If you already know React, React Native will feel familiar. The core mental model is the same — components, state, props — but instead of rendering HTML elements, you render native UI components that map to actual iOS and Android views.

Setting Up Your Environment

The easiest way to get started is with Expo, a framework that abstracts away much of the native complexity. Install Node.js, then run npx create-expo-app MyApp and you are ready to go.