3 Best Mobile Development Approaches: Native, Cross-Platform, Hybrid

July 27, 2022
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android app development, Cross-platform app development, custom web app development, Custom Web Application Development, hybrid app development, ios app development, mobile app development

Making a decision to build a mobile application is simple, but determining the best approach for mobile application development is confusing.

Questions such as, should I go for Native, Hybrid or Cross platform? Which method of mobile app development is most beneficial? And How much will the investment be? Adding to this, which will fulfil the custom business application development requirements?

Well, answers to the queries above are addressed. This blog will explain the features of Native, Cross-Platform and Hybrid App Development platforms. The benefits and drawbacks of various custom mobile application development approaches will help you make an informed choice.

So, let’s get started.

Three Different Approaches To Mobile App Development

  1. Native App Development

Native apps are particularly designed for a specific mobile platform. It includes Android app development and iOS app development. You will have to use platform-specific tools, interface elements, programming language and SDK.

When to use Native Mobile App Development?

  • When you have time and resources for iOS and Android mobile app development individually.
  • Need device-specific functionalities like geolocation, GPS, camera, etc.
  • Building an intuitive & interactive app with highest performance and speed.
  • You are ready to pay extra for better UI and performance.
  • For 3D games and animations.

Advantages of Native App 

  • Fastest utmost performance and enhanced security.
  • Superior UI/UX experience.
  • Using the wider device functionalities like camera, microphone, compass and swipe gestures is easy.

Disadvantages of Native App Development

  • High Maintenance
  • Higher Cost 
  • Takes a longer time-to-market
  • Separate code for iOS app development, Android mobile app development and other platforms.

Examples of Native app development

Some of the popular native applications are Twitter, Google Maps, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Spotify.

  1. Hybrid Mobile App Development

Web-based and native mobile applications are combined to create hybrid apps. They operate on WebView, a streamlined web browser within the program, and integrate HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Some popular hybrid app development frameworks are Adobe PhoneGap, React Native, Ionic Framework and Xamarin. 

Why Hybrid App Development?

  • Android and iOS hybrid mobile app development share code between the two platforms.
  • Offers both native and web features. 
  • Hybrid apps work on various devices to expand business operations. 
  • It enables you to interact with customers on any platform.

Advantages of Hybrid App Development

  • Manage one codebase for your application.
  • Native experience with a simple backend.
  • Easily scalable if you have built the application for one platform.
  • Hybrid app development has an attractive user interface.
  • Low cost with ease of custom app development.
  • Offline Support and Usage.

Disadvantages of Hybrid App Development

  • Lower performance
  • A limited user interface 
  • Browser Requirement and Dependency on the browser’s speed

Example of Hybrid Applications

Some popular hybrid mobile app development are Twitter, Gmail, Instagram and Amazon App Store.

  1. Cross-platform App Development

It is the process of developing an application that can operate on multiple platforms: Android, iOS, Windows and others. Cross-platform mobile app development framework apps do not require different coding for different platforms. The same code could be used to run applications on all platforms. 

It is one of the most widely used methods for mobile app development approaches in most businesses.

When to Go For Cross-Platform App Development?

  • To reach the market in less time, choose cross-platform app development.
  • Low-cost development with broader market reach.
  • To build a low budget app with a simple UI and complex algorithms.

Advantages of Cross-Platform App Development

  • Developing applications on multiple platforms allows for greater customer reach.
  • Code reusability.
  • One source code for any application development.
  • It’s cheaper and quicker to develop than Native app development.
  • Easy Implementation & maintenance.
  • Seamless Cloud Integration.

Disadvantages of Cross-Platform App Development

  • Compared to Native apps, it has a lower performance.
  • Adapting design and functionality to different platforms and devices is difficult.
  • Long wait for new features and updates.
  • Poor Customization.
  • UI Design is lacking because it uses one code.

Some Of The Popular Frameworks For Cross-Platform App Development Are 

  • Titanium
  • Native Script
  • Ionic
  • React Native
  • Xamarin
  • Flutter

Cross-Platform examples

Some of the cross-platform applications are Google Ads, Stadia, Tencent, Chrome, etc.

Choose the Right mobile app development platform!

Before deciding on the best mobile app development strategy for your business, consider what is most important for your application.

Choose an experienced custom software development company, such as TechRev, who can not only help you in deciding the best approach for your application, but also present a high-quality build within the agreed-upon budget and timeframe.

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