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Ask HN: Why isn't there a React Native browser yet?

4 points by ShirsenduK ↗ HN
In development mode, react native works like a glorified web browser but instead of web components it renders native components. Why isn't there a browser (and a server/package manager) which brings native to the web. Instead of a hardcoded IP for the package manager we have an address bar which fetches the react code and renders it. Is performance the concern? Or does HTML win because of smaller code footprint? What has stopped Facebook and/or others from building the native web.

4 comments

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herbst
Security and Sandboxing. You would have to reinvent so many security protections.
ShirsenduK
I think it won't be a big challenge as browsers have solved this. We would need to bring it to the "react-native-browser".
herbst
Running remote code without real trust chain is not a big security challenge? I think you strongly understemate what browsers do. Browsers solved this over many many years, when is the last time you heard anyone starting a new html engine from scratch?
ShirsenduK
The same ideas of browsers need to be implemented here. We could ask for permissions like browsers do for location. While I can give multiple reasons as to why no one starts a new html engine from scratch, it's no reason why we shouldn't.