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Published September 25th, 2017 by

Mobile App Development: Native v/s Cross-Platform

 

Over recent year, there is a huge demand in mobile app development. Every day number of smartphone users are increasing and demand is keep growing. Mobile app development is very essential for business to increase the productivity. Now the question is what technology to use and develop for getting more user engagement. The development has gone under some changes in few years and the development process includes approaches such as cross platform and native apps.  And choosing between cross platform and native apps is quite difficult as both the app provides different features that are performed on different devices. For developers it is most challenging question whether to develop native or cross platform apps. App platform plays an important role as it defines what kind of app user demand for. And for obtaining business goals choosing a right platform is essential. Mobile App Development Company offering different way to build mobile apps and users can easily make choice between the both of the platforms. While creating mobile apps a developers need to know what functionalities it require and according to user specification, that will increase more customer and productivity. Native apps are created in a specific language such as c, c++, android, and iOS for specific devices. While cross platform applications are built maintaining single code and same app runs on different platform. Native apps provides high quality and user experience apps and many more functionalities. Majority of gaming apps written in cross platform language as they provide high performance speed and can run on desktop as well as mobile devices. Both the app development platforms having some pros and cons of their own and provides different functionalities to different devices.

Native Apps

Native apps are developed for one platform at a time and use specific programming languages for the devices, as it do not repeat same code for all the apps. Developers uses programming languages like java for android, swift for iOS and C, C++ for windows. Native apps are created mainly for mobile apps such as android and iOS. Also uses the native APIs to easily access the features such as camera, accelerometer, Geo location, gallery, music player, and notifications which are in-built. The technology let the developers to use the latest tools which are designed for easy code integration, attractive user interface, debugging and utilizing the features.

Benefits

  • Native apps uses the native APIs through which a user can easily access the in-built features such as Geo locations, notifications, camera etc.
  • New designs for UI gives an attractive environment to users so that they can interact with the app and explore the functionalities quickly.
  • The performance and speed is good as it operates on mobile devices so it will take less time in execution and provides quick results.
  • The Productivity speed is good, while new features are easily integrated and memory management.
  • Building a native app with innovative design and let the user access the features easily.
  • Provides responsive apps with high speed and easy maintainability apps.
  • It also provides better user interface to the users as regular updates for the new version is provided time to time.
  • It allow advance features such as complex networking, memory management and USB input to utilize easily.
  • As it is important to measure speed and high performance while creating a graphics demanding app, such as a game app that will be used by millions of users.
  • New hardware and software provides fast integrated features that operates on mobile devices and regular updates provide easy access.
  • Productivity of the app can easily be measured as application demands more memory resources than was expected, developers could quickly fix the bug.
  • App performance is monitored by developers while using the technologies which are suitable and automatic tests are performed.
  • The apps can easily work offline as they don’t access through server so no need of internet connection for accessing the app.
  • Provides efficient and effective apps that are quicker to run and provides fast access to all the services and features.

Limitations

  • While require more time and efforts in testing all the coding that will have effect on speed as testing might take some time.
  • Cost of development is high as coding for all the devices is not easy to develop and takes a lot of time and cost to maintain.
  • Maintaining a native app takes time and resources that is not suitable for all developers to easily retaining the average time.
  • Native apps having own framework, which would be difficult to reuse for other platform devices such as desktop.
  • Apps published on different apps store and need to rewrite the code for other operating systems will delayed some of the features.
  • Native apps require phone or tablet for defining the individual layouts that would be time consuming for developers as the code is non-transferable between iOS and Android.

Cross Platform Apps

Cross Platform Apps are built using web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. And one app can run on multiple platforms while maintaining the same code for it. Such apps are written in format that can easily run on different platforms such as desktop, mobile and tablet. However it is useful and save a lot of efforts and cost in developing the code for the apps. In future cross platform apps would be in demand as they provide easy accessible apps for all platforms. While developing cross platform apps developer need to keep in  mind  the capabilities it providing for creating framework that are limited. Hybrid App Development Company focuses on developing the apps which are more fast and quicker to access on different devices.

Benefits

  • Cross platform apps do not require mobile browser as it is having features which include hardware requirement.
  • It uses single code for multiple platform that will save development cost as well as time.
  • The apps can runs on all devices and it directly access through the server and user can work online as well as offline.
  • For reactive framework it uses native apps to make a web page and make use of native features while distributing the app on app store.
  • The content is transferable and require a native environment to run the apps easily.
  • Provides an interactive User Interface, while using the native controls and boost the performance faster.
  • Building the app using web technologies allows for faster development time.
  • App can be easily updated without going to the app store.
  • Easy maintenance as when you need to update or change something, you can easily do the changes. So maintaining the apps is very easy.

Limitations

  • Cross platform apps may not automatically works on all the devices as it gets complicated sometimes when you try to accommodate to different mobile devices.
  • Cross platform apps provide poor performance while sometimes it happens with animation, scrolling screen and clicking.
  • Limitation in accessing mobile native APIs.
  • User experience for different apps need to combine which could be difficult to maintain.
  • The lack of attractive User Interface will leads to slower performance for many of the devices.
  • User interface is developed on HTML, but take much time to achieve the same efficiency as the native apps.
  • Cross platform apps are access through server so one need internet connection to access the app.
  • Not all the codes are same, developers need native codes for accessing some features.
  • If any app can’t be published on the App Store, then it would reduce the cost and distribution potential as in-app purchases are native features.
  • Access to different features on device it require plugins or framework that support.
  • Troubleshoot problems are difficult to handle while finding the bugs.
  • If the App Store is able to recognize that the application is not truly native, it might be deprived of from the App Store.

Which is Best Platform to Choose?

There are many differences between native and cross platform app that let the companies to differentiate and choose the right platform for the app development process. The decision depend on how effective and beneficial the platform is for business to generate revenue. When a project require processing data and intensive use of memory choosing native app development is better for them. Native apps are supported by Apple Company as it provide security and high performance. If the choice is a native application the design and development take the project to specific usability standards for each platform. The native elements of Android and iOS are completely different and provides secure and quick development throughout the entire process. As compared with the benefits of native development, cross platform app takes less time in development process and save cost while maintaining the same code for all the apps run son different platforms. Cross-platform applications not only cut costs, but they also maximize the profit, through a larger number of user’s involvement or through the company the revenue generation. This also adds the advantage of not avoiding fragmentation, but also when it comes to saving error determination efforts. When the code produces a bug, one solution can be used for all solving the problem. So both the Mobile App Development having different features and functionalities that could be beneficial for business. Cross platform apps re cheaper to develop than the native apps. But native apps provide high performance app with in-built features. While choosing native app is best as user can access the features such as camera, music player, notification etc. with interactive User Interface. And native apps can be installed directly to the devices and do not require internet connection for accessing the apps. The developer need to code separately for different devices and fulfill user requirement.

DC Kumawat

DC Kumawat, Co-Founder of Orion Infosolutions Mobile App Development Company. He is a versatile tech writer and loves exploring latest technology trends, entrepreneur, and startup column.

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