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Everything You Wanted to Know About Cross-Platform Development

When developing a mobile application, several factors should be taken into account: functionality, adaptability, cost, optimization and finding the right mobile app development company. Cross-platform allows developers to write code for several operating systems at once. For businesses, this is an opportunity to save money, to speed up launch  and reach a larger segment of users.

What are cross-platform apps?

Cross-platforms are applications that run on multiple operating systems at once. The challenge for programmers is to write code that deploys well on all operating systems.

A universal approach to development allows you to fulfill two important conditions: saving time and money. Developers make the application much faster. Rather, the application itself has been developed as long as applications for iphone or android. But if a business orders an application for different systems, the development time is twice as long. As well as money.

But there are also disadvantages: CPAs are not as flexible as native ones, because it is difficult to implement all the functions to be working well on different devices. App stores have their own requirements, they must be taken into account when developing. This creates additional discomfort and difficulties.

Despite this, cross-platform apps are very popular and effective. Depending on the area of ​​business, you can create unique tools which the user will interact with. Fast launch, wide audience coverage, relatively low development cost allow you to implement ideas, launch powerful tools and digitalize your business quickly.

Difference between native and cross-platform app development

Native are apps that are developed for a specific operating system. A technology stack is used that is suitable for solving specific problems.

Advantages: high performance, maximum use of all platform capabilities, excellent user interface. In stores, these apps are better promoted. Among the disadvantages: it takes a lot of time, therefore, the cost of creating a native program increases significantly. It is not supported on other operating systems, so you will have to develop separate apps for them, which is also expensive and time-consuming.

So what’s the key difference between native and cross-platform app development? You need to understand in advance what function the application will perform for business, who is in the target audience, why development is required at all. If you do not need to be present on two platforms at once and you have time and budget, you should give preference to native format. If the product is simple, functional and purposeful, with clear objectives and goals, a cross-platform solution will be better.

Benefits of Cross-Platform Format

Cross-platform creating opens up new business opportunities and gets you up and running as soon as possible. If the product is understandable, performs certain tasks and is not too complex, then this is the best solution for a quick and effective launch.

Maximum impact on the target audience

If you know that your customers use both android and iOs, then reaching all types of mobile devices will help a wide segment of users. Of course, you need to take into account many nuances during development, in particular, the display of the interface, compliance with platform requirements. But against the background of opportunities, it will not be difficult to fulfill these conditions. For business, this is a profitable investment that allows you to get more new customers.

Reduced costs

A single technology stack is used for both Android and iPhones. Fewer specialists are required to take part, the forming process itself is simplified by creating a single module for different systems. Therefore, if a company wants to save money, but at the same time get a high-quality product, cross-platform development is a great way to achieve the desired result.

Easy maintenance and deployment

Deployment is much faster due to the fact that there is a single code base that easily integrates into any operating system. Later, maintenance and changes are also much faster because the changes only affect one code. When an update is released, it works on all operating systems. This saves not only time, but also budget.

Fast process

The speed of creating a mobile program increases significantly. Imagine that you need to develop an application for android first, then for iOs. This is a lengthy process, it is worth considering the interface, a number of system requirements. At the same time, cross-platform development allows you to create a single web-design that works great on all devices.

Easy integration with the cloud

Integration with the cloud is fast and hassle-free. The functionality is easily configured, the necessary services are connected, tools for effective launch are used. The cross-platform application is fast, transfers data to the cloud and processes it just as quickly. Therefore, the likelihood of failures, breakdowns or other negative factors is reduced.

Fast time to market and adaptation

Getting a cross-platform app to market is much easier. It is enough to take into account a number of requirements set by stores. Promotion of the application on the market is easier, users are willing to download it to their devices. After all, such an application complies with all safety conditions, has a user-friendly interface and adapts to different smartphones.

3 Best CPA frameworks

CPA development is carried out using frameworks. This is a stack of technologies that allow you to implement tools, create the necessary functionality that solves business problems. There are a lot of frameworks, but there are 3 best ones that developers actively use. Let’s find out which of the options is the most popular and will win the flutter vs react native vs xamarin confrontation.

Xamarin

Xamarin is a Microsoft framework. Mobile app development company knows, it can be used to develop not only applications for different mobile devices, but also programs for Windows. It supports the C # + .NET programming languages. It has appeared relatively recently, is compatible with any operating system and allows you to create cross-platform applications that are almost impossible to distinguish from native ones. It has a large library, compilers for iOs and Android.

Pros:

  • allows you to implement complex ideas for any platform;
  • has high performance;
  • has own technology for testing, you can quickly identify errors and fix them;
  • provides excellent compatibility with various devices and operating systems;
  • gives wide range of open source tools;
  • allows you to create complex algorithms, up to banking systems.

Minuses:

  • the ecosystem, although developed, is rather limited;
  • you can use only those libraries that are in the system;
  • not suitable for platforms with a need for high-performance graphics;
  • the weight of applications is large;
  • not all services are able to integrate with this platform;
  • not too frequent updates.

Xamarin can be described in a simpler way: reliable, clear, fast, affordable, ideal for common tasks.

React Native

React Native is one of the most popular frameworks used for forming CPAs. It is capable of providing a native look for the app. You just need to collect elements, build a hierarchy, integrate third-party services and create an interface in the React Native language.

Pros:

  • ease of workflows, you can create an application in a short time;
  • significant time savings due to open source plugins, you can quickly implement any task;
  • high performance;
  • the same code is used for different platforms, and the user interface can be customized for each platform;
  • applications turn out to be similar to native ones in behavior, high-speed.

Minuses:

  • due to the fact that the platform is young, updates are constantly coming;
  • not suitable for working with complex graphics, animation, heavy interface;
  • when developing an interface for an iPhone, difficulties are added, since there is no visual editor.

React Native is the future of mobile app development, blurring the lines between hybrids and native creation. Due to the ability to quickly create applications, it is used by development giants such as Facebook, Tesla, Pinterest and others.

Flutter

Flutter uses its own programming language – Dart. Despite the fact that developers will have to learn it to work with this framework, it opens up a lot of opportunities for development. The principle of its operation is simple: it uses the same code on different platforms, but does not turn it into native code, but rather “draws” a window on the phone screen and displays data.

Pros:

  • using of its own language that any operating system understands;
  • many developers are switching to this platform;
  • ease of learning, large library of documentation and active support;
  • a wide range of tools to implement the most complex ideas;
  • high performance, results are reliable and fast.

Minuses:

  • the visual editor is not very high-quality, many things have to be done without it;
  • the API is pretty crude, the specification can be changed on the fly;
  • some things that should work flawlessly, still give errors, while glitches and bugs appear;
  • complex work with widgets, often you have to develop them separately on the native.

Nevertheless, the Flutter framework is very popular, suitable for developing business tools and functional programs.

Findings

Implementing a CPA approach when forming a program is an excellent solution to business problems. If the focus is not on visual design, but functionality itself is important, this method can significantly reduce time, reduce budget and create an effective product that will benefit the company.