installation (required) and mobile device configuration (optional).