React Navigation vs. React Native Navigation: Which is right for you?

In the context of React Native app development, selecting the right navigation library is crucial for ensuring optimal user experience and app performance. This article compares two prominent navigation libraries: React Navigation and React Native Navigation (RNN). React Navigation, which is recommended by the React Native team and supported by Facebook, is known for its JavaScript-centric approach and ease of integration with third-party libraries, making it particularly suitable for brownfield apps. It offers a declarative API with built-in hooks and supports native-like performance through libraries like react-native-screens and react-native-gesture-handler. In contrast, RNN employs native fragments for each screen, enhancing performance for large-scale apps but requiring more complex integrations with libraries like Redux. RNN, backed by Wix, uses an imperative API and provides performance benefits due to its native treatment of screens but demands additional effort for integrating JavaScript state management solutions. Both libraries support deep linking and have strong community and development team backing, with React Navigation being widely adopted by major apps like CNN and Bloomberg, while RNN is utilized extensively by Wix. The choice between these libraries depends on the specific needs of the app, such as performance requirements, integration complexities, and developer preferences for API styles.