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Know Why Cross Platform Mobile Development is in High Market Demand

We all know how important mobile apps have become for businesses. They are used more by the customers which is why businesses pay extra attention to develop them smartly. Generally, they want these apps to run on all mobile devices. This type of development is called cross platform development which is certainly more advanced and in-demand. The most common reason why cross platform development is demanded more is that it gives application access on all mobile devices. This is a leverage every business wants to have because they know that people use different types of smartphones these days.

However, building a mobile app that can run on multiple platforms is not a piece of cake. It is difficult from conventional development because different methodologies and process are involved in it. It is therefore recommended to take professional mobile app development services to build a quality cross platform application. It ensures you to work with the best market talent, and get top-notch development solutions as per the needed demands. The cross platform apps are also bit costly, which is why you need to manage your budget as well while developing them.

Nowadays, there are different types of cross platform frameworks available in the market. These frameworks help developers to amplify the speed of development, as they offer various types of advanced features. Using them, the development becomes streamlined, however technical knowledge is still required to use them perfectly. In this blog, we will discuss about different frameworks that are termed important for cross platform development. So, let’s quickly start with the basics understanding what is cross platform development and why it is important for businesses.

What is Cross Platform Development?

Businesses these days want to acquire a large section of customers. They know how important it is for their expansion, especially when there is a saturated competition in the market. To do that, they need to offer their services that can be accessible for everyone. It is common approach of every smart business that want to rule and build a name for itself in the industry. All the big brands that we see today have worked on this approach, and it has certainly offered them good dividends over the years.

This same rule applies for the development of mobile apps. Businesses these days want to develop mobile applications that can run on various devices, so that everyone can use them easily. This is indeed becoming a need for them, because the pool of their customers is rapidly growing with great diversity. This is the point where they need cross platform development, as it allows to build mobile apps for different devices. It does not limit the application to run on specific platforms, instead it provides accessibility to them on all devices.

To build cross platform applications, developers use methodologies and process that are different from the conventional development. Companies also look to hire experienced software developers that have got good knowledge about different platforms. Combining all these things, a strategy for cross platform development is wisely formulated, so that the final product can be built as per the required proficiency.

Understanding the Difference Between Native vs Cross Platforms Applications

In the field of mobile app development, two terms are being discussed commonly everywhere i.e. native and cross platform development. Being a developer, you should have knowledge about both of them. It helps you to know how applications are built for different mobile devices. This is a critical knowledge that lets you understand several differences between them. It defines the variance of methodologies, as well as the technologies used for developing these applications. These insights are important, and you should always pay attention to them to recognize the basic differences.

When it comes to native mobile app development, full access is given to the core functionalities of the device. This helps developers to fully understand the roots of the device, as well as how it works. On the other hand in cross platform development, only limited access is given for those functions that are directly related with the application.

The software development cost of native apps is however lower as compared to cross platform apps. This is also understandable because developing a multiplatform application is difficult, which is what increases its cost in the market. Meanwhile, the budget also depends on some other factors including project complexity, deadline and various other things. If you are a project owner, it is best advised to keep all these factors in mind, as it helps you to fix a realistic budget for the development of every mobile app.

Best Frameworks for Cross Platform Development

Cross platform development has seen a massive rise during the last few years. It is in demand because companies want to develop mobile apps that can run on different devices. They want to cater every customer section, which is why cross platform app development is an essential need for them.

Being a mobile app developer, this brings a lot of opportunities for you. You can find hundreds of clients from the market that are looking for quality resources. However, to make a name for yourself, you need to master some tools and technologies first. Nowadays, there are several frameworks available in the market that can help you get started in cross platform development. These frameworks are very important, hence you need to learn about their basics first.

Let’s take a look at them in detail below.

React Native

When it comes to talk about best software development frameworks used today, the name of React Native always comes on top of the list. It is used by millions of developers around the world and is rated as one of the best in the industry. It is a free open source framework that allows developers to build mobile applications for both Android and iOS devices. The features offered in this framework are quite advanced, which is why developers love this framework to build different types of cross platform mobile applications.

The framework is primarily built on the bases of JavaScript and React. Both of them are very popular development libraries that are used by thousands of developers around the world. Built by Facebook, React Native allows developers to use their existing programming knowledge to build applications on the platform. This means that developers do not have to acquire or learn additional languages to use React Native, as it can be used easily with the understanding of JavaScript and React. It is a framework that supports a wide stack of third party libraries which is also a big reason why developers to love to work with it.

Flutter

Created by Google, Flutter is a popular cross platform framework that allows developers to create different types of mobile apps efficiently. It uses Dart programming language which is quite advanced in terms of offering new dev features. The reason why Flutter is popular is because it supports several native features for mobile app development. It includes plethora of things such as location services, camera functionality, hard drive access and more others.

Besides being extensively used for mobile apps, Flutter is also used for desktop and web application development. Its variety of features makes the platform perfect for all types of software development. It is a highly versatile framework that comes up with different functionalities to build unique cross platform applications. This is the major reason why dev community loves to work with Flutter, especially for multi-tier mobile app development.

.NET MAUI

.NET Multiplatform App UI (MAUI) is an open source tool that allows developers to build cross platform applications. Formerly known as Xamarin, .NET MAUI provides different features that provides ease in developing different types of mobile apps. This framework is based on C# which is also considered a popular programming language in the dev world. It is also the major reason why many .NET developers often find it easy to use Xamarin or .NET MAUI for app development.

Speaking about the development toolset of .NET MAUI, you can find plenty of interesting components in there. It includes MAUI project templates, XAML library, Device APIs, Hot Reload and more others. All of these components are quite handy in developing different types of application features. They are created on a component-based architecture that helps developers to enhance the speed of development while maintaining the quality of core app coding.

Apache Cordova

Apache Cordova is a yet another name that is rated highly for cross platform mobile development. It is a quite unique platform that allows developers to use HTML, CSS and JavaScript in the development of native applications. You can use Cordova to render web applications within a WebView that shows the content within a native application. If its difficult to understand, think of it as a web browser that shows just content without any conventional user interface elements.

Now, the application inside the WebView looks just like a normal application running inside any mobile browser. It can showcase content embedded with HTML, JavaScript and others efficiently. Generally, this type of app is called Hybrid application because it can run on more than one platform effectively. This is what makes Cordova very special for mobile development, as it provides plethora of interactive features to build advanced cross platform applications.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Final Words

That takes us to the end of this blog in which we have discussed about cross platform development in detail. It is quite important for developers to understand the basics of this model. It is a highly advanced development approach that allows you to build mobile apps for different platforms. From Android to iOS, cross platform framework helps you to develop all types of applications that are needed by the clients. All you need to do is to understand its methodologies properly, as that is something difficult that often confuses developers while creating mobile applications.

Meanwhile, if you are looking for an agency that can help you to develop advanced cross platform mobile apps properly, get in touch with us today. We will assist you to develop all types of applications precisely as per the needed requirements.