Cross Platform Software Development

Ten to fifteen years ago, there was a much wider range of operating systems for mobile phones. There were more mobile operating systems than just iOS and Android. Windows Phone, BlackBerry OS, and Symbian were also there.

But so many different OSes meant programmers had to make a new version of their software for each platform they wanted to support. Ten years ago, the building was a much harder and more expensive process than it is now. So, developers focused on making apps for the platforms with the most users and didn’t bother with platforms with fewer users.

After iOS and Android passed them in market share, it was a mistake to put money into Symbian, BlackBerry OS, and Windows Phone. Because of this, there are now only two major players in the mobile operating system market: iOS and Android. Everything else has died out.

App developers can now reach the vast majority of smartphone users with little work by making two versions of their apps.

There are three main ways to make software: a native app, a cross-platform app, or a web app.

Homegrown software

Apps that run natively on a device are the most common ones. They are made to work with your computer. Programmers usually make different apps for each platform, like iOS and Android.

iOS: Apps for Apple’s iOS platform, which includes the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, are written in Swift or Objective-C.

Also read : Who Will Win the Cross Platform War Ionic or React Native?

Either Java or Kotlin can be used to make apps for Android phones.

Because the programming languages used to make iOS and Android apps are so different, it takes two separate development teams to make, maintain, and update apps for each platform.

There are many good things about native apps, such as:

Outstanding work. Native apps can handle high-end graphics and animations with no trouble and respond quickly.

We promise that our product will always work as expected. The user interface and actions of native apps are the same as those of other programs for the same platform.

What happens when you use a native app:

You’ll need to create a new team for each platform you want to support. Since different platforms can’t use the same codebase, each native app has to be built from scratch. There needs to be more time for testing and fixing bugs. So, designers have to work twice as hard because each platform has needs and requires a different way to solve the same problem.

• Most new businesses can’t afford the price. The total cost of making an app equals the amount of time and work that goes into it. Remember to consider how much it will cost to run two different software programs.
• The price of making a native app is high, but for mission-critical software, it is well worth the cost.
• A new company will likely need more money and people to work on two apps simultaneously. The development schedule could be better news.
• But don’t worry, there are many cheaper and faster alternatives.

Creating web applications

Web apps can only be used with browsers. This ensures they will work on any browser and operating system combination that the device can support.

Why it’s good to use a web app:

• In all formats and ways of getting them out. Make a single build of your software that will work on any platform, including phones, computers, and smart TVs.
• There are no requirements for setting up. People only download new apps if they have a good reason to. On the other hand, you can use a link to get to a web app.
• Both the time and cost to make it are low. Your team only needs to design, build, test, and offer support for one app. Most of the time, the costs of making a web app are also lower than those of a native mobile app. Check out the article we wrote about how much it will cost to make a web app to learn more about how much it will cost.

There are some bad things about using software on the web.

• It needs to be more effective. Web apps can’t do complex calculations because they can’t access the device’s hardware.
• Not having a native feel or look. There is only one web app version, so it can’t be changed to fit the standards of many platforms.

Conclusion:

Web apps are easier and less expensive to make than their native app counterparts. Also, they are easy to update, which is excellent if you want to keep up with the latest web design standards and best practices.

Web apps are the best way to do it when a business needs to get to market quickly. They let you put your theory to the test without having to spend a lot of money.

Applications that can run on different platforms

When using a cross-platform app, most users won’t even realize they aren’t using a native program. This is the best of both worlds. The same set of tools (one of several JavaScript frameworks or Google’s new Flutter) can be used to make apps for both iOS and Android with the same team of developers.

Also read : Which is Perfect Choice for Mobile app development? Native or Cross Platform

There are many good things about cross-platform programs:

• Superior efficiency. A cross-platform mobile app works better than a web-based app and can be changed to almost any specifications.
• It proliferates and doesn’t cost much. A cross-platform app can be made in less time and for much less money than a native app.
• Style and design from the past. Since cross-platform apps use the smartphone’s hardware and native controllers, the user probably won’t notice that they aren’t using a native app.

There are a few problems with cross-platform apps:

Confined potential. Sometimes, the only way to get to platform-specific features is to use native code. A cross-platform app can’t have an augmented reality feature.

Conclusion:

Cross-platform apps have features that can meet almost any small or medium-sized business’s needs. Cross-platform apps usually work fine unless you need the best performance or want to use features only available on one platform or device. But these problems can be fixed using external plugins or adding native code to the program.

Thanks for reading our post “Cross Platform Software Development”, please connect with us for any further inquiry. We are Next Big Technology, a leading web & Mobile Application Development Company. We build high-quality applications to full fill all your business needs.