React Native Performance

React Native Performance

Priority: P0 (CRITICAL)

FlatList (60fps List) Optimization

• windowSize: Reduce to 5-10 for memory-heavy lists (default 21). initialNumToRender should cover the first viewport.
• getItemLayout: Provide for fixed-height items. Skips runtime measurement.
• removeClippedSubviews: Enable for Android (default true) to offload clipped items.
• maxToRenderPerBatch: Limit to 5-10 items per frame to prevent JS thread blockage.
• keyExtractor: Use stable unique IDs, never arrays index.
• Function Refs: Define renderItem outside component or wrap in useCallback.

React Native Core Performance

• The Engine: Ensure Hermes engine is enabled (default in 0.7x). Verify via global.HermesInternal.
• Animations: Use Native Driver (useNativeDriver: true) or Reanimated 3 for GPU-accelerated 60fps animations.
• Re-renders: Use React.memo and useMemo for expensive props. Profile via Flipper (React DevTools) for flamegraphs.
• Network: Batch API calls. Use React Query/Zustand to prevent unnecessary screen refreshes.
• Images: Use react-native-fast-image for caching and priority. Avoid large PNGs; use WebP.
• Bundle Size: Prune unused dependencies. Use ProGuard/R8 (Android) and Fastlane for builds.

Navigation

• Lazy Screens: Use lazy prop for stack screens (enabled by default).
• Avoid Listeners: Remove navigation event listeners in cleanup.

Images

• Image Caching: Use react-native-fast-image for network images.
• Resize: Provide resizeMode and fixed dimensions.
• Format: Use WebP for smaller size.

Bundle Size

• Hermes: Enable for faster startup (default in RN 0.70+).
• Tree Shaking: Remove unused imports.
• ProGuard/R8: Enable code shrinking on Android.

Anti-Patterns

• No ScrollView for Large Lists: Use FlatList.
• No Inline Styles: Use StyleSheet.create (optimized).
• No console.log in Production: Strip with babel plugin.

References

See references/optimization-guide.md for FlatList configuration, memoization rules, and bundle analysis.