Introduction

Cross-platform development has become the default approach for building modern applications. Among the many frameworks available, React Native has long been the industry standard. However, newer frameworks like Dioxus 0.7 are challenging that position by offering a Rust-first, high-performance alternative.

In this post, we’ll compare Dioxus and React Native across architecture, performance, developer experience, tooling, and ecosystem to help you decide which framework fits your next project.

Main Content

High-Level Overview#

Language & Type Safety#

Dioxus#

Dioxus is built entirely in Rust, giving developers:

• Strong compile-time guarantees
• Memory safety without garbage collection
• Fearless refactoring
• Fewer runtime crashes

fn App() -> Element {
    rsx! {
        div { "Hello from Rust!" }
    }
}

Rust errors are caught at compile time, reducing runtime failures common in large JavaScript codebases. ::

React Native#

React Native relies on JavaScript or TypeScript, which offers:

• Faster onboarding
• Massive community knowledge
• Runtime flexibility

export default function App() {
  return <Text>Hello from React Native</Text>;
}

Despite TypeScript, many errors in React Native still surface at runtime, especially around async state and native bridges. ::

Verdict: Dioxus wins on safety and correctness. React Native wins on approachability and familiarity.

Performance & Architecture#

Dioxus Performance Model#

Dioxus benefits from:

• Zero-cost abstractions
• No JS bridge
• Direct native execution
• WASM for the web

This leads to:

• Faster startup times
• Lower memory usage
• Predictable performance

React Native Performance Model#

React Native uses:

• A JS runtime
• A native bridge (even with the new architecture)

While performance has improved significantly, complex UIs can still suffer from:

• Bridge overhead
• Thread synchronization issues

If your app is performance-critical (IoT dashboards, embedded systems, real-time UIs), Dioxus has a structural advantage. ::

UI Development Experience#

Dioxus (RSX)#

RSX feels similar to JSX but enforces correctness:

rsx! {
    button {
        onclick: move |_| count += 1,
        "Increment"
    }
}

Pros:

• Compile-time UI validation
• No undefined props
• Cleaner refactors

Cons:

• Rust macros have a learning curve

React Native (JSX)#

JSX is flexible and expressive:

<Button title="Increment" onPress={() => setCount(c => c + 1)} />

Pros:

• Huge component ecosystem
• Familiar React mental model

Cons:

• Runtime UI errors
• Props misuse is easy

State Management#

Dioxus#

Dioxus uses signals and hooks that integrate deeply with Rust’s ownership model:

let mut count = use_signal(|| 0);

Benefits:

• No stale closures
• Predictable updates
• Compile-time guarantees

React Native#

React Native relies on:

• React hooks
• External libraries (Redux, Zustand, Recoil)

This flexibility is powerful—but can lead to:

• State sprawl
• Hard-to-debug race conditions

Tooling & Developer Experience#

Dioxus Tooling#

• Built-in CLI
• Hot reload
• Unified build pipeline
• Rust analyzer integration

dx serve

Everything—from UI to backend—lives in one ecosystem.

React Native Tooling#

• Metro bundler
• Native SDKs
• Xcode & Android Studio
• Many third-party tools

Powerful, but:

• Complex setup
• Platform-specific bugs
• Steeper maintenance at scale

Tooling Summary#

Dioxus prioritizes simplicity and cohesion. React Native prioritizes flexibility and scale. ::

Fullstack Capabilities#

Dioxus#

Dioxus shines here.

• Frontend and backend both in Rust
• Shared types
• Server functions
• SSR support

This makes it ideal for end-to-end Rust teams.

React Native#

React Native typically requires:

• Separate backend stack
• API contracts
• Data validation duplication

Still powerful—but fragmented.

Ecosystem & Community#

React Native#

• Massive ecosystem
• Thousands of libraries
• Long-term industry support

Dioxus#

• Smaller but growing ecosystem
• Strong Rust community backing
• Rapid iteration

Dioxus is younger, but its pace of development is significantly faster than React Native’s early years. ::

When to Choose Dioxus#

Choose Dioxus if:

• You value performance and safety
• Your team knows Rust
• You want a unified fullstack solution
• You target web + desktop + mobile

When to Choose React Native#

Choose React Native if:

• You need mature mobile tooling
• You rely on third-party native modules
• Your team is React-centric
• Time-to-market is critical

Conclusion

React Native remains a dominant force in cross-platform mobile development, backed by a massive ecosystem and years of production usage. However, Dioxus 0.7 introduces a compelling alternative—one built on performance, safety, and architectural simplicity.

For teams willing to invest in Rust, Dioxus offers a future-proof approach to building fast, reliable, cross-platform applications with fewer runtime surprises.

The choice isn’t about which framework is “better”—it’s about which philosophy aligns with your product and team.

And in 2026, Dioxus is no longer experimental—it’s a serious contender. 🚀