· 2 min read · originally on LinkedIn ↗
Super apps in React Native with Re.Pack
How apps like Paytm, PhonePe and Flipkart ship dozens of mini apps and stay small — and how to get the same with React Native.
The concept of super apps is super amazing.
I'd been curious how apps like Paytm, PhonePe and Flipkart pack so many in-app services and mini apps inside, yet still keep the install size reasonably small. Some services are clearly installed dynamically, on demand. So I wondered: is it possible to achieve the same with React Native — and if yes, how?
Re.Pack
After some research I came across Callstack's work on Re.Pack — an open-source toolkit that uses Webpack 5 and the React Native CLI's plugin system to bundle React Native apps with Webpack features.
It gives you the full Webpack ecosystem of plugins and loaders, which unlocks code splitting for mobile. That makes it possible to build:
- Super apps — one host app that loads features as separate bundles.
- Mini apps — independently built pieces that can be installed and uninstalled on demand.
- Modular apps — expose different functionality or different UIs based on who the user is.
Why it matters
Both super apps and mini-app stores are applications built from smaller, dedicated mini apps. Instead of shipping several apps to the App Store and Google Play, you combine them into a single one — while streamlining development and simplifying management.
The host keeps the core APIs and core functionality. Everything else lives in the cloud as chunks, downloaded only when a user actually needs that feature:
| Lives in the app binary | Loaded on demand from remote servers |
|---|---|
| Core APIs, core functionality, the mini-app store | Mini app A, mini app B, feature C… |
For teams with many product lines, that's a smaller download, faster iteration per team, and one app for users to trust.
Written by Mohammed Mudassir, senior software engineer in Bengaluru. Turning ideas into scalable products.