Pros and Cons of Cross-Platform Mobile App Development

The cross-platform approach concerns the creation of an application through a single development process, where the end result will be apps launched on different platforms (Android and iOS, for example). This is possible thanks to tools and development frameworks that use web languages like HTML5, CSS3 and Javascript (or other possible programming languages).

The main mobile operating systems support these languages and their APIs, so that when creating an application based on these tools, the same code can be compiled for different operating systems.

Cross-platform development pros

  • Allows the development of apps for several mobile platforms, from a common code;
  • It does not require the existence of specific development teams for different systems and platforms;
  • Accelerates development time because the application is developed for multiple platforms at the same time;
  • Costs are lower because the team is leaner.

Cross-platform development cons

  • Internet connection is 100% required
  • Limited access to device hardware
  • Because it does not require installation, it loses visibility in stores
  • Although the tools are approaching the graphics and native characteristics of each mobile system, there is still a considerable disadvantage when it comes to user experience (UX).

Cross-platform tools

Multiplatform development has gained many supporters over the years. As a result, the market has also expanded considerably. Soon, new cross-platform tools were emerging in the mobile development world. Given this scenario, currently, if you choose the cross-platform approach, it is essential to be within the main tools in the industry. With that in mind, we’ve listed some of the best-known tools to make it easier to find and choose:

1- FireMonkey

FireMonkey is software developed by Embarcadero. With the tool, it is possible to develop for iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Mac OS. It is a tool focused on developing visually rich applications. Therefore, the software has a great feature to visualize the appearance of each new addition of code. See more on the official website.

2 – Xamarin

Xamarin was created by Xamarin Studio in 2013. It is an IDE that allows the development of apps using the C # language. In addition, the tool has integration with Microsoft Visual Studio, which allows users accustomed to this IDE do not need to migrate environment. It is an especially attractive tool for C # developers. Download and learn more here.

3 – Motorola Rhomobile

The tool developed in Ruby. It is an IDE that supports development for a considerable number of platforms, such as:

  • Windows Mobile;
  • Symbian;
  • Android;
  • iOS;
It is based on Rhodes, an open source framework for cross-platform development. Visit the official website to learn more.

4 – PhoneGap

This is a framework for developing mobile apps. The software uses Apache Cordova technology to access common functions on smartphones (geolocation, GPS, camera and so on …). With PhoneGap, it is possible to develop for:

  • Android;
  • Symbian;
  • Palm;
  • Blackberry;
  • iPhone;
PhoneGap courses and documentation are interesting differentials compared to their competitors. Learn more about the tool on the official website.

Conclusion

The mobile cross-platform development is nothing more than the creation of an application through a single development but that will be used for several platforms. In general, this approach is possible thanks to the use of HTML5 language and CSS, where the visual part of the app is designed to be later applied to a browser of the native SDK of each operating system. Opting for mobile cross-platform mobile application development has the great advantage of cutting development costs by almost three (if the application is developed for Android, iOS and Windows Phone), since only one developer or team will implement the program for all three systems.

Author Bio:
Angela Joseph is a digital analyst and technical writer. Currently, she`s working in Digital Gravity, a mobile application development company in Dubai and trying to improve herself in the blogging career.

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