Everything you Need to Know about Cross Platform App Development

In the world of mobile app development, there are different device platforms that you simply need to build for (Apple vs Android). Commonly apps for different platforms must be built separately because each OS uses a special code language not recognized by the others. But if you'll actually program in one universal language that would be employed by different devices that is “cross-platform development” then it becomes a lot easier.

What Is Cross-Platform Development?

When a native app is developed, then one for Android and a separate one for iOS/Apple, each using that specific platform language is built. For example, to create for the subsequent platforms you would like to use the quality language they recognize:

1. Apple iOS: Program in Objective C or Swift
2. Android: Program in Java
3. Windows Phone: Program in C# and XAML

Separate platform languages have the following disadvantages:

1. Expense: Creating and maintaining an app for each operating system is much more expensive.
    
2. Knowledge: Programming native mobile apps would require high levels of skill in 2-3 different languages.
    
3. Uniformity: Because each platform has its own user interface, standardized widgets, and features, apps will not be uniform from platform to platform and will create a different user experience depending on the device. Many people have quite one sort of device so once they use your app on iOS and switch to an Android device, their experience is going to be different.

Cross-platform development provides the pliability to create your app employing a universal language like Javascript which may then be exported to varied smartphone platforms. This allows one “app” to figure across multiple habitats. This can be done in two ways:

1. Native App – Cross-Platform Development – Using tools like React Native, Xamarin, or NativeScript, you finish up with an app that also uses native APIs which allows for excellent performance across all platforms, without having to code each separately. This leads to a really nice app that runs well and may be a great compromise over the time and expense of building a native app.
    
2. Hybrid Apps – Cross-Platform Development – Hybrid development is a tier lower than native cross-platform development. It relies on an inbuilt browser and HTML 5, CSS, and Javascript to render the app. The app is coded and then rendered on the smartphone inside an app container that is driven by an indoor browser. In hybrid apps, developers program using native web languages but wrap it around a native wrapper for every OS, thus rendering it usable across multiple platforms. This can work OK for easy apps but in additional complex apps, performance might be a problem.

Advantages of Cross-Platform Development

1. Expenses are reduced because code in two or three separate languages disappears.
2. In addition bugs that are present in the common code base need only be fixed once (for the most part).
3. Time to plug in is reduced since developing one program takes tons less time than building two or three apps for every device platform.
4. Uniformity increases between different operating systems creating a more seamless user experience.
5. Companies are ready to reach more customers right from the get-go which increases exposure and future ROI.
6. The event tools are familiar as they employ common programming languages.
7. it's ideal for prototyping because it allows a faster time to plug on quite one platform and allows the owner to gather user feedback, establish an edge in the market, and secure any patents if necessary before another company can do the same.
8. In the case of apps used by employees, cross-platform apps can help you achieve quicker deployment and adoption at a lower cost since bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies are becoming more and more common in the workplace.

Would you wish to find out More About Cross-Platform Development, and get it developed?

At Frantic Infotech, we realize that every customer has unique needs and requirements for his or her new mobile app. This is why we provide a spread of the way to create your next mobile app, including cross-platform development options.