Build your app into market domination

As an IT solution provider, we get constantly bombarded with the question of choosing the right platform for app development.

‘Which of the 3 methods should we choose? Native, Hybrid or Cross-Platform?’

To stay current in this iterative present, it’s impossible to wish for one-size-fits-all. Top-performing giants in the industry constantly debate about the pros and cons of each platform. This is so because the application development landscape consistently evolves, leading to heated discussions.

One path chosen by us may not work for company B and their requirements. According to Data.ai, dedicated developers spend 4.8 hours a day upgrading mobile applications to their current needs.

Whether you’re building an app for work, or to manage finances, or just to game, you need to read this article to select your appropriate development approach.

How do businesses choose the right path?

Many IT product engineering companies can’t use extensive resources to achieve what’s desired. While choosing between these 3 platforms, the selected one must align with your business goals as well as constraints.

Take a look at the following considerations you must ponder on before deciding:

1. App Complexity
For peak performance and stunning design, dedicated developers go to native development with platform-specific tools like SDKs and APIs.

However, for simpler apps, you’re better suited for hybrid or cross-platform approaches. Apps are built on these for faster development and rich UI/UX, even if you sacrifice some speed.

2. Speed & Responsiveness
When targeting a single platform, native development delivers the best performance and design, but requires more effort. IT solution companies choose cross-platform for faster development & a native-like feel, letting go of some performance.

Hybrid apps offer decent speed and faster development, but potential UI inconsistencies exist.

3. Time-to-Market
When time is a constraint, IT product engineering companies develop cross-platform or hybrid to have faster launches. Building native requires more effort and time to develop the same app for different platforms.

4. Customer Reach
Native apps go the conventional routes with them being available to download and access on platform-specific app stores. Cross-platform & hybrid apps go through a long submission process but are made available on multiple app stores and even websites!

5. Developer Knowledge
Talking about cross platform and hybrid apps, dedicated developers can share one codebase to create iteratively & efficiently. This significantly reduces time & effort while boosting productivity.

On the other hand, native apps need different dev teams to build, test, and support the application’s various versions.

6. Costs
Usually, an IT product engineering company with more financial limitations create efficiency and cost-saving by developing cross-platform and hybrid.

Creating native apps requires extra resources to do the same and maintain further.

7. Hardware Capabilities
Native apps are built to have multi-device hardware capabilities, like microphones, GPS, and cameras.

Cross-platform & hybrid developers utilize platform-specific tools like APIs to allow a few hardware functionalities, but at a slower rate compared to Native apps.

8. Offline Functionality
Native apps often allow offline access to local storage in cases of no access to the internet. At the same time, hybrid applications work offline but are unable to regenerate data. While a cross-platform app’s offline use depends on the framework used to develop it.

9. Securing the App
Native development offers dedicated developers internal security features like file encryption. Despite potential vulnerabilities in web-based dev, cross-platform and hybrid apps offer security tools in their frameworks. No matter what method you choose, a robust backend should protect your app.

Going Native

For performance-hungry apps, native development is the one to select. By using platform-specific SDKs and APIs, dedicated developers can meticulously code, gaining direct access with the existing hardware & OS.

This control translates to seamless performance and UX. While inherently more complex, native development offers the full potential of each platform. It is the go-to choice for resource-intensive tasks and high-functionality.

Choosing Hybrid

Hybrid development employs web technologies like CSS, HTML & JavaScript. Dedicated developers use native container & embedded browsers to easily share backend code for a quicker and cost-efficient launch across all platforms.

IT product engineering firms consistently prefer hybrid development where resources are limited. One of the examples of such development is the creation of MVPs.

Developing Cross-Platform

This kind uses technologies like React Native & Flutter to get platform-agnostic development. Using a single codebase written in languages like JavaScript or Dart, frameworks translate code into platform-specific languages (Java/Kotlin for Android, Swift/Objective-C for iOS).

Apps built on this target a wider audience base, increasing the product’s exposure and company’s gains. Some performance limitations do arise when compared to Native development. However, this platform offers rapid development with cost efficiency.

It’s time to plan properly, and we are here to help you!

iProgrammer As Your Guidepost

With over a decade’s experience in product engineering, our team of the best app developers in the field ensures that you get perfectly crafted market fits. Our team is equipped with all the leading technologies including, but not limited to, Java, .NET, React Native, Flutter & Swift, React JS, etc, to give you expert app design & development services.

(Contact us to check out our extensive Corporate Profile today!)

We don’t just build solutions; we build success stories. From Indian giants like UltraTech & Vodafone-Idea, to global game-changers like Adoption.com & Partner Fusion; leaders across industries trust us to get results.

Join the winning team.

Confused about how to develop?

Stop dreaming, start building. Talk to our development experts today!