Have you considered creating your own app, but have no idea where to go from that intention? If so, there are three major approaches to building a mobile app that you could explore: native, hybrid, and cross-platform native technologies. Deciding which of these app development technologies to use is the most fundamental thing you have to do, because determining exactly what to invest in could strategically save you a lot of money and effort in the long run.

Without drowning you with technicalities, we look at the three mobile app development approaches and understand what they’re best for.

Native, Hybrid, and Cross-Platform Development: Definitions and Differences

If you’re planning on investing in an app, you have to know first that apps run on different operating systems, largely, on two: Google takes care of Android apps, and Apple fuels iOS. The two have their own distinct tools that aid developers and behind these operating systems are app technologies.

This leads us to the two main modes of app development—native and cross-platform (hybrid and cross-platform native). Basically, native apps are built for specific operating systems (Android or iOS) while cross-platform apps have a more flexible code and can run on both Android and iOS.

Now let’s take a closer look at the three approaches:

Native App Development – Premium performance for ‘heavy-duty’ apps

Native apps are built using software development tools for specific operating systems that better optimise performance. Since it’s optimised to run on a specific platform, a lot would contest that native apps are the best performing.

Pros:

• Loads faster than cross-platform apps since the technology already complements the device’s speed
• Assimilates and works well with a device’s built-in features (camera, voice recorder, GPS, etc.)
• Intuitive and responsive
• Better user experience (UX)

Cons:

• Codes must be re-written for different OS, which doubles the development expenses
• Longer to build and market

What It’s Best For:

Native apps are great for 1“heavily animated UIs”. Therefore, it’s a great choice for mobile games and other apps that require a more powerful technology to run. It’s also great for applications that utilises the built-in features of the mobile device such as voice recording options, GPS, camera features, swipe gestures, etc. Twitter and Pokemon Go both run on native app technology and significantly make use of its seamless push notification features, for one.

Cross-Platform Development

While native apps are more exclusive, cross-platform apps use a single codebase and work on different operating systems. We examine two main approaches to developing cross-platform apps: hybrid and cross-platform native.

Hybrid Apps – The quickest, simplest, and most cost-effective option

The simplest way to describe Hybrid apps is that they are basically mobile web pages packaged as a native app. They are a combination of different technologies such as HTML, CSS, and Javascript, hence its name. Ionic is one of the open-source app development frameworks that we use to develop hybrid apps. While previously criticised for being “unappealing”, hybrid apps that run on Ionic now enjoy the theme and component customisation options for the app’s User Interface (UI) that make it visually appealing to users.

Pros:

• Cheapest of the three options and the fastest to build
• Emulates most of the native features using web technologies

Cons:

• Less reliable since it doesn’t necessarily consider the native, built-in features in each OS
• Not suitable for complex apps, therefore app may run slower

What It’s Best For:

Hybrid technology is typically best for apps that do not rely on offline capabilities, or are not dealing with complex data or information. Workout app Sworkit (including Sworkit Premium and Sworkit Kids) which run on the Ionic framework and helped it scale as a “remote, global business”. Additionally, it complemented the rapid prototyping demanded by Pacifica, an app for reducing and managing anxiety, whose team wanted a validation about their app idea as soon as possible.

Cross-Platform Native Apps – A balance between price and performance

Cross-platform native apps reuse codes across iOS, Android, and the web and are almost indistinguishable from native apps in terms of look and performance.

The pseudo-native framework React Native is one of the most considered cross-platform (CP) app development frameworks. Since it stemmed from the need of a developer community, React Native is “community-driven” and enjoys the availability of developers willing to share their expertise and freely available components.

Pros:

• Development time is shorter than native but longer than hybrid, which is why many companies today dip their hands on these technologies
• Future changes or developments could be coded simultaneously in CP native apps without having to create different codebases for all operating systems
• Easier to manage and release

Cons:

• Has “functional limits” that do not bother more native app technologies
• Has a “non-native” feel to it which may impact overall UX

What It’s Best For:

Unlike its native counterpart, the single code on cross-platform apps could easily work on multiple operating systems. This reduces the development costs and shortens the otherwise lengthy development and marketing period. Notable social media networking sites like Facebook run on a cross-platform native technology, and rightly so since they update frequently. Cross-platform native technology is great for brands that would like to be prompt without sacrificing app quality.

Conclusion

An app helps word travel fast, and exposure to this degree could boost sales for brands. However, remember that the user experience is king in this case. So, your development strategy must ultimately come down to giving your audience the best app experience they could have.

Ultimately, your budget, deadline, app features, and your developers’ expertise will help you decide which technology to use. If you ask us, cross-platform native technologies offer the best of native and hybrid solutions these days, as they can promptly and sufficiently provide most businesses with the necessary app features without pressuring you to expend so much, especially during first-time app developments.

Confused by the technicalities? You could always count on a reliable team of mobile app developers to translate the app technology science to you!