With the boost in smartphone devices, the market for mobile app development is also escalating every minute. It has been predicted that by the end of 2020, mobile app development shall cross a benchmark of $190 Billion in terms of ROI. When it’s about mobile application development, developers strive to get the best of it. There are a lot of application platforms, for instance, Android, iOS, Hybrid, native and etc.
So, Which Is The Best To Choose?
Well if you ask it to me, I would start with the cross-platform applications.
WHY CROSS-PLATFORM APPS DEVELOPMENT?
Cross-platform apps are those applications that can run on different platforms, for example, IOS and android. Let me show you some great benefits for opting cross-platform.
1- REUSE OF CODES- Developing cross-platform apps benefits by removing the hassles of coding again for every platform.
By making a few changes in their previously written codes gives positive results. This development process is commendable and saves a lot of time, which can be used for testing codes multiple times on different devices.
2- PRICE VARIANCE- Developing cross-platform apps are more cost-effective than other regular, hybrid and native apps.
The cost of developing apps for every platform can increase the cost of development, so cross-platform apps are much affordable.
3- EASY UPDATES- There are many platforms that have facilitated the ease of updating cross-platform apps.
A person can easily make minimal changes before releasing it to the various platforms.
Using platforms, the development process becomes easy to be done and updates are lined up in real-time.
4- SIMILAR APP EXPERIENCE- Cross-platform apps enable users to get a similar experience of the app no matter what platform they used.
5- LARGE VISIBILITY- Because of a cross-platform app, there comes to a rapid increase in visibility and availability of the app across all platforms.
SELECTION OF APPROPRIATE TOOLS
Selecting the right app development tool is a critical step in the initialization phase of building an efficient application.
Various factors can come into action when the selection of the tool is in process.
Some of the factors are-
1) Speed considerations
2) Feature support
3) Framework risk
4) Development cost
Here we have narrowed some best cross-platform tools that you can use –
1) APPCELERATOR TITANIUM
It is one of the top choices available. The titanium SDK uses JavaScript so the system makes it easy to develop native apps for both IOS and android. This allows us to use 60-90% of the same code for all the apps. The feature is a huge time saver for developers, as they can get a head start for more than half the code.
It is an open-source development tool. So hundreds of coders across the globe are always making their contributions.The design features for titanium are easy. They make it really great for you to just use drag and drop templates. You can repair bugs or glitches in the system if you come across one. In addition to java, titanium allows you to use code from Swift and Objective-C simultaneously.
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2) COCOS2D
If you are interested in building a two-dimensional game, you might want to consider using Cocos2D as a tool. This is an open-source platform tool, so there are always improvements and updates. There stand forks which are based on preferred programming language as a developer.
There Are 5 Different Forks To Develop With-
• Cocos2d-x
• Cocos2d-js
• Cocos2dXNA
• Cocos2d-swift
• Cocos2d(python)
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3) UNITY3D
This is another option if you are developing a game. UNITY3D is a very popular tool because it provides immense graphics. It can be used for more than just a mobile app. With this, you can export the game to 17 different platforms like android, IOS, PlayStation, Wii, web, Xbox and etc.
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4) PHONEGAP
It is owned by adobe. One of the prime features of this tool is that it is free to use. The code translation from CSS, JavaScript and HTML 5 is easy. For first-timers, it is the best option for a developer.
The software allows us to minimize development time. That’s because of reusing the existing frameworks, tools, and web development skills.
PHONEGAP has a hydration feature that allows faster build cycles and debugging. This will get updates to the users who have tested the app in most recent versions.
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5) SENCHA
HTML5 is used to develop the apps. Its easier to work with multiple members of the team without any boundaries of where you are. Sencha has great testing tools. The testing feature is specifically meant for apps built using EXT Js. To deliver accurate results.
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6) CORONA
It advertises to start the coding process in 5 mins with their SDK. It’s easy to use and great for beginners. CORONA is free to use. It is primarily used to develop 2d games. Lua- corona’s programming language that is written in C is used. It works well with mobile apps since it does not have a large digital footprint.
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7) XAMARIN
They give a free package offered for starters. This tool has app store delivery capabilities once you’ve completed the development of your app. XAMARIN uses C# or Ruby for coding. It has a feature for monitoring the app’s performance and the ability to run tests. You can test on over 1000 devices to sort any potential bug. It is recognized by well-recognized companies such as IBM, Foursquare, and Microsoft.
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8) ALPHA ANYWHERE
If you want to develop on multiple platforms then this tool is bliss. You can use programming languages like XBASIC, C#, VB.NET, JavaScript and any other language that is supported by .NET such as C++ and Cobra. Offline access for the app is possible. It has a huge storing capacity.
ALPHA ANYWHERE uses data integration to securely connect to SQL and no- SQL databases. You can integrate features like GPS and GIS into the app.
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9) 5APP
It is pretty unique compared to other tools. 5APP is designed for businesses that are developing an app for the employees. 5app emphasizes on data security. It uses HTML5 and JavaScript to develop and export apps. The finished product is compatible with both iOS and Android.
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10) QT
It is a subscription service for mobile development. QT is free for use in the beginning. It uses C++ to develop the app which can be seamlessly exported to various platforms. Apps can be accessed through the QT interface on devices and platforms. You can make any update there itself and it will automatically get applied.
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CONCLUSION
Picking up the correct platform to develop is one of the most important tasks. The ability to build a cross-platform app allows to quickly and easily target the audiences of both iOS and android platforms.
Developing apps on more than one platform maximize the output of revenue.
