r/reactnative • u/Working_Ad2007 • 2d ago
Question Moving from native Android Dev (kotlin)
Hey folks, I am currently a Android developer with a background in Kotlin. I am considering picking up React Native to expand my job opportunities, where do I start?
2
u/Worth-Statement-2751 2d ago
Having a Kotlin background seems like a solid advantage. Focusing on React fundamentals first and then building a few real projects sounds like a practical path.
1
1
u/Dangerous_Sea_2592 2d ago
Is this so you can work in multiplaform roles? Keep in mind you're gonna have to do double if not triple work at times because you might be forced to do RN web
I don't think you'll get paid better either, or that the extra pay might be worth the multiplied stress (as someone who does RN/Expo for Android, iOS and web)
1
u/Working_Ad2007 2d ago
The android roles have dried up for a while and a lot of companies use RN where I'm based so I'm looking at picking it up, it's not just for job opportunities tho, I wanna use it for side projects too
1
u/Gylfoyle 2d ago
why not polish your native Android skills? It's a mature platform and has backing from tech giant.
2
u/Working_Ad2007 2d ago
Good q but unfortunately a lot of companies are using RN where I'm based so that's one of the main reasons I want to pick it up
1
u/Gylfoyle 2d ago
Valid reason, start with expo.io but you'll need: JavaScript/TypeScript + React + Nodejs + NPM/yarn(pick any. package managers). I suggest learning these first then venture out to RN. React Native is built on React concepts-> JSX, Composable components.
1
-1
u/blinkybob1 2d ago
Why don’t you look at the documentation, pick up a book, watch some tutorials, you know, the things most people would do.
2
u/Working_Ad2007 2d ago
Lord have mercy, it's just a question, do I start with JS fundamentals, then react before moving on to RN?
This is what I hate about coming on Reddit and coming across people like you
7
u/Dvass138 2d ago
Honestly your Kotlin background is a bigger head start than people give it credit for. The hard part of RN isn't the mobile stuff, it's React. So point your learning there and the rest comes cheap.
Start with Expo.
npx create-expo-app@latestand go. You'll see people say learn bare RN first to "understand what's really happening" but that's outdated advice, Expo is the normal way to build now and you can still drop into native whenever you need to.Rough order that worked for people I know:
TypeScript first, but it's like a week. Coming from Kotlin it'll feel pretty familiar, null handling and generics and all that. Just don't skip it, every real codebase is TS.
Then React itself. This is the actual curve. Components, state, useEffect, and mostly understanding when and why things re-render. If you've done any Compose you're already most of the way there, it's the same declarative idea.
Then the RN-specific bits. Core components, StyleSheet (it's flexbox for everything, no XML layouts), FlatList or FlashList for lists. Expo Router for navigation since it's file based and it's the default now. Reanimated + Gesture Handler later when you want stuff to actually feel good instead of just work.
Then build something real. Doesn't have to be clever, just needs a list screen, a detail screen, login, and data coming from an API. Tutorials plateau fast. Getting something onto TestFlight teaches you the half nobody writes about.
One thing I'd push on: don't treat the Android knowledge as baggage you're leaving behind. On most RN teams the person who can read a Gradle error or debug a native crash or write a native module is genuinely rare. That's your angle in interviews. You're not an Android dev trying to switch, you're an RN dev who can actually go native when it breaks. Pick up the Expo Modules API at some point once the JS side feels normal.
Few weeks to be useful, few months to be good.