#060 - Module Federation, RSCs & Universal Apps with Jack Herrington

Feb 11, 2025

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In this episode of Rocket Ship, Simon Grimm interviews Jack Herrington, a prominent figure in the React Native and Next.js communities. They discuss the challenges and changes in the React Native ecosystem, and the exciting developments around Module Federation and React Server Components (RSCs). Jack shares his experiences with React Native, the benefits of using Expo, and the performance gains associated with RSCs. The conversation also touches on the skepticism surrounding new technologies and the gradual adoption within the industry. In this conversation, Simon and Jack discuss the evolving landscape of React Server Components (RSCs), the impact of AI on app customization, and the rise of AI-driven development tools. They explore the integration of ShadCN, the future of universal apps, and compare RSCs with other frameworks like Svelte and Solid. The discussion highlights the challenges and innovations in the development community, particularly in relation to state management and the potential for AI to transform user experiences. They also delve into the ongoing debate between React Native and Flutter, highlight new features in React 19, and explore the potential of building custom Chrome extensions.

Learn React Native - https://galaxies.dev

Jack Herrington

Links

Frontend Fire Podcast: https://front-end-fire.com/
Pro Next.js Course: https://www.pronextjs.dev/
Zephyr: https://www.zephyr-cloud.io/

Takeaways

Module Federation allows for remote module updates without app store submissions.
RSCs can improve performance by reducing client-side rendering time.
The adoption of RSCs in the industry is slow due to existing codebases and frameworks.
Jack's journey with React Native has been cyclical, returning to it multiple times.
Performance gains with RSCs can be significant, especially on slower devices.
Skepticism exists around new technologies like RSCs, impacting their adoption.
Incremental adoption paths for frameworks can ease transitions for large companies. RSCs are still in development and face challenges.
AI can significantly enhance app customization for users.
Cursor is a popular AI-driven development tool that many developers prefer.
ShadCN offers exciting possibilities for UI infrastructure.
The concept of universal apps is becoming more feasible.
The development landscape is shifting towards AI integration.
Frameworks like Quick handle hydration differently than React.
Solid and Svelte have similar functionalities to RSCs.
AI models require extensive code examples for effective training.
Zustand is gaining popularity in state management. Zustand has gained popularity as a state management library.
Atomic state management allows for automatic updates based on dependencies.
Choosing the right state management tool depends on the application's needs.
React 19 introduces significant changes, especially with RSCs.
Building custom Chrome extensions can enhance productivity and provide unique solutions.
The debate between React Native and Flutter continues with no clear winner.
Using the simplest state management solution is often the best approach.
Understanding the context of your application is crucial for state management decisions.