Why Offline-First Matters for Factories
A production app that shows a spinner and fails when Wi-Fi drops is useless on a factory floor. Operators need to log production counts, scan barcodes, and raise alerts — with or without network. The app must store data locally, continue working, and sync when connectivity returns.
Local Storage Options
SQLite (via react-native-sqlite-storage or sqflite in Flutter) is the most reliable option for structured data. WatermelonDB is excellent for React Native apps with complex relational data and built-in sync support. For simple key-value storage, MMKV is significantly faster than AsyncStorage.
Sync Architecture
Two patterns work for factory apps. Push-on-connect: app stores all actions locally as a queue. When online, the queue flushes to the server in order. Simple, reliable, works for most production logging. For collaborative data where two devices might modify the same record simultaneously, you need a merge strategy.
Testing Offline Behaviour
In React Native, use NetInfo to monitor connectivity. In development, use Charles Proxy or device network throttling to simulate poor/no connectivity. Write automated tests that put the app offline, perform operations, restore connectivity, and verify the server received all data in the correct order.
Assume no connectivity. Design every feature to work offline first, sync second. A factory app with good offline behaviour will be trusted by operators; one that fails on poor Wi-Fi will be abandoned.
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