A Deep Dive into Cross-Platform App Development

Apps can boost our productivity and efficiency, our output and connect us with friends, family, colleagues and coworkers.

But it’s not just people who benefit from using applications.

Businesses too can benefit by creating apps that connect their products and services to their customers.

And because of that, companies are now using cross platform app development to create user friendly apps for Android, iOS and other operating systems like Windows or Mac.

In fact we’re seeing a massive rise in cross platform development, with the global market place expected to generate a staggering US $546.7 billion by the year 2033. 

That’s no small industry, if you ask me.

Below, we’re going to explore the rise of this industry, some of the players out there and what exactly is cross platform development.

What Is Cross Platform App Development?

Cross platform development means creating apps that can be used on any platform. 

Instead of building an app for Android only, developers need to create apps to be used on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac etc.

It’s like having a master key in your pocket.

Instead of being able to only unlock the door to a single operating platform, cross app development allows you to unlock the doors to all platforms where customers, clients, consumers and everyone else are already hanging out and all without having to rebuild a new app for each platform.

The History Of Cross-Platform Development

In the past, developers had to design entire new apps for every platform where they wanted their apps to be used.

It was a horribly time consuming process where they’d first build the app for Android, then have to start fresh to create an entirely new app for iOS, and then an entirely new app for Windows desktop users and so on.

Today, tools like PhoneGap make cross platform app development possible. These tools allow developers to create apps in HTML, JavaScript, CSS and other programming languages and bundle them as native apps for various platforms.

The Titanium framework from Appcelerator was another early cross platform app development tool that was launched in 2010. In one shot, this framework allows developers to create Java applications that can be compiled seamlessly into native apps on Android and iOS.

Xamarin, React Native and Flutter are a few other leading tools which we’ll look at below. 

All these tools make app development so much easier especially when developers need to create cross platform apps for all their users to be able to access them.

As the industry evolves, it’s expected that progressive web applications or PWAs will be the next big thing. 

PWAs function like native applications but can be downloaded offline.

4 Top Cross-Platform Development Tools

Let’s now look at 4 of the biggest cross platform development tools that meet all the needs of modern app developers. 

Each of these tools has its own strengths and weaknesses which we’ll explore below.

Xamarin

Microsoft-owned Xamarin is a cutting edge app development tool that uses C# and .NET programming languages to enable cross platform development. It’s one of the best options for businesses and developers that already use the Microsoft ecosystem.

Flutter

Flutter is another super popular tool for cross platform development. Supported by Google, Flutter makes it easy to build visually appealing apps with a high level of customization. It uses the Dart language as its primary coding language. It’s a free and open source tool. Flutter has gained popularity due to its “write once, run anywhere.”

React Native

Created and backed by Meta, React Native enables programmers to create multi platform apps for Android and iOS. This tool uses the JavaScript and React coding languages. It’s an ideal tool for anyone looking for a versatile and flexible development tool thanks to its massive library of existing frameworks and its thriving developer community.

PhoneGap

Our next tool is an open-source platform that uses several internet-based programming languages including HTML, Java and CSS. PhoneGap allows developers to use plugins that make it easy to merge native apps with online code. This is the best option for anyone that develops web applications but wants to move into the mobile app development space to grow their application offering.

What’s Involved In Cross Platform App Development?

As you guessed, cross platform development is no easy task. 

Not only are there multiple programming languages involved and different types of hardware to consider. But there’s also the fact that different apps have different user interfaces, security protocols and performance requirements.

And that’s exactly why the tools and frameworks we’ve talked about today make it easier to merge apps across multiple platforms without having to rebuild brick by brick or sacrificing on quality.

Let’s look at some of the requirements for Frameworks and Tools people are using for multi platform app development.

Developing Apps For Multi-Platform Usage

The biggest and most important aspect of multi platform developments is that different platforms use different programming languages. Cross platform development involves creating frameworks that allow developers to write a code once and deploy it across different platforms while meeting all their coding requirements.

Leveraging Existing Hardware And Software

Different platforms and devices have different types of hardware and software available including GPS and motion sensors, cameras, keyboards, mouses etc. Therefore cross platform development involves creating frameworks that account for all the different types of hardware and software that might be involved.

Community Involvement

Developer communities are one of the best ways to test new apps, get feedback and fix bugs that might occur. Communities are also a great way to access libraries or guides and find the assistance needed to complete complex cross platform development projects.

The Simplification Of UI/UX

Many of the tools we’ve discussed offer libraries, widgets and pre-made programming components that can be used to simplify and streamline the development of user interfaces. This creates a better user experience since most of the pre-built tools you’ll find are tried and tested.

Optimization Of Existing Frameworks

Having existing frameworks in place makes it easier for developers to quickly create optimized apps and tools to help each other out. This results in faster development processes, increased efficiency and better experience for the end user.

The Ever-Changing Face Of Cross Platform App Developement

Since people use all sorts of different devices and platforms, it’s never been more important for app developers to use cross platform development to reach all potential end users no matter where they might be active.

The tools and processes we’ve discussed today are the heart and soul of cross platform app development which is continuously driving new waves in the developer industry.