CROSS-PLATFORM APP DEVELOPMENT IN 2023 – A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE

The credit for the rise of cross-platform mobile app development solutions goes to the need of many businesses with barriers to developing mobile applications for numerous platforms, preferably Android and iOS.

As a business owner, you wouldn’t want to risk missing your presence on either the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.

The mobile app industry offers over 4.4 million apps on Appstore and Google Play, installed on 6 billion smartphones worldwide. If you plan to develop a cross-platform app, we’ll discuss its benefits and drawbacks and suggest the best frameworks.

The question remains overwhelming for businesses, which cross-platform app development framework should they opt for? This guide will tell you all about cross-platform app development on mobile. Stay tuned!

HOW DO CROSS-PLATFORM APPLICATIONS FUNCTION?

Developing cross-platform mobile apps is creating mobile applications that can run seamlessly on multiple operating systems or platforms, such as iOS and Android. 

This approach allows cross-platform mobile app developers to write code once and deploy it across different platforms, reducing the time and resources required to develop separate apps for each platform.

By leveraging cross-platform app development techniques, developers can reach a wider audience, reduce development costs, and speed up the time to market for their mobile applications.

The decision to develop cross-platform mobile apps should be based on the specific needs of the project and the tradeoffs between development speed, cost, and user experience.

BENEFITS OF CROSS-PLATFORM MOBILE APPS

Sharable Codebase

Utilizing a single sharable codebase, hybrid apps can be created without the need for developing separate native apps for each platform.

Cost-effective

Cross-platform app development mobile can be more cost-effective than building separate apps for each platform.

Speedy Development

Cross-platform development tools such as React Native and Xamarin help build applications quickly as they reuse code components and libraries.

Outspread Audience Reach

Enhance your business reach with a cross-platform mobile app since the app can be easily ported to different platforms.

DRAWBACKS OF CROSS-PLATFORM MOBILE APPS

Performance Hindrance

Cross-platform app development mobile may not provide the same performance as native development since it relies on a common codebase.

Ordinary Design Quality

Cross-platform mobile apps development design elements may not be fully customizable. There is a possibility of a design mismatch between the two platforms.

Delayed Updates

When Google or Apple release updates for their respective OSs, cross-platform mobile apps take time to support those updates.

Optimal User Experience

Cross-platform mobile apps development can limit access to certain platform-specific features.

NATIVE VS CROSS-PLATFORM VS HYBRID

You should have a clear understanding of how mobile app cross-platform development varies from other approaches: native and hybrid.

Native Apps

Developed for a particular operating system, such as iOS or Android, using the respective native programming languages.

Cross-platform Apps

Developed to run on multiple operating systems, such as iOS and Android, using a single codebase.

Hybrid Apps

Developed to run on multiple operating systems, such as iOS and Android, using a single codebase.

SMASHING CROSS-PLATFORM MOBILE DEVELOPMENT TOOLS

The most preferred and popular cross-platform mobile development frameworks and tools are Flutter, React Native, Titanium and Xamarin.

Let’s discover them,

VARIOUS CROSS-PLATFORM APP DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORKS

Flutter

Flutter is a mobile app development framework created by Google that allows developers to build high-performance, natively compiled mobile, web, and desktop applications from a single codebase. Flutter uses Dart, a modern, object-oriented programming language, making it easy for developers to learn and use.

The Flutter technology compiles native code that can run on the following:

• iOS devices 
• Android devices
• Web
• Desktops

Dominant Features Of Flutter

• A rich set of pre-built widgets, which help in building responsive and beautiful UIs
• Access to pre-built plugins that can be used to integrate multiple functionalities 
• Flutter’s hot reload feature to iterate and make changes to your app’s code
• custom animations and gestures support
• 120Hz screen refresh support
• A reactive programming model to build reactive and dynamic user interfaces.

Top Flutter-based Applications

• Google Pay (iOS, Android)
• My BMW (iOS, Android)
• Reflectly (iOS, Android)
  

Flutter Is The Most Regarded Framework 

According to the Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2021, Flutter is the most loved and popular framework among developers.

React Native

React Native is a framework developed by Meta. It is an open-source mobile application framework. It allows developers to build native mobile applications using JavaScript and React, a popular JavaScript library for building user interfaces.

React Native works by using a bridge to communicate between JavaScript and the native platform, which allows developers to write code in JavaScript but still have access to native APIs and features such as cameras, GPS, and push notifications.

Dominant Features Of React Native

• Allows for code reuse between iOS and Android platforms
• Native performance
• Hot reload support
• Code shearability with React.js
• Third-Party Library Support

Top Applications Built Using React Native

• Facebook (iOS, Android)
• Uber (iOS, Android)
• Airbnb (iOS, Android)

Titanium

The Titanium framework is another open-source mobile development framework that allows developers to create native mobile applications for iOS, Android, and other platforms using JavaScript. Titanium is built on the Node.js platform and uses the Alloy MVC framework to structure mobile applications.

Dominant Features Of Titanium

• Native Performance
• Code Reusability
• Alloy Framework
• Cloud Services Integration
• Appcelerator Marketplace

Top Applications Built Using Titanium

• FanReact
• iRig Recorder
• Huddle
• Exfm

Xamarin

Xamarin is another cross-platform development tool used to create native mobile applications for Android, iOS, and Windows platforms. It was acquired by Microsoft in 2016 and is now part of the Microsoft Visual Studio integrated development environment (IDE).

Dominant Features Of Xamarin

• Native Performance
• Code Reusability
• Access to Native APIs
• Visual Studio Integration
• Cloud Services Integration

Top Applications Built Using Xamarin

• FreshDirect (iOS, Android)
• Cincinnati Children’s Caren (iOS, Android)
• Microsoft Azure (iOS, Android)
  

HOW CROSS-PLATFORM MOBILE APPS ARE SHAPING THE FUTURE OF BUSINESSES

Cross-platform mobile apps are becoming increasingly popular among businesses, and for good reason. Here we are going to discuss a few ways in which cross-platform mobile apps are shaping the future of businesses:

Enhanced Reach

Cross-platform mobile apps allow businesses to reach a wider audience, as they can be developed for multiple platforms with a single codebase.

Speedy Time-to-Market

Cross-platform mobile app development Florida allows businesses to develop and deploy their apps faster than traditional native app development company, giving them a competitive edge in the market.

Finer User Experience

Cross-platform mobile apps can provide a native user experience, with access to native device features and functionality, resulting in a better customer experience.

Enhanced Business Agility

Cross-platform mobile apps enable businesses to quickly adapt to changing market conditions and customer needs by allowing for rapid iteration and deployment of new features.

HOW TO SELECT A CROSS-PLATFORM FRAMEWORK

When selecting a cross-platform framework. Here are some key points to keep in mind:

Platform Support

The framework should support all the platforms you intend to target. Be sure to check for compatibility with desktop, web, and mobile platforms.

Development Experience

The framework should provide an easy-to-use and intuitive development experience. Look for frameworks with robust documentation, active developer communities, and good support resources.

Performance

The framework should be performant and able to handle large and complex applications. Look for benchmarks and performance metrics to determine which frameworks are the most efficient.

Cost

Consider the cost of using the framework, including licensing fees, development and maintenance costs, and any other associated expenses.

Features

The framework should provide the features and functionality that your application requires. Look for frameworks that provide support for common features such as data storage, authentication, and API integration.

Code Sharing

A key advantage of using a cross-platform framework is the ability to share code between different platforms. Look for frameworks that provide robust code sharing capabilities to help reduce development time and costs.

HOW MUCH DOES CROSS-PLATFORM APP DEVELOPMENT COST?

The cost of cross-platform app development can vary depending on several factors such as the complexity of the app, the features required, the development platform used, the development team’s location and experience, and the time required to complete the project.

In general, the cost of cross-platform app development ranges from $10,000 to $500,000 or more. However, it is important to note that this is a broad estimate, and the actual cost may vary depending on the specific requirements of your project.

To get a more accurate estimate of the cost of cross-platform app development, you can consult with our professional app developers. They can analyze your project requirements and provide you with a detailed estimate of the cost and timeline for your project.

SUMMING UP ON THE CROSS-PLATFORM APP DEVELOPMENT IN 2023

Cross-platform mobile app development is the process of building mobile applications that work on multiple operating systems using a single codebase.

The most popular frameworks used for building cross-platform applications are Flutter, React Native, Titanium and Xamarin.

Which cross-platform mobile app development would you prefer? Why not tell us about it in the comments section on this article?