Using ReactJS with VoltBuilder

ReactJS is one of the most popular ways to develop web apps. It makes it painless to create interactive UIs. Design simple views for each state in your application, and React will efficiently update and render just the right components when your data changes.

For mobile apps, React suggests using React Native. It’s highly optimized for mobile devices and requires a separate code base for your app.

Using VoltBuilder, you can make your ReactJS apps into native mobile apps, using the same code base as your desktop version. All functionality is retained - the app will have the same look and feel as the desktop.

It’s pretty easy to do. Use the React Template. Copy the files in your React projects’s dist folder into the template’s www folder.

Copying files from the dist folder to www

Keep in mind that the pathnames to your assets in index.html should be relative, like this:

<link rel="stylesheet" href="./style.css">

That’s pretty much it. Zip it, then upload to VoltBuilder using the Android option.

You can also build for iOS once you’ve added the signing data Apple requires.

What VoltBuilder Does

VoltBuilder builds native executables (.apk and .ipa) for Android and iOS from web apps. These executables can be augmented with native code plugins which extend capabilities far beyond what is possible in Web Apps and PWAs.

It works as a web service. Zip your project, upload to VoltBuilder, and download executables for Android or iOS.

VoltBuilder is framework neutral: it does not use any other AppStudio products, nor does it restrict the use of other frameworks. There is nothing to install.

About Us

We started in 1993 at the introduction of the Newton to fill the need for easier to use development tools. Our first product, NS Basic/Newton, was a success. When the Newton was cancelled, we introduced NS Basic/Palm. It also did well, so we added NS Basic/CE.

In 2010, we realized that JavaScript on mobile devices was getting fast. Web pages in those days used a bit of JavaScript to augment the page: Could we flip things around and make JavaScript the core of web pages, driving the HTML and CSS? That resulted in AppStudio, targeting iOS and Android. It now has thousands of users in over 80 countries. More than 2 million students have learned how to program using it.

The same core group of developers has been together for many years. We enjoy what we’re doing - we’ve built a loyal base of customers by treating them fairly and providing great support.

How to Get Started

Visit https://volt.build for more information, to sign up and get started. You can use the Free plan for limited testing, or sign up for a trial of the Indy or Pro plans. The first 15 days are free: you can cancel at any time.

There is also a one minute video, showing you how to submit your app and download the result.