If you choose to have a mobile app created for your business, the first thing you need to do is to decide whether to build it natively or cross-platform, as each option has both pros and cons. Previously, we created a mobile app development guide which features key elements to consider. If you have decided to launch a mobile app, the most important thing is to choose between native or cross-platform mobile development. Selecting one or the other is essential to the long-term implications, especially in terms of time functionality and cost. This blog will look at both options and will focus on the pros and cons of each.
Native
Native applications are used if you intend to develop for a single platform. You can make sure it appeals to platform-specific features and a good example of this is Apple devices on iOS that offer exclusive features such as AirDrop and iMessage, or on Android where you may be able to integrate with Google Play. Another example of a feature that cannot be easily achieved using a cross-platform technology is application widgets, designed for the user’s home screen. Leveraging these capabilities can bring a huge benefit to your business, as the application code can cater for very precise and particular requirements.
Pros:
- Performance is enhanced as the code can be readily optimised by the native compiler
- A more granular control over the look and feel of the application, leading towards improved user interface/user experience
- Tend to have fewer bugs during the developing process
- Full access to the features of the hosting operating system, which gives a greater design freedom
- New features made available by the operating system are available immediately for developers when the SDKs are published
Cons:
- The code written for every platform can’t be tailored to another platform
- Requires slightly more effort
- Developers with the necessary skills are much more difficult to find, and tend to charge higher rates
- Cost
- Time
Cross-platform
This is a process of making sure the application has been comprehensively created using a single code to run on multiple mobile platforms. There are different technologies available to use, and for example, at Software Solved we use Xamarin. It’s important to research and decide on the best platform for your requirements.
Pros
- Low maintenance costs
- Reduce development costs
- Reusable code across platforms
- Code reusability
- Broader market reach
- Very adoptable development approach for a large pool of engineers
- Strong community support base for engineers
Cons
- A lag time between new features being published in SDKs and becoming available for consumption within cross-platform frameworks
- Less granular control over the look and feel of the application
- Application file size bloat – cross-platform applications tend to be heavier than their truly native counterparts
- Less creative freedom, as developers are restricted by a subset of features which have been made available to them.
Could mobile app development improve efficiency and reduce costs for your business? Get in contact today to discuss your requirements.
