Cross-platform apps continue to confidently conquer the market. But there are still many rumors and prejudices around them. Some people believe that such services work slowly, while others think that it is impossible to make a cross-platform service functional. Among the abundance of information, it is difficult to understand what is true and what is not. Let’s figure out what cross-platform applications are and what they are capable of. This will help you choose the ideal model of cooperation with developers, the features of which you can evaluate at https://implex.dev/services/application-engineering.
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What Are Cross-Platform Applications?
The first question a founder who wants to launch a mobile application needs to think about is what type of development to choose, cross-platform or native.
In the context of development, cross-platform is the ability of a program to run on devices with any operating system. That is, a program will work for both Android and iOS. An application that is designed for several platforms at once will be cross-platform, or hybrid.
Native programs are developed for a specific Android or iOS operating system in the native development languages of these platforms. For Android, this is Java or Kotlin, and for iOS, Swift or Objective-C.
Hybrid applications are created using frameworks. A framework is a set of tools that makes development easier. Modern technologies allow you to write almost the same code for all platforms.
What Tools Are Used to Create Cross-Platform Apps?
There are several convenient frameworks that are used by custom application engineering companies for creating hybrid applications. Let’s consider the most popular ones for 2024: React Native, Flutter, Xamarin, and Cordova.
React Native
React Native is a JavaScript-based framework. It was launched in 2015, and in a few years has become one of the most convenient and widespread tools for creating hybrid services. Thanks to the use of native APIs, this framework allows developers to implement many functions available to native products. For example, the function of scrolling the screen with a swipe, like in Tinder.
React Native has many sets of components and libraries. Large companies have created applications on this framework — Walmart, Shopify, Discord, Bloomberg, and Tesla.
Flutter
Flutter is a framework released by Google. The programming language suitable for Flutter is Dart. This framework was created later than React Native, in 2017, but is already ahead of its competitor in popularity. Flutter can be used not only to develop hybrid mobile applications but also to create web applications.
Another difference from React Native is that Flutter does not use native components. All UI elements are created using its own graphics processor for rendering. Therefore, Flutter is more productive and versatile. Another advantage of the framework is Hot-Reload. When adding new features or fixing errors, developers do not need to restart the application. All changes are displayed immediately. This saves time on development.
There are about 500,000 products developed on Flutter in the Google Play Market. Among them are Google Ads, the New York Times, Toyota, the SpaceX app, and Etsy.
Cordova
This is an open-source cross-platform framework developed by Adobe. It uses web technologies such as JavaScript, CSS3, and HTML5. So, the application is created in the browser as a site using the corresponding JS libraries. With the help of the framework, developers can create functional services that will use the capabilities of devices: geolocation, camera, microphone, map, etc.
Cordova supports basic and third-party plugins. This gives developers wide opportunities: they can add a large set of functions to the application. Developers can also create their own plugins. For example, writing a plugin will be needed to integrate the application with social networks.
Untappd, Localeur, and SparkChess projects were created on Cordova.
Xamarin
Xamarin is a set of tools for cross-platform development. The framework allows developers to create cross-platform programs that are almost as good as native ones in performance. The platform is constantly evolving and updating to make it easier for programmers. For example, Xamarin has its own tool for testing and tracking application performance, which helps to identify errors before publication.
Xamarin can be used to develop a multifunctional project with complex business logic. But in terms of design, it may be inferior to other frameworks: you can’t make a fancy interface or beautiful animations on it. That’s why Xamarin is not used to create games. But for projects where the main thing is functions, not graphics, it is suitable.
With the help of this framework, the programs Captio, Life Shopping, Love Republic, and Befree were created.
Who Is Cross-Platform Apps Development Suitable For?
If the project is simple or of medium complexity, the difference between native and hybrid services may be almost imperceptible to users. But if you have a complex functional project in mind, the differences may be significant.
To help you decide on the type of development, ask yourself 3 questions:
- How limited is your budget? If you have about $20,000-$50,000 at your disposal, it is better to choose hybrid development. For a native product for two operating systems, you will have to pay twice as much.
- Do you need to quickly launch an application? If you have a tight time frame, for example, you want to enter a new market with your platform in 2-4 months, and invest in hybrid development. During this time, a team of programmers can easily develop a cross-platform service of medium complexity.
- Does the application need to have specific functions and complex visuals? Heavy animations, 3D graphics, augmented reality technologies — all this is not about hybrid products. If you have a complex project, it is better to implement it using native tools.
In general, high-quality hybrid applications can be made in any field: fintech, education, medicine, travel, real estate, games, sports, etc. Everything depends on the functions and capabilities of the customer.
Final Thoughts
Given the many advantages for businesses, cross-platform apps development for mobile devices is a good option for companies of any size. Moreover, cross-platform tools are evolving, becoming more powerful, smarter, and more functional. Perhaps, technologies will soon allow developers to create hybrid services that are no different from native ones in speed, performance, and features. Even now, this difference is almost imperceptible to ordinary users. If you are looking for a reliable provider of quality app development services, then you should pay attention to the custom web and mobile application engineering provided by the Implex company.
