TikTok just released its React Native killer…

Summary

In this video, the host reviews Lynx, a new JavaScript framework by ByteDance, the creators of TikTok. Lynx aims to outperform frameworks like React Native and Flutter by offering a high-performance, dual-threaded UI engine, built with Rust and JavaScript. It supports smooth, pixel-perfect UIs and faster launch times, with native CSS features for styling. While Lynx shows promise, its ecosystem is limited, and it requires further development. The host shares his hands-on experience, highlighting both its potential and some initial challenges in setup.

Takeaways

• 😀 A new JavaScript framework called Lynx has been released by ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, aimed at revolutionizing mobile app development.
• 😀 Lynx promises a faster, smoother, and more efficient alternative to popular frameworks like React Native and Flutter for building mobile apps.
• 😀 The framework uses Rust-based tooling and a dual-threaded UI rendering engine, which is said to achieve smoother UIs and faster launch times.
• 😀 Unlike React Native, which relies on a single-threaded JavaScript bridge, Lynx uses a dual-threaded architecture to separate user code from framework code.
• 😀 Lynx's engine is built with Prim JS (based on QuickJS), which handles synchronous UI tasks, while user code runs on a separate thread, preventing performance degradation.
• 😀 Lynx is framework agnostic, meaning developers are not limited to using React and can build apps with various frameworks.
• 😀 It supports native CSS features like transitions, animations, variables, and gradients, providing a more intuitive approach for web developers.
• 😀 The framework currently lacks an extensive ecosystem, such as Expo tooling or a large widget library, which could hinder its adoption.
• 😀 Lynx utilizes RS Pack, a Rust-based bundler, which is claimed to be faster than other bundlers like Vite, generating a starter template in TypeScript.
• 😀 Developers can style elements using regular CSS or Tailwind, which is a significant improvement over the limitations found in React Native.
• 😀 Despite some initial issues on Windows, the framework works smoothly on macOS, and it allows live previews on mobile devices through the Lynx Explorer app.

Q & A

What is Lynx, and why is it being introduced?

Lynx is an open-source, multi-platform app development framework introduced by ByteDance, the company behind TikTok. It is designed to help developers build native mobile apps more efficiently using a high-performance, dual-threaded UI rendering engine and rust-based tooling.

How does Lynx differ from other cross-platform frameworks like React Native and Flutter?

Lynx uses a dual-threaded architecture, where user code and framework code run on separate threads. This ensures smoother performance and faster launch times compared to React Native, which uses a single-threaded JavaScript bridge that can cause performance bottlenecks.

Why is performance a key consideration in the creation of Lynx?

Performance is a key consideration because many developers have criticized React Native for not feeling truly native. Lynx addresses these concerns by using a dual-threaded architecture that reduces bottlenecks and offers instant first-frame rendering, ensuring smoother and faster app performance.

What is the role of the JavaScript engine in Lynx, and how does it improve performance?

Lynx uses a JavaScript engine called Prim JS, which is built on QuickJS. This engine handles synchronous UI tasks like event handling on the main thread, while user code runs on a separate thread, preventing inefficient code from blocking the main thread and improving overall performance.

Can developers use Lynx with other frameworks besides React?

Yes, Lynx is framework agnostic, meaning developers can build apps using various frameworks, such as React, Svelte, or Vue, rather than being tied to a specific framework.

What native features does Lynx support for styling mobile apps?

Lynx supports actual native CSS features for styling, including transition animations, variables, gradients, and more, making it more intuitive for web developers and easier to style mobile apps using familiar tools like regular CSS or Tailwind CSS.

What challenges might developers face when using Lynx?

The major challenge is the lack of a robust ecosystem. There are no extensive tooling libraries like Expo or Flutter’s widget libraries, which could limit functionality and convenience for developers working on large-scale projects.

What is RS Pack, and how does it relate to Lynx?

RS Pack is a Rust-based module bundler used by Lynx to generate starter templates and bundle projects. It is claimed to be faster than other bundlers like Vite, contributing to Lynx’s overall performance advantages.

How does the Lynx Explorer app improve the development process?

The Lynx Explorer app allows developers to live preview their code on mobile devices in real-time. It streamlines the development process by automatically rendering changes to the app on a connected phone, enhancing workflow efficiency.

What were the challenges the creator faced while setting up Lynx on Windows?

The creator faced issues when trying to compile Lynx on Windows, encountering errors. The solution was to switch to the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), though the app still didn’t run properly. Ultimately, the setup worked smoothly on macOS.