Building a Modern Fitness App with React Native

Introduction

Fitness apps have become extremely popular nowadays, as an increasing number of individuals are prioritizing their physical health and overall well-being. These apps have become a necessary component on almost every smartphone due to this trend. The COVID-19 pandemic has further intensified this trend, as individuals are now relying on virtual classes to maintain their fitness and motivation since they have less access to gyms and in-person training.

Although, if you are seeking information on how to create a modern fitness app, this guide is just what you need.

So, let’s begin.

What’s a Fitness App?

Various concepts related to fitness apps are being explored, leading to different interpretations. Some examples of products referred to as fitness apps or workout apps are:

• Yoga apps

• Workout and sleep-tracking apps

• Health and fitness app

• Activity tracking apps

• Meditation apps

• Diet counting and food tracking apps

The Fitness app Market

Before embarking on building your own fitness app, it is important to conduct a thorough market analysis due to the existing high competition. The current market consists of a variety of apps that offer a combination of the features mentioned earlier and others. If you wish to create a new workout app, it is essential to make it unique to stand out from the plethora of activity-tracking apps, diet and nutrition apps, and similar products; otherwise, your app may not gain the required attention and may fade away in the market.

According to the Statista:

• It is expected that the fitness apps industry will generate a revenue of US$19.33 billion by the year 2023.

• The fitness app development is predicted to exhibit a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR 2023-2027) of 14.34%, which would lead to an estimated market size of US$33.04 billion by 2027.

• It is anticipated that the Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) will be approximately US$25.78.

Types of Fitness Apps

To develop a fitness app, you must identify a specific type as there are various options available. The following are the most prevalent types of fitness apps:

Diet Counting and Food Tracking apps

These are apps that help users keep track of their food intake by counting calories, macronutrients, and other nutritional values. They typically include a database of foods and their nutritional information, allowing users to log what they eat and monitor their progress toward their dietary goals.

Activity Tracking Apps

These types of apps are designed to monitor and track physical activity, such as steps taken, distance traveled, and calories burned. They often utilize sensors in smartphones or wearable devices to gather data and provide insights into the user’s activity levels. Some activity-tracking apps also include social features, allowing users to connect with friends or compete with others.

Yoga apps

Yoga apps are fitness apps that focus on providing users with yoga-related content, such as guided yoga sessions, breathing exercises, and meditation practices. These apps can be tailored to different levels of expertise, from beginner to advanced, and offer a variety of yoga styles and classes. Some yoga apps also include features like progress tracking, personalized recommendations, and social sharing.

Workout and Sleep Tracking Apps

Workout and sleep-tracking apps are designed to monitor and track users’ exercise and sleep patterns. These apps can track various types of workouts, such as strength training, cardio, and HIIT, and provide insights into the user’s performance and progress. They may also include features such as personalized workout plans, progress tracking, and social sharing. Sleep tracking features typically use sensors in smartphones or wearable devices to monitor factors such as sleep duration, quality, and patterns, and provide insights into the user’s sleep habits.

Meditation apps

Meditation apps are mobile applications designed to help people meditate and improve their mental and emotional well-being. These apps typically offer guided meditations, mindfulness exercises, breathing techniques, and other tools to help users achieve a state of relaxation and focus.

Possible Options for Fitness Apps Tech Stack

We will delve into various alternatives available to app owners while selecting the tech stack for developing a fitness app. Additionally, we’ll provide insights on which option may suit your idea and business best. Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to the technological path for a fitness app.

Native App Development

When considering building a mobile app, one possible route is developing a native app. This type of software is designed to operate exclusively on a specific operating system and is typically written using code that is tailored to a particular processor. Conversely, cross-platform apps are designed to run on various operating systems and computer architectures.

A mobile app that is native is a software application created to function on a specific platform or device, like Android or iOS. It is developed using a programming language that is native to that particular platform.

Developing native apps allows you to utilize all of the features of a system without limitations. Whether it’s the camera, GPS, voice recognition, or any other feature you want to incorporate into your app, native app development can accommodate it. As a result, it may be the preferred option for intricate applications that require advanced features. Nonetheless, creating a fitness app that caters to both iOS and Android users would necessitate the development of two distinct apps.

Talking about the tech stacks, iOS apps are developed using Swift or Objective-C, while Android apps are developed using Kotlin or Java.

Cross-platform App Development

Opting for cross-platform frameworks is often the second choice for developing new mobile apps. In fact, many app owners choose to redevelop their native apps using cross-platform technologies once they become outdated. This is due to the recent popularity of cross-platform frameworks, which provide many advantages for businesses. For instance, it is simpler to maintain and create cross-platform apps because they only require a single code base for both the iOS and Android versions.

Cross-platform app development refers to the process of creating applications that can run on multiple platforms or devices using a single code base, instead of developing separate apps for each platform. There are various approaches to building such apps, and they are used in different scenarios. For instance, in some cases, developers compile different versions of the same software for various operating systems, while in others, they create one code base and make minor adjustments for each platform using APIs. With cross-platform development, a single developer can often create a mobile app for both Android and iOS.

Cross-platform app development gained popularity due to its ability to make apps available to a larger audience in a shorter time frame. However, it may not be the most efficient approach in certain situations.

Flutter and React Native are the most widely used cross-platform frameworks. If you are thinking of building a React Native fitness app then you will need to use JavaScript as the programming language while for Flutter you will need to use Dart.

Web App Development

Then there are web apps that are a type of application that can be accessed via a web browser such as Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. Unlike mobile apps, web apps cannot be downloaded from app stores. While they offer various functionalities, they require an internet connection and cannot be used offline. Nonetheless, it is important to note that app development is not always straightforward, and sometimes a combination of different technologies and approaches may be used to create a customized solution that best fits your requirements.

Native apps are developed for a particular device, whereas web apps are typically accessible on any browser and platform. These applications can be created using a single code base, making them quick and relatively easy to build. However, they may not be as fast or robust as native apps.

To create a web application, you need to develop both the front-end (the user interface or the visual appearance of the app) and the backend (the app’s underlying functionality). Popular frontend technologies used in web development include Angular, React, and Vue.js, while Node.js, Ruby on Rails, PHP, and Python are commonly used for backend development.

Selecting Technologies for Your Fitness App

The next step is to list all the features you intend to incorporate into the app. It’s essential to have a business plan in place and determine the key features of your fitness app before choosing a tech stack. Selecting a technology stack before deciding on most or all of the features may not be a wise decision.

The selection of a development approach largely depends on the features you want to incorporate. For instance, if the latest fitness app trends are to be implemented as a core feature, native development would be a preferable choice. However, if your fitness app’s features primarily include a basic calorie calculator and diet plans, then cross-platform development may be a better option.

Once you have listed the features you want to include in your fitness app, you can then identify the necessary tools needed for development. For instance, if you want to enable payments in your app, you’ll need to choose a payment solution provider. Similarly, if you need to implement notifications, you’ll have to decide which platform to use for this purpose.

Conclusion

In summary, you can determine the technology stack for your fitness app by following these steps:

• Make a decision on whether to create a mobile app, a web app, or possibly both.

• Make a comprehensive list of the features you wish to incorporate into your fitness application.

Moreover, conducting market research, clearly defining your business objectives, and establishing a comprehensive development strategy will undoubtedly assist you in making a decision.

How can Bytes Technolab help you?

Bytes Technolab is considered the best app development company since 2011 that has been delivering excellence in React Native app development services. You can hire our React Native developers to build stunning, robust, cost-effective, and highly-functional React Native fitness apps in record time.

Another added advantage of hiring React Native developers from Bytes Technolab is that our developers are well versed in all React Native tools like React Native Expo, VSCode, ESLint, Flow, Enzyme, and Reactotron along with frameworks like SnowFlake, Ignite, Nativebase, and libraries such as React Navigation, MobX, and Animatable.

So, what are you waiting for? Tell us about your project idea and our experts will get in touch with you within 24 hours.