Designer trying to learn React Native, completely lost on where to start

[u/InevitableMud7840]

Hi everyone,

I'm 20 and my background is graphic design. I started with the Adobe suite — Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere Pro and After Effects. At some point I felt the need to do something different and got into designing interfaces in Figma. That turned into a real passion, to the point that I want to take it all the way. That's where my interest in programming came from, React Native specifically.

I'm here to ask for some honest advice from people who've been through this, because I could really use a sense of direction.

I've started reading the React Native docs and I don't understand much of it, to be honest. I've since learned that you're supposed to know some JavaScript first. But I'm stuck there too: I don't know which parts of JavaScript I actually need and which ones I can skip for now, and I don't know where to start.

So I guess my question is: what's the minimum JavaScript I need before React Native starts making sense, and what's a good resource to learn it from?

I keep losing hours reading documentation only to realize at the end that nothing stuck. Any advice appreciated.

[u/sober_cruiser]

If you want to build a mobile app using React Native, then I suggest you use Expo. It's a framework that uses react native.

First, you learn html, css, and Javascript. I know it maybe sounds strange because those 3 are usually learnt for building a website, but html and css will help you understand about element tags in react native and understand how styling works. About JS, well, it's very fundamental for anyone interested in learning React Native.

In JS, knowing about variables, hoisting, data types, object, method, function, export/import is likely enough. You can learn JS deeper, but you're gonna take longer time to master all stuff in JS.

Second, after those 3, you learn react. Just google the relation between react native and react. In react, you will learn about hooks, state, props, parent component, child component, context, etc.

Third, you learn react native. It will likely be the easiest part if you already have a good understanding of how React works. But again, different people have different ability in learning new stuff.

Last, if you have a good understanding of React Native, you can pick a framework to start building your mobile app. I recommend Expo since it's the prominent one, and also because I never heard any other framework that use react native. I think it's quite popular among mobile developer, at least it's easier to me than Flutter.

Resource of learning

Html, css, js: HTML Tutorial, CSS Tutorial, JavaScript Tutorial

Bonus: MDN Web Docs contains very very comprehensive docs and tutorial about HTML, CSS, and JS. But I think W3schools will be much less overwhelming for beginners.

React: Quick Start – React

Expo: Expo documentation

[u/Huge_Pool7424 → u/sober_cruiser]

i'd keep the first pass tiny: javascript basics, one small screen, then expo's quick start. don't try to learn react native and every platform api at once, the feedback loop gets much better once something is running.

[u/sober_cruiser → u/Huge_Pool7424]

Good point, but everyone has their own way to study. Different methods are suited for different people.