React Native Preload WebView Accelerates Content Rendering

Mar 19, 2025#react-native102

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The document discusses the implementation of a native WebView component for iOS using Swift in React Native applications, specifically for Expo versions above 52. It addresses the common issue of WebView loading delays that can result in a blank screen when displaying content like HTML or RSS feeds. To resolve this, the document proposes preloading the WebView content off-screen. The approach involves creating a webpage that can dynamically display content based on passed props. The WebView is loaded in a hidden state and, upon navigation, the relevant data is sent to it, allowing for immediate rendering. The implementation includes creating an Expo Module named `SharedWebViewModule`, managing the WebView with a `WebViewManager`, and defining a `ShareWebView` class to handle layout and content height changes. The document also outlines how to register the view within the module and implement a method for loading local URLs. The overall goal is to achieve a seamless user experience by minimizing loading times and displaying content instantly.

Note

This document is only applicable to Expo version 52 and above. The native component is written in Swift and is suitable for the iOS platform. Android is not considered at this time.

When writing an app using React Native, there may be places where a WebView is needed, such as displaying a segment of HTML or rendering RSS content. Typically, using react-native-webview, it is evident that after the page appears, you still have to wait for the WebView to load the corresponding HTML before the content can be displayed. For example, in the simple case below: