Introduction

Making apps that work perfectly on iOS and Android OSs is tough. Usually, if you try to make one app work everywhere, it runs slower. But now, the people who made TikTok, which runs really smoothly, have created a new tool called Lynx. They say it will make it easy to build fast apps that work on both kinds of operating systems. So, what is Lynx, and does it actually work as well as they say? Let's find out

iOSとAndroid OSで完璧に動作するアプリを作るのは難しい。通常、1つのアプリをあらゆる場所で動作させようとすると、動作が遅くなる。しかし今、実にスムーズに動くTikTokを作った人たちが、Lynxという新しいツールを作った。このツールを使えば、両方のOSで動作する高速アプリを簡単に作ることができるという。では、Lynxとは何なのか、そして実際に彼らが言うようにうまく動くのか？調べてみよう。

What is ByteDance's Lynx Framework?

Lynx is a cross-platform mobile app development framework created by ByteDance. That work on both iOS and Android platforms. It's designed to make apps run really fast, almost as fast as if they were made just for one type of operating system.
It uses parts of computer languages that make things fast (Rust) and parts that are easy for website makers to use (JavaScript and CSS). This means people who make websites can make cross-platform apps easier, and the apps will work really well. Lynx became available for everyone to use on March 5, 2025.

Lynxは、ByteDanceによって作成されたクロスプラットフォームのモバイルアプリ開発フレームワークです。iOSとAndroidの両方のプラットフォームで動作する。Lynxは、1つのOSのためだけに作られたかのように、アプリを高速に動作させるように設計されている。
このアプリは、コンピュータ言語のうち高速に動作する部分（Rust）と、ウェブサイト制作者が使いやすい部分（JavaScriptとCSS）を使っている。つまり、ウェブサイトを作る人たちは、クロスプラットフォームのアプリを簡単に作ることができ、アプリはとてもうまく動くということだ。Lynxは2025年3月5日に誰でも使えるようになった。

Good Things About Lynx:

1. Super Fast Apps:

   • Lynx works like it has two separate teams working on your app. One team (Rust) focuses only on making the app look good and run smoothly, while the other team (JavaScript) handles all the thinking and actions. Because they work separately, the app never gets slow or choppy, even with lots of moving parts.
   • The way Lynx is built makes it really good at handling fancy graphics and animations, like in games or social media feeds.

2. Easy for Website Makers:

   • If you know how to make websites look good using CSS, you already know how to make Lynx apps look good.
   • This means it's much easier and faster for website developers to start making cross- platform apps.
   • Using standard JavaScript also makes it easier to start.

3. One Code, Two Phones:

   • You write the code for your app once, and it works on both iOS and Android platforms.
   • This saves a lot of time and effort because you don't have to make two separate versions of your app.

Lynx vs React Native

How does Lynx stack up against established frameworks like React Native?

1. Rendering Engine:

   • Lynx: Rust-based, dual-threaded, emphasizing performance.
   • React Native: JavaScript bridge, potentially causing performance bottlenecks.

2. Styling:

   • Lynx: Standard CSS, familiar to web developers.
   • React Native: StyleSheet API, requiring a specific syntax.

3. Language:

   • Lynx: JavaScript and Rust.
   • React Native: JavaScript.

How Lynx Works (Simplified Explanation)

The Scenario: A Digital Recipe Book

You want to create an app where users can scroll through recipes, see pictures, and tap on ingredients for more information.

How Lynx Handles It:

1. You Write the Recipe:

   • You, the developer, write the recipe's instructions and information using JavaScript. This is like writing the text of the recipe and saying what happens when someone taps an ingredient.

2. The Fast Artist Draws the Picture:

   • The Rust part of Lynx is like a super-fast artist. It takes your recipe's instructions and draws the pictures, the recipe text, and the buttons on the screen. It draws it really quickly, so it looks smooth when you scroll.

3. You Decorate the Page:

   • You use CSS to style the recipe page. You choose the fonts, colors, and how the pictures look. This is like decorating the page to make it look nice.

4. Two Cooks in the Kitchen:

   • Think of JavaScript and Rust as two cooks in a kitchen. One cook (JavaScript) reads the recipe and tells the other cook (Rust) what to do. The other cook (Rust) focuses on making the food look great and getting it on the plate quickly. They don't get in each other's way.

5. Works on Any Stove:

   • Lynx makes sure your recipe book app works on any "stove" (iOS or Android OS). You don't have to rewrite the recipe for each stove.

In simpler terms:

1. You write the recipe (JavaScript).
2. A super-fast artist draws the pictures and text (Rust).
3. You make it look pretty (CSS).
4. It works on any platform.

... To be Continued with the Working of Lynx in next blog