6 Top React Native App Database a Developer Should Never Overlook

React native framework enables app developers to make truly robust and user-friendly applications. It is the very first choice of establishments as well as startups that are entering the digital arena. This framework is compatible with many other databases which help in managing seamless data storage. Herein, we have made a comparison of 6 Top react-native app databases. Make a note for yourself.

Among all the other mobile application frameworks, react native is preferred the most by software developers. 42% of app developers across the world in 2020 are using this popular cross-platform mobile framework to build cost-effective and sturdy Android or iOS apps. In this challenging and ever-changing digital world, developers face difficulties in choosing the right amalgamation of a technological stack including an apt database for react native app development.

Without doing any further due, let’s dive into some of the most reliable and the 6 Top react-native app database

6 Top react native app database for effortless software developments

1. Firebase
2. Realm
3. SQLite
4. Pouch DB
5. Watermelon DB
6. Vasern

6 Top Database for React Native App Development in 2021

#1 Firebase for React Native apps

The react native firebase supports a real-time NoSQL database. It almost closely mirrors the official Firebase Web SDKs and enables complex changes like data synchronization, and offline data modification with minimal coding.

Benefits of Firebase database for React Native Apps

This React Native database has several high-flying benefits.

• Real-time data sync: This particular database for react-native allows the users to transfer the data in real time even when they have no internet connection. It also provides an offline cache feature and efficiently allows users to view their StickyFolio without an internet connection.
• Minimal setup: As it consists of cross-platform API, it requires minimal setup to access the data. No application server is needed when the data is accessible in real-time. 
• Offline persistence: Firebase provides developers with offline persistence capabilities which include marking users’ online/offline presence and also using a timestamp to keep a track of the disconnectivity of the network.

How secure is the Firebase framework for the software?

Firebase security is enforced completely from the server-side rules. It is an easy-to-write expression that has access to the credentials for the connections. To secure the application data the Firebase generates authenticated token- which is confirmable, identifiable user data, and is passed securely to the Firebase without the chance of spoofing. Such credential data is then made available in the client’s security rules.

App Performance with Firebase

With Firebase a user can carry on with a seamless data transfer, as it is suitable for scalable applications. It allows multiple users to transfer data at a time without any interruptions. As the data synchronization service is fast, such transferability makes the Firebase framework popular among the other traditional databases.

Firebase Pricing

The pricing may vary with the multiple services and the framework’s advancements from time to time. 

#2 Realm Database for Native apps

The Realm database runs effortlessly on both wearables and mobile devices. It has been in existence for developing real-time and offline applications. This database does not rely on key-value stores and is not built from ORM & SQLite. The main advantage of using Realm is, it has a database engine. 

Usually, developers prefer this framework when they want to handle a large amount of data or create high-performance applications. This mobile app framework allows developers to undergo frequent mapping classes, tables, foreign keys, or fields. It is an object-oriented database that saves a lot of time by running tons of queries faster than SQL databases.

Benefits of Realm database for React Native

• Realm sync: The sync services operate in the background to record and save all the user interactions and local service requests. No task is left unexecuted as the data is transferred back to the server as soon as it is online & connects with a network. This ensures no hindrance in user experience while using the software.
• Offline-first architecture Redux offline: Redux offline, ensures that it meets every arbitrary requirement of offline-based architecture. 

How secure is the Realm Database for react native apps?

It uses different encryption standards for each mobile platform. For Android it uses the ES-256 level of encryption, for iOS it uses the Common Crypto library, and for Windows applications, it uses the Crypto library for encryption. Each of these libraries is used to generate 64-byte encryption keys. These keys consist of a 4KB data block encrypted with the AES-256 Cipher Block Chaining (CBC) method and then signed with SHA-2 HMAC.

App Performance with Realm

• Object-based database:  The objects get directly reflected in the database, and the framework does not convert the objects while doing read or write operations.
• Zero-copy: Realm calculates, and reads the necessary data from the memory-mapped region and returns the raw value of the data. 
• Concurrency control: The Multiversion Concurrency Control (MVCC) model allows multiple transactions at the same point in time. A user can execute both read and write operations without any hindrance.

Realm Pricing

Realm is an open-source available in free and paid versions. There are also new editions to it in the form of Realm Studio which also has other development features for enterprises.

#3 SQLite for Native apps

SQLite is designed to meet the storage demands of mobile applications. As the name says “lite” is said to be a lightweight library that requires minimal setup. This database for react native applications is integrated directly with the app to access the database in no time. 

Benefits of SQLite database for Native Apps

• Acid compliant: SQLite has a file-based architecture with tools that can handle the database and guarantee its validation despite errors & failures. Acid stands for Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability. These are the core properties of SQLite which make it authentic, simple, and easy to use in a way.
• Offline persistence: It has a specific plugin named react-native-SQLite-storage that manages the database within the app.

How secure is SQLite for react native apps?

SQLite Encryption Extension (SEE) supports data encryption. The database charges a one-time fee license required to use the extension. To perform read and write operations the extension is built with various algorithms that protect the data from outsiders.

There are certain other implementations in SQLite for data encryption.

• wx SQLite: A C++ wrapper used to encrypt SQLite data
• SQLCipher: An open-source extension that supports 256 bits AES encryption. It uses OpenSSL’s libcrypto API.
• SQLiteCrypt: It requires custom implementation and supports API-based encryption.

App performance with SQLite

SQLite performs faster when it comes to resolving queries. To optimize the SQLite performance, one just has to access the disk less often. But, to make such functionality work, the developer must have an overall understanding of SQLite information processing. One must determine the process where SQLite is consuming more time. 

SQLite Pricing

It is open-source and free to use. But if your organization wants to obtain a copyright license then they will have to purchase it. It is a one-time fee for licensing. 

#4 PouchDB for Native apps

This is an open-source one-time Javascript database that stores data in JSON format. It allows users to create, read, and update, data using a straightforward JavaScript API. The other exposed API is just a single call away on the react-native platform for performing data operations seamlessly. 

It is built by using the CouchDB Protocols and storage mechanism. CouchDB is the most reliable server-side database. This database for react native is also compatible with MongoDB, PostgreSQL, and MySQL server-side databases.

Benefits of PouchDB

• Data sync: This database allows users to synchronize multiple user data at a time. The use of any native library other than OS  can’t be synced between multiple clients.
• Peer-to-peer replication: This allows to disconnect of the local storage from the server side while both copies are concurrently updated. After the update, the data gets synced across multiple clients without any data leakage. 

How secure is PouchDB for react Native Apps?

CouchDB has an authentic security mechanism to store the PouchDB data as compared to the other database. It consists of excellent security features like:-

• It stores the passwords through cryptography PBKDF2, in a standard derivative key, and protects the encrypted keys from brute force attacks.
• Refreshes the cookies every 10 minutes to minimize the risks of attacks via cookie-based injections.
• The local data is encrypted with AES- 256 encryption.
• It never stores passwords in memory and encrypts communication with multiple encryptions.

App performance with PouchDB

PouchDB is slightly expensive in comparison to other databases. It uses complex data structures to achieve optimized syncing. Even with low-memory devices it progressively fetches data from the disk. Such a fetching technique allows devices to run faster with better storage engines. Thus, the documents do not need frequent updating. 

PouchDB Pricing

All the development updates related to PouchDB are available on GitHub and are free to use. 

#5 WatermelonDB for native apps

WatermelonDB is a high-performance reactive database built on top of SQLite. It has the potential to scale hundreds to thousands of records maintaining speed and reliability. It has the utmost optimization for building complex applications in react native. 

Benefits of WatermelonDB for native apps

• Lazy strategies: It handles data persistently on low-end devices. It will not load any unnecessary data unless requested beforehand. 
• App speed: The app launches faster compared to other databases as it is built from complex applications in react native.
• Automatic re-rendering: All UI components depend on automatic re-rendering when changing the records.

How is WatermelonDB secure for react native apps?

It provides and supports security & encryption on iOS using Keychain and randomized hash strings. It results in secure access and storage. On the other hand, Android only has the SQL engine’s security level.

WatermelonDB Pricing

It is an open-source and free database.

#6 Vasern Database for Native Apps

This local database for native apps has developed cloud storage and synchronization across the users. It is built by using a server-side language named Golang from Google. Vasern also supports local data storage. The database consists of creating, updating, querying, and deleting records and uses UTF-8 encoding for support languages. 

Benefits of the Vasern database 

• Speed: It deals with large amounts of data, and modifies them, without affecting the application run time.
• Scalability & complexity: It operates with minimal memory and large data, boosting the app’s overall performance.
• Easy use: The developers can easily manage its setup. Its growing popularity and stability are among its other advantages.

How is Vasern secure for react native apps?

It uses the SCRAM-SHA-1 mechanism for authentication and a role-based access control to prevent server-side data infiltration. Kerberos and LDAP proxies are used to protect consumer data.

Vasern Pricing

It is an open-source and free-to-use database.

So, our list ends here. These are the best react native apps development databases that a developer should use for developing seamless iOS and Android apps. If you are in search of a secured react native app framework, you can vouch for any one of the above-mentioned mobile frameworks. Innovate your features and functionalities with the help of these databases and successfully run your application across the users.