OTA vs Server-Driven UI in React Native: When to Push Code, When to Push Configuration

What Is OTA for React Native?

Over-the-air (OTA) updates let you ship new JavaScript (and other bundle assets) straight to users’ devices without going through the App Store / Play Store review queue. Under the hood the app contains a tiny bootstrap binary that, on launch, checks a remote service for a newer JS bundle and swaps to it the next time the user opens the app. Popular implementations (see section 5) reuse the standard React Native update() life-cycle, so your existing RN code can load, retrieve, and apply an update with only a handful of lines.

Key idea: the server only delivers static assets that have already been compiled; no UI interpretation happens at runtime.

What Is Server-Driven UI (SDUI)?

In Server-Driven UI the server does not just deliver a compiled bundle— it describes the UI (layout, components, data bindings, navigation rules) in a JSON-like schema. A light-weight renderer inside the client interprets that schema on every launch:

UI building blocks – buttons, lists, etc.
Tokens & Values – colour, spacing, typography.
Spatial arrangement – how blocks are composed.
Logic – actions + rules evaluated at runtime.

Because the server can return different JSON per user, SDUI unlocks real-time experimentation (A/B tests), personalisation, and even completely new screens without shipping new code.

Advantages at a Glance

Criterion	OTA	SDUI
Shipping speed	Minutes (after CI build)	Seconds (config change)
Store review needed	No (JS / assets only)	No (UI + logic)
Offline support	Full	Partial (initial fetch)
Experimentation	Feature-flags + new bundle	Built-in via JSON
Main complexity	CI/CD & signing	Backend & schema

Where Each Approach Shines

When OTA is ideal

Bug-fixing JavaScript or assets quickly after release
Hot-patching security issues without waiting on stores
Maintaining complex animations or business logic that would be painful to express declaratively in JSON
Apps that must work offline (e.g. field-work, travel) where the entire bundle should be cached

When SDUI is superior

Content-heavy apps (news, e-commerce, promos) that change daily
Dynamic onboarding or paywalls driven by growth/marketing teams
Large surface-area apps that run many A/B tests simultaneously
Platforms that target multiple front-ends (Web, iOS, Android) but want one central UI definition and design-system tokens

Hybrid architectures are common: core screens delivered by OTA, marketing surfaces by SDUI.

Frameworks for Implementing OTA

Framework	Highlights
Revopush	Cloud alternative to CodePush • New Architecture ready • CDN delivery • Modern admin UI • CI/CD integrations
Expo Updates	Drop-in `expo-updates` library • EAS channels for staged roll-outs • Works in bare or managed workflow

Frameworks for Server-Driven UI

Framework	Tech Notes
Rise Tools	Open-source kit & playground for RN SDUI
NativeBlocks	Visual builder + runtime, feature-flagging built-in
Ensemble UI	Instant pushes, A/B tests, open-source runtime
Skip ( SkipUI )	SwiftUI-compatible layer that runs on Android

Decision Matrix

Scenario	Recommended Approach
Hourly-changing promo screen	SDUI
Critical crash in checkout JS	OTA hot-patch
Marketing paywall copy test	SDUI (or OTA + remote config)
App must start in airplane mode	OTA (pre-downloaded)
Team lacks backend resources	OTA
Need pixel-perfect parity across web, iOS, Android	SDUI with shared renderer

Conclusions

OTA updates are unbeatable for fast, safe delivery of JavaScript fixes and incremental features. Server-Driven UI unlocks real-time personalisation and content iteration but shifts complexity to the backend. Most teams combine both: OTA for core logic, SDUI for high-churn surfaces. Choose the technique that minimises time-to-user for each part of your app — and don’t hesitate to run them in parallel.

If you’re looking for a future-proof React Native OTA platform, Revopush offers CodePush-compatible SDKs, CDN-accelerated delivery, and deep CI/CD integrations, helping you ship with confidence.