Who doesn’t use mobile phones? From scheduling meetings to order groceries, we are completely dependent on our smart devices.
With the rise of mobile devices, the number of mobile applications has been increasing as well. In the first quarter of 2021, there was a total of 3.48 million apps on the Google Play store and 2.22 million on the Apple Store. However, not every app fulfills user expectations. Some may get lost in the ocean of new technologies.
The entire success of your mobile app depends on the used technologies and their performance. Therefore, app frameworks are the base for a successful mobile application. If your foundation is weak, there’s no way your app will have a smooth run in the competitive market. Thus, it is extremely important to choose the correct framework for your mobile app development.
Ideally, the majority of mobile app development services provide cross-platform app development. The ideal cross-platform firework provides high-quality tools, test suits, the right language, and libraries to make your app seamless and user-friendly.
In this article, we’ll elaborate on the step-by-step guide for cross-platform app frameworks. Let’s get started.
First thing first, let’s understand what a cross-platform app is. A cross-platform app works seamlessly on both platforms, i.e. iOS and Android. In simple words, it lets the developers develop an app that runs smoothly on both platforms. Therefore, it is convenient and beneficial for both developers and businesses.
Benefits of Cross-Platform Apps
A cross-platform app has numerous benefits.
1. Maximum Exposure
Cross-platform apps are built for both platforms, therefore, you can get a wider reach and large audience, resulting in high revenue.
2. Reduced Development Cost
In native apps, you are required to hire two different developers for each app development, thus, doubling the app development cost. Cross-platform apps require one code, therefore not only saves the app development cost but also improves your ROI.
3. Easy Maintenance and Launch
Maintaining one app is more convenient than maintaining two apps, saving money and time. Additionally, the app deployment is easier as you don’t have to keep following two different sets of app store rules. Your cross-platform mobile app development agency can easily launch your app on both platforms.
4. Code Reusability
The best part about cross-platform apps is that you can reuse the code for every platform. They can run a single code everywhere. This makes the development process faster and cost-effective as well.
5. Fast Development
Cross-platform apps are faster to develop. Thus, it makes the app deployment faster compared to the native apps. Additionally, with the single code system, developers can easily implement changes if necessary.
6. Easy Update Implementation
The app update is one of the ways to ensure the success of the mobile application. It is essential to stay updated to beat the rivals and provide the best user experience in this competitive market. Cross-platform apps make it easier for developers to make the necessary changes with a single code and implement it on both platforms.
7. Easy integration with Cloud
Cross-platform apps can easily be integrated with the cloud settings through plugins. It makes the mobile app seamless and improves scalability and functionality.
Types of cross-platform app frameworks
Let’s check out the best cross-platform app frameworks that every cross-platform mobile app development agency uses.
Flutter
Launched in 2018, Flutter is Google’s cross-platform framework that provides the latest and highly vigorous design credentials. Unfortunately, even though it is very practical, it is less popular among developers. Flutter supports app development for Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, and Web applications. It is written in C, C++, and Dart and has the new BSD license.
The best thing about Flutter is that it supports the older versions of the OS in the devices. Even nowadays, many people are using the older versions of Android on their devices. Therefore, it is very popular among Android app developers as it supports both modern and older versions.
Apple has launched iOS widgets and layouts for Flutter to make sure that the app runs smoothly on the platform. As a result, Flutter is the best cross-platform framework for beginners.
Pros of Flutter:
- Fast development and cost-effective
- Immediately shows the results after the changes are made without recompiling the code. Making it easier to fix the loopholes.
- Due to the single base code, you don’t need to test the app for each platform. Thus, saving time and money.
- Flutter provides a seamless user experience similar to native apps.
Cons of Flutter:
- The juvenile framework lacks the latest features.
- Unstable and requires a lot of space.
- Requires more download and update time.
- Dart is new, and it requires frequent changes. This makes it difficult in the long run.
Google Ads, Alibaba, and Birch finances are built with Flutter.
React Native
React native is one of the most popular cross-platform app development frameworks that has been gaining popularity with constant improvement and the latest features. In addition, React Native has a large community across the globe that makes it easier for newcomers if they want to develop their mobile app using this framework.
When it comes to the app development process, both iOS and Android mobile app development services prefer to work with React Native. It offers more stability and supports android, iOS, Android TV, Mac, and Windows platforms.
Pros of React Native:
- It offers easier and quicker app development as it shares the base code for iOS, Android, and web applications.
- You can develop your app with only JavaScript. You don’t need to hire different app development teams.
- It has a rich collection of libraries and tools that helps developers to minimize the hard work and increase their productivity.
- React Native offers seamless app development without the need of understating the in-depth knowledge of the platforms. This way, the developer’s entire focus remains on the app development, resulting in stable and resistant app development features.
Cons of React Native:
- Due to the JavaScript base, the debugging of other programming languages is difficult.
- It is a bit slow compared to other frameworks and takes more time, space, and has slow testing time.
- Your cross-platform mobile app development agency should have an efficient team that is more skilled with the latest native technologies.
Facebook, Instagram, Artsy, and Pinterest are built using the React Native framework.
PhoneGap
PhoneGap is an open-source, cross-platform app development framework that has the Apache license 2.0 and helps developers code effortlessly. It does not have any hardware restrictions and provides the flexibility to use different programming languages, such as C, C++, JavaScript, HTML, etc.
PhoneGap allows the users to access the Native APIs and use all the basic native features and provide a seamless user experience. Businesses who want a simple yet creative mobile app use the PhoneGap cross-platform app framework for their app development process.
Pros of PhoneGap:
- It offers faster and flexible mobile app development due to its agility.
- It has a large online community.
- It allows users to use the native features, such as camera and navigation, to provide a seamless experience.
Cons of PhoneGap:
- If your app has more graphical elements, for example, gaming apps, we advise you to choose other frameworks as it is not suitable.
- Does not have proper documentation.
Wikipedia and TripCase are built using the PhoneGap framework.
Ionic
Based on AngularJS, Ionic is a popular open-source, cross-platform app development framework. Launched in 2013, Ionic has the main components, such as Apache Cordova and AngularJS. With the Ionic framework, the developers can create personalized features and a creative user interface.
Ionic consists of MIT license and uses front-end technologies, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Developers mainly use Ionic for native apps and PWA applications.
Pros of Ionic:
- Ionic makes your app development and deployment process faster compared to native apps.
- It is beneficial for both developers and businesses. It offers browser support, thus, developers don’t need any complex IDE or editors.
- Ionic supports every programming language. Thus, you need to consult your cross-platform mobile app development agency and determine what language would be preferable for your app development and work accordingly.
Cons of Ionic:
- Unstable native plugins.
- It is not suitable for gaming apps.
- Debugging is difficult.
Marketwatch, Diesel, and Sworkit are built with Ionic.
Xamarin
Xamarin is based on a Microsoft technology sack and covers 90% of the code over main platforms. Xamarin lets developers built both cross-platform apps and native apps by using .Net and C#. C# allows developers to bind Android and iOS APIs, resulting in a better native interface, notifications, graphics, animation, and other native features.
With a single codebase, Xamarin helps to speed up the development process. It offers modern and high-performant mobile apps across various platforms and supports wearable technologies as well.
Pros of Xamarin:
- It provides a similar experience as the native apps.
- Enhances user experience with effective UI elements.
- It is compatible with all hardware and works efficiently with every device.
- It allows users to learn technical skills by providing learning resources.
Cons of Xamarin:
- It is not compatible with third-party libraries.
- It requires the knowledge of native languages for respective platforms.
Oro, Captio, and MRW are built using Xamarin.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, having a cross-platform mobile is beneficial for your business. However, it is essential to choose the correct framework for your app development as the success of your mobile application depends on its functionality. If you are new in the technical and business industry, cross-platform mobile app development is the best option to develop your mobile apps. It is a time saver and cost-efficient. What else do we need?
Just like the right cross-platform app development framework, it is essential to choose the right cross-platform app development agency. Here at Sysbunny, we have an excellent team of developers who can envision your ideas and provide you with the best app development solution that can help you enhance your business and stand out in the market. Contact us now and start your app development project right away.
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