React Native was created by Facebook in 2015 to allow developers to create native mobile applications for both iOS and Android using JavaScript. Since, it has grown into one of the most popular frameworks for building mobile apps. Over 17,000 apps have been built using the framework, including some of the world’s most popular programs, such as Instagram, Skype, Discord, Netflix, Uber, and Pinterest.

Why has it grown so quickly? Primarily because it uses a single codebase, making it easy to develop native mobile apps for both iOS and Android. In the past, developers would need to learn two separate codebases in order to create apps for both Android (Java) and iOS (Swift/Obj-C). With React Native, you need learn only one, and it happens to be JavaScript, the most commonly known programming language.

Whether you’re new to programming, a web developer who wants to learn to create native mobile applications, or an experienced mobile developer interested in learning a new framework, it is a great time to learn React Native. Thankfully, there are countless online courses that allow you to learn React Native on your own timeline, and from the comfort of your own home.

Here is a list of free and affordable online courses on Reactive Native that will get you started quickly.

Introductory Courses on React Native

1. React Native: Getting Started

This course is designed for beginners and web developers interested in learning native mobile app development using the React Native framework. Hendrik Swanepoel, the instructor, will walk you through every step of working with React Native. During the course, you’ll learn to set up your React Native environment, generate a React Native application, create React Native components, add functions like navigation and text input, and consume an HTTP API from your app. It is a beginner course, but the instructor recommends learning the basics of React, Git, command line, and npm before starting the course.

• College credits: NO — Certificate only
• Price: 10-day free trial and then $35 billed monthly or $299 billed annually for Personal plan; $449 billed annually for Premium plan
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 1 hour, 49 minutes
• Languages: English
• Vendor: Pluralsight

Note: Prices for all courses listed in this article are true on the date of publishing, but are subject to change.

2. React Native – The Practical Guide 

Taught by Maximilian Schwarzmüller, a professional web developer, this course is designed for those completely new to React Native. In over 16 hours of video content, Schwarzmüller will teach you all of the core concepts of React Native — how it works and how to build apps that will fit all types of device sizes. In addition to teaching you the fundamentals, Schwarzmüller will walk you through how to create your own React Native apps and publish them on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. To take this course, however, you must know JavaScript. 

• College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
• Price: $42.50 on sale ($169.99 regular price)
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 16 hours, 30 minutes
• Languages: English with subtitles in English, Indonesian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Romanian
• Vendor: Udemy

3. React Native QuickStart, Build Real App with Deezer API

Designed for developers of all experience levels, including beginners, this course is a relatively brief but comprehensive introduction to React Native. You will begin by learning the fundamentals of React Native and its architecture. You’ll quickly move on to building a music streaming app that fetches data from Deezer API. As you move through the course, you’ll learn the fundamentals of React Native as well as some advanced concepts. By the end, you will understand in-application routing and navigation, how to connect to an API, how to build an attractive UI with React Native UI components, how to integrate a search function, and more.

• College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
• Price: $40 on sale ($159.99 regular price)
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 5 hours, 30 minutes
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: Udemy

4. Complete React Native bootcamp – Build 18 iOS & Android app

This course is an excellent starting point for newcomers to React Native who know the basics of Javascript (like loops, function, arrays, arrow function, etc.). The instructor spends a lot of time on the fundamentals and steadily develops complexity. During the course, students will build a number of apps, each of which incorporates different functions, including camera integration, sound, and more. You’ll also learn about API, local storage, Redux state management, Firebase, and more.

• College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
• Price: $50 on sale ($199.99 regular price)
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 21 hours, 30 minutes
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: Udemy

5. Build an App in Less Than 1 Hour Using React Native

This course is less of a comprehensive course than a quick and useful tutorial that will help you further understand how to use React Native and allow you to put your knowledge to practical use by developing an application. It is recommended for people who have already started learning React Native but are still beginners. The course is designed around building a Tinder-like jokes app using APIs from different services, and can be completed in under two hours.

• College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
• Price: $9.99 on sale ($19.99 regular price)
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 1 hours, 30 minutes
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: Udemy

6. CS50’s Mobile App Development with React Native 

This course, available via edX, is a Harvard course taught by Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science David J. Malan and software engineer Jordan Hayashi. The course begins with lectures on basic JavaScript before quickly jumping into advanced JavaScript, React, and finally, React Native. The course also includes guest lectures by two of the co-authors of React Navigation (including a member of the React Native core team) as well as Charlie Cheever, the founder of Expo. There are also lessons on Redux and Async Redux. The course includes a number of hands-on projects, including a final project in which you’ll create an app entirely of your own design. Because the course starts with lessons on Javascript, it is excellent for beginners with little programming experience, though students should be comfortable with HTML and CSS.

• College credits: NO — Verified Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a $90 fee to earn and buy a Verified Certificate
• Financial aid or scholarships: YES
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 13 weeks (6–9 hours per week)
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: edX

7. React Native – Intro Course for Beginners

This course from freeCodeCamp.org is a quick introduction to the basics of React Native and is available for no charge on YouTube. The course begins with a quick guide to how to set up React Native to use on your desktop. Quickly, you’ll dive into creating a basic “Hello World” app and into some basic UI features. Finally, you’ll learn how to build a calculator app. This is not a comprehensive course, but it is nevertheless a great starting point for people who are interested in React Native but don’t know if they want to dive all the way in yet.

• College credits: NO
• Price: FREE
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 2 hours, 18 minutes
• Languages: English
• Vendor: YouTube

Intermediate Courses on React Native

8. Multiplatform Mobile App Development with React Native

This course, taught by Jogesh K. Muppala, an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, focuses on using React Native and Expo SDK to create cross-platform, native iOS and Android apps. It is one of the most comprehensive and well-designed courses available, designed to give students a functional and working knowledge of React Native UI and its features — such as icons, gestures, animations, and more. You’ll also learn to utilize the Expo toolchain to simplify the development and testing of your React Native apps. This is an intermediate course, designed for students who have a working knowledge of HTML, CSS, and Javascript and are already familiar with Bootstrap 4, React, and Redux. This course is part of a Full-Stack Web Development with React Specialization that covers Bootstrap 4 and React. Although you can take this React Native course on its own, it is recommended that you take Bootstrap 4 and React prior to taking it.

• College credits: NO — Course Certificate only
• Price: FREE to audit, but there’s a fee to earn and buy a Course Certificate
• Financial aid or scholarships: YES
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: Approximately 27 hours
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: Coursera

9. Build the original Instagram with React Native & Firebase

Designed for developers who already have an understanding of the fundamentals of the React Native framework, this course will walk you through the process of creating a fully developed mobile application that uses Firebase User Authorization with an email and password or Facebook login. The course is based around creating a photo feed app very similar to the original Instagram app from scratch. The course will walk you through the process of registering and connecting to Firebase, building your app’s UI, and adding user login, navigation, and more. In short, it is a great practical course for intermediate-level developers.

• College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
• Price: $9.99 on sale ($24.99 regular price)
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 6 hours, 30 minutes
• Languages: English
• Vendor: Udemy

Advanced Courses on React Native

10. Master React Native Animations

Once you understand the fundamentals of a UI framework like React Native, the next step is mastering the framework’s nuances. This course is designed to teach users to build animations in React Native with the Animated library. The course walks through all of the functions and animation types that you can use in React Native. It also covers advanced animation topics, such as interpolating colors, rotations, .99 cliffs, interrupted animations, extrapolate, and more. By the end, you’ll be able to create custom animations for whatever app you are building.

• College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
• Price: $25 on sale ($99.99 regular price)
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 6 hours, 30 minutes
• Languages: English with subtitles in English
• Vendor: Udemy

11. React Native: Tips, Tricks, and Techniques

This course is geared toward students who are already familiar with React Native and would like to learn some handy techniques to make the app development process easier and faster. The course covers subjects such as reusable logic with Higher-Order Components, tips for upgrading and more. It will also introduce different tools, such as reactotron and react-native-debugger. This is a great course for pro developers who are relatively new to React Native. 

• College credits: NO — Certificate of Completion only
• Price: $31.25 on sale ($124.99 regular price)
• Financial aid or scholarships: NO
• Mobile learning: YES
• Self-paced learning: YES
• Flexible deadlines: YES
• Time needed for completion: 3 hours, 30 minutes
• Languages: English with English subtitles
• Vendor: Udemy

For more online courses, check TUN’s list of curated classes, or use the online classes search engine to find the best online courses in any subject.