AI Insights

The shift of migrating from the Ionic Framework to React Native has become increasingly relevant as the long-term direction of Ionic remains uncertain. This follows the discontinuation of all Ionic commercial products and services, as detailed in Ionic’s official announcement. This development has raised concerns among developers and organisations relying on Ionic.

We’ve recently seen a growing trend in moving away from Ionic in favour of more actively supported ecosystems like React Native. In response, we decided to provide an overview of the migration process and share insights on how AI tools can help make it more efficient and less time-consuming.

Why choose React Native?

Here are some key reasons why React Native stands out and why you might consider migrating your application:

• User Experience: React Native delivers smoother, platform-specific interactions that align closely with iOS and Android design guidelines.

• Performance: With the new architecture, React Native offers performance that’s much closer to native apps, and companies are actively adopting it.

• Community and Ecosystem: React Native has a larger, more active, and growing community. GitHub stats reflect its popularity, and the ecosystem includes popular, well-maintained libraries that cover most use cases.

Overall, React Native presents a more appealing and sustainable long-term choice for cross-platform development.

A Practical Overview of the Migration Process

We recently worked on migrating a 12-page Ionic app to React Native. Here’s a high-level look at the process and outcomes:

Setting Up the React Native Project

The migration begins with initialising a React Native project. You can use the React Native CLI for full control or a managed workflow like Expo for faster setup. Analyse Ionic libraries and install React Native equivalents for core functionalities such as navigation, local storage, and UI components like context menus or segmented controls. We utilised AI tools like Copilot in conjunction with Context7 MCP for quick suggestions of relevant React Native library alternatives and adding features like theming and themed components to the initial setup.

Migrating non-UI Logic

Non-UI logic is largely reusable. HTTP calls for APIs, data models, and state management logic require minimal changes. However, some specific libraries must be replaced with React Native-compatible solutions. GitHub Copilot helped us through this process by suggesting and implementing the necessary changes.

Rewriting UI and Navigation

Rewriting the UI and navigation is an intensive process. Ionic’s web-based approach differs from React Native’s native rendering. Ionic UI components and Navigation must be replaced with React Native equivalents, adapting their functionality and appearance. CSS/SCSS needs to be converted to React Native’s styling system. With the right set of Copilot Custom Instructions and attached Ionic code samples, AI effectively assisted us in transforming components and styling. It was effective in helping us migrate to Tab, Drawer, and React Native Stack navigation.

Testing and Debugging

Testing and debugging are critical to ensure a smooth transition. Test the app on iOS and Android emulators and real devices to verify platform-specific features and transitions. Use React Native debugging tools to resolve issues. Copilot can assist with quick fixes by tasks like “Fix this React Native styling issue,”. It can also be used to write tests for react components.

Outcomes

Overall, the migration delivered good results. We finished the first working version of the application in just two weeks. Using AI was a big reason for this quick success.

AI added value across multiple stages of development:

• Project Setup (15–20% faster): AI accelerated the initial project setup by generating boilerplate code and reusable components.
• UI Components Transformation (30% speed-up): GitHub Copilot, with a set of custom instructions, reduced time for UI component migration and CSS-to-StyleSheet conversions.
• Bug Fixing, UI Tweaks, Testing (30–40% faster): AI significantly sped up the resolution of small bugs and UI issues.
• Copilot Custom Instructions (10-15% efficiency gain): Custom instructions helped enforce project standards and reduced the need to repeat guidance in every prompt.
• TypeScript (15–20% improvement): AI suggestions for adding types and providing next edits helped speed up development while improving code safety and maintainability.

Demo of  React Native transformed application

Conclusion

React Native is the logical successor to Ionic for most 2025 projects, offering better native performance, a vibrant ecosystem, and long-term sustainability. This case study shows that migrating a small Ionic app to React Native can be done quickly and efficiently, especially with AI tools like GitHub Copilot, which significantly reduce manual effort. However, medium and large apps or those with web targets require cautious planning, as React Native introduces complexity and lacks Ionic’s seamless web compatibility. It’s important to remember, AI is a powerful assistant, but not a substitute for React Native expertise.

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References and Resources

Ionic Application Repository

React Native Application Repository

React Native Documentation

Ionic Framework Documentation

GitHub: React Native Activity

GitHub: Ionic Activity