Mobile Apps – you would have certainly heard about this term before. Many experts believe that it is these apps (or applications) that are transforming the way in which technology was perceived and bought. Operating systems can be made or marred, just on the basis of the quality and number of apps that they offer to their users.
More about Mobile Apps
So, what exactly are these mobile apps? They can take up many different avatars. For starters, they can be the games that you play on your mobile phone. Think of a hard long day in office and you are returning home from the subway. You have nothing much to do, and playing these games can be the best way to while away time. Therefore, you can be entertained by these engaging games, and at the same time you can enjoy some leisure time too. On the other hand, there are some other apps that assist people in their routine lives. It could be to help them be more organized or be used as reminder for their appointments or simply to play their favourite music when they need it. It happens to be these applications that have shifted the focus from the World Wide Web to the mobile platforms like smart phones and tablets.
Development Options
If you are a mobile app developer, you might be faced with several options for development. In this article, we shall provide you with the difference between Native, HTML5 and Hybrid applications.
Defining the Options
Native Apps: The first type of application that you can decide to develop is a native application. As the name suggests, it is an application that is developed to run smoothly on a particular platform. For example, there are many applications that are built to work only on the iOS platform. They might be written using XCode or Objective-C. On the other hand, Windows makes use of C# and Android might need the use of its own version of Java. Therefore, by using the language and tools supported by the particular platform, you can develop apps that work seamlessly on that particular platform.
HTML5 Apps: This is another form of development that is emerging in the recent times. Standard web technology is used to come up with applications that can work across platforms. HTML5, Javascript and CSS are generally the technologies that are used for the same. While the mobile apps do work on several platforms, there are still some loopholes that need to be addressed before this development option can produce superlative results. In the mean time, though, developers can use this platform carefully to come up with sophisticated and multi-platform apps.
HYBRID Apps: Hybrid is a term that we are all well versed with. It almost means making the most of both the world. That is what Hybrid Apps strive to do as well. They combine the functionalities of Native and HTML5 development to come up with applications that perform both the functions efficiently. In general, such platforms as HTML5 and Javascript are made use of during the development of mobile app.
Which is the Best Approach?
The decision on the best approach might depend upon many variables. What might suit one developer might not be the right option for another. Therefore, individual skills and strengths must be taken into consideration for the same.
Following are some of the things that we suggest considering before deciding on one particular option:
Developer Experience: You need to consider the experience that your developers have with one particular development option.
Skill Level: The more skilled your developers, the higher the level of challenge will they be able to take up.
Client Preference: Keep in mind the preference of the client.
Summing it Up
To sum it up, there are various approaches to app development, and one must consider one’s own strengths and weaknesses before deciding on the ideal approach.