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Cocos2d-x VS React Native Desktop

Compare Cocos2d-x VS React Native Desktop and see what are their differences

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Cocos2d-x logo Cocos2d-x

Cocos2d-x is an open-source and cross platform open source free 2D game engine for mobile game development known for its speed, stability, and easy of use

React Native Desktop logo React Native Desktop

Build OS X desktop apps using React Native
  • Cocos2d-x Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-17
  • React Native Desktop Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-30

Cocos2d-x features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Support
    Cocos2d-x allows developers to build games that run seamlessly on multiple platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it highly versatile and enhancing its reach.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source framework, Cocos2d-x provides full access to its source code, which can be modified to suit specific project requirements. This fosters a collaborative community and encourages continuous improvement of the framework.
  • Performance
    Cocos2d-x is written in C++, which generally offers better performance compared to other languages commonly used for game development, such as JavaScript or C#. This can lead to smoother and more responsive gameplay.
  • Rich Feature Set
    Cocos2d-x comes with a robust set of features including physics engines, particle systems, skeletal animation, and more. These features make it easier for developers to create complex and visually appealing games.
  • Community and Documentation
    The framework boasts a large and active community, which can be invaluable for troubleshooting and getting help. Additionally, it has extensive documentation and tutorials which make it accessible to both beginners and advanced users.

Possible disadvantages of Cocos2d-x

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Given its extensive feature set and use of C++, Cocos2d-x can be intimidating for beginners. The complexity of its systems often requires a more in-depth understanding of programming concepts.
  • Limited Built-in Tools
    While Cocos2d-x is powerful, it lacks some of the built-in tools and editors provided by other game development frameworks like Unity or Unreal Engine. This often requires developers to rely on external tools for tasks such as level design and asset management.
  • Manual Memory Management
    Unlike some of the higher-level languages and frameworks that handle memory management automatically, Cocos2d-x requires developers to manually manage memory. This increases the risk of memory leaks and other related bugs.
  • Smaller Asset Store
    Compared to giants like Unity, Cocos2d-x has a relatively smaller asset store, which means fewer pre-made assets and plugins are available. This might lead to longer development times as assets often need to be created from scratch.
  • Lack of High-Level Scripting Support
    While Cocos2d-x does support Lua and JavaScript bindings, it is primarily a C++ framework. This can be a drawback for developers who prefer or are more efficient using higher-level scripting languages.

React Native Desktop features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Code Sharing
    React Native Desktop allows for code sharing between mobile and desktop platforms, reducing development time and effort. This promotes a unified codebase across iOS, Android, and macOS platforms.
  • React Ecosystem
    Developers can leverage the extensive ecosystem of React and React Native, including libraries, tools, and community support, thus simplifying development and benefiting from existing solutions.
  • Hot Reloading
    React Native Desktop supports hot reloading, which allows developers to see changes immediately without rebuilding the whole application. This greatly enhances development speed and productivity.
  • Native Performance
    React Native Desktop aims to deliver a performance close to native applications on macOS, allowing for smooth user experience and efficient utilization of the system's resources.

Possible disadvantages of React Native Desktop

  • Immature Project
    React Native Desktop is still a relatively young project compared to its mobile counterpart. It may lack some stability, advanced features, and support that are available in more mature frameworks.
  • Learning Curve
    Developers familiar with only web development might find it challenging to adapt to React Native's paradigms and native coding patterns required for desktop applications.
  • Limited macOS-Specific Components
    There might be fewer out-of-the-box components and libraries tailored for macOS when compared to those available for mobile, requiring more custom implementation work.
  • No Official Support
    As an open-source project, React Native Desktop doesn't have official support from Facebook or a large organization, which might lead to slower updates and a greater reliance on community contributions.

Cocos2d-x videos

Cocos2D-x 4.0 Released

React Native Desktop videos

No React Native Desktop videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

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Game Engine
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User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Cocos2d-x and React Native Desktop

Cocos2d-x Reviews

Best Game Engines for Linux in 2021
Cocos2d-x is an open-source game framework written in C++, with a thin platform dependent layer. It is widely used to build interactive apps and games for Android. There are also JavaScript and Lua bindings included.
Source: kerneltips.com
The Best 15 Mobile Game Engines / Development Platforms & Tools in 2020
Cocos2D-x is a package of 2D game development tools. released by Facebook. One of its best features is that Cocos 2D-x allows you to create very small size games: 1.5 MB. It comes with detailed documentation and it has a large support community. Read and learn how to use it.
Source: thetool.io

React Native Desktop Reviews

We have no reviews of React Native Desktop yet.
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Cocos2d-x and React Native Desktop, you can also consider the following products

Unity - The multiplatform game creation tools for everyone.

React Native - A framework for building native apps with React

Godot Engine - Feature-packed 2D and 3D open source game engine.

React Boilerplate - Offline-first, highly scalable foundation for your next app

Unreal Engine - Unreal Engine 4 is a suite of integrated tools for game developers to design and build games, simulations, and visualizations.

NativeBase - Experience the awesomeness of React Native without the pain