How to Choose The Right Cross-Platform Mobile App Development Framework

“Choosing the best framework for mobile app development across platforms is similar to selecting an automobile.”

A program can be viewed as an underlying structure that can be used to add more functions. It’s similar to saying you must create a solid foundation before building your home. So, picking the right mobile app development framework that is cross-platform is vital to building superior applications.

In contrast to traditional software applications which tend to be dependent on platforms, developers are now demanding greater freedom and flexibility in the development of apps for various platforms. This flexibility lets them build native experiences for every platform by using their preferred programming languages and tools. This also gives them the capability to reuse codes across multiple platforms, instead of writing everything from scratch each time they need to create an application for a different platform.

This has led to a variety of cross-platform solutions however not all solutions are alike. Different solutions have pros and cons based on the kind of app you’re planning to develop as well as the number of platforms you’ll support and other needs. Selecting the best cross-platform mobile app development tool to implement your new idea isn’t easy because it requires a thorough knowledge of the various aspects involved in creating native apps for a variety of operating systems like iOS as well as Android.

What is the best Cross-Platform Framework?

Research

To ensure that your business is successful it is essential to conduct research. Here are some of the research activities you must be conducting:

• Market Research
• Customer demands
• Mobile app trends

Identify Your Audience

Your audience’s target is a key element for the foundation and application development process that you require. It is the way you identify your ideal audience:

• How will your application be utilized?
• How will your app address the needs of your customer?
• What is it that makes them desire to download your application?
• How will you be able to add value to your customers by using your application?

These questions can help you determine your customer base and their needs, and help you address their issues and earn revenues.

Identify Your Platform

Determine the platform on the platform where the app will be made available before beginning the development process. There are a variety of platforms to choose from that including iOS, Android, Chrome, and Firefox. Your mobile app must be compatible with the platform it is running on, so select an appropriate framework. Apple’s design is minimal.

Features to Include

The framework you select will be determined by the features your mobile app is expected to show. The most popular features for customers are.

• Speed
• High-Resolution Quality Image
• Simplicity
• Security
• Flexibility
• Updates regularly can distinguish them from the rest when you have these features. After your app is designed, ensure your framework has these options.

Enhancing User Experience

Do you know that $1 spent on improving the user experience can yield a profit of $100? Yes, users value their experience over anything else.

To improve the user experience for your clients it is recommended to use an application framework. Create an app that is faster as well as more engaging and more responsive by selecting an option that will make it more efficient and more responsive. It will also make it more enjoyable.

We’ve covered the steps to select a framework for mobile app development Let’s now take a look at the best cross-platform framework.

Best Cross-Platform Mobile App Development Frameworks

In the article, we’ll look at several of the most popular choices available to build cross-platform mobile apps like Xamarin and React Native vs Appcelerator Titanium. Let’s get started!

Programming Languages that are used to develop Cross-Platform Mobile App Development:

Xamarin, React Native, and Titanium all employ various programming languages for development goals. You can see below:

Xamarin is a language that supports C# which is one of the most well-known programming languages utilized within the .NET framework for commercial development. Xamarin developers can use their previous experience with C# language when building mobile applications with Xamarin Studio IDE or Visual Studio on a Windows machine, whereas React Native does not support any other languages other than Javascript which makes it challenging for Web developers that understand only Javascript to move over to React Native development. Titanium supports several languages, including ActionScript, CSS, HTML, and JavaScript in addition to others, which allows any type of developer with basic knowledge of this language to create mobile applications using Titanium Studio.

But, React Native is a JavaScript framework that can be used to develop iOS applications as well as Android applications. Contrary to Xamarin as well as Titanium, React Native allows you to share as much as 90% of the code across platforms because it employs the same components that are used for Web App Development (DOM). The code you write for web browsers is the same as using React Native. Appcelerator’s Titanium supports multiple languages, including JavaScript, ActionScript, C++, and Lua so we cannot declare that it exclusively can support JavaScript.

React Native includes its own virtual DOM implementation that allows for high-performance rendering. One of the advantages of React Native is that it is built upon JavaScript. Furthermore, React Native allows you to utilize your existing skills in HTML and CSS to build mobile applications. It allows debugging the code using Chrome developer tools that are similar to web browser developer tools. This allows web developers to troubleshoot the code of their React Native apps in a Chrome debugger.

Timing to Market:

the amount of time required to build mobile applications that cross-platform is one of the most crucial elements when choosing the right framework to build native experiences that work across multiple operating systems like iOS as well as Android. Let’s look at these alternatives concerning the following parameters:

Xamarin has a slower speed in comparison to React Native when it comes to development speed because Javascript code within React Native can be used directly in conjunction with XML and CSS components available from the beginning with React Native whereas Xamarin needs additional effort to map C# code to native iOS and Android APIs, controls, etc. However Xamarin is more flexible than React Native when it comes to customizing it further, however, this can increase the complexity of the development process, which results in taking longer to develop.

As per Tiobe Index, C# is currently at position 11 on the list of the most popular programming languages worldwide. Javascript (the one that Reacts Native employs) is ranked in the sixth position according to the index.

This demonstrates that many skilled C# developers can effortlessly move to Xamarin development, while there are a few skilled Javascript developers who can switch effortlessly over to React Native development. All of these are why Xamarin is a better choice to develop cross-platform apps than React Native in regards to the speed of the process of building apps as well as the availability of resources with specialized skills.

Xamarin

Xamarin lets you share code across different platforms. It does not require the writing of the same code over and over again, which decreases the maintenance costs of applications that are compatible with multiple platforms. However, React Native is slower in comparison to Titanium in terms of development speed because JavaScript is not compatible with native components like the UIKit API on iOS, Android APIs, and so on.

With React Native, the bridge allows access to Objective-C/Java and JavaScript but requires a separate implementation for every platform, whereas Titanium can use CSS, HTML5, and Javascript directly, in conjunction with native components. This minimizes code duplication and facilitates faster development.

Learn Curve:

Learning to develop apps across platforms framework is essential when comparing one framework with one. React Native and Xamarin require different learning curves to select the best platform to develop applications for the future.
The Xamarin C# language can be quickly learned by current .NET developers, whereas Javascript (the programming language utilized for React Native) is considered more difficult to master than well-known programming languages, such as Java and Objective-C for mobile app development.

Titanium permits the use of multiple IDEs that could lead to an extensive learning curve. However, the sharing code shared between iOS and Android allows skilled native developers who are familiar with the platform to dive into Titanium and develop apps fast without major issues.

React Native has its problem in terms of the learning curve for developers as they must learn about how to use the APIs on iOS and Android independently to develop apps using React Native which makes it more difficult for newcomers.

Performance:

Xamarin provides faster performance it is compared to React Native since it shares code across platforms. It also utilizes native components for every platform which makes the app more efficient than React Native which is where the speed of an application is dependent on its responsiveness and the UI/UX design instead of its development.

App Size:

React Native can be smaller as compared to Xamarin, thus taking less memory from the device and reducing the strain on the user’s phone storage capacity, whereas Xamarin requires an additional install of .NET Framework (4 or higher) on a device that will increase the size of the app’s files including more memory on the phone’s internal storage, battery use and more. However, Titanium uses JavaScript on both iOS and Android which makes it easier to use without difficulty.

Language:

The Xamarin platform supports C# which is better than Javascript (JavaScript is utilized for React Native). Java code is reusable but it needs a distinct implementation for each platform. Xamarin lets you share more code across platforms, leading to less effort for app developers during mobile application development.

The Paradigm of Programming

In comparison to React Native’s “reactive” programming model of React Native, Titanium follows an imperative model of programming by employing a more event-driven approach where the views are only updated when needed, in contrast, to React Native, which has views refreshed after every interaction, thereby providing more efficient performance. Furthermore, programming in Titanium is simpler since there aren’t any complicated APIs to deal with in contrast to React Native where developers have to study APIs that are specific to different platforms.

Ecosystem:

React Native offers 1200+ open-source, community-driven programs and Xamarin SDK has more than 5200+ open-source community-driven packages, which are considerably more in comparison to its rival. Both Titanium along with React Native support the use of third-party libraries, however, React Native has a better ecosystem due to its complex degree, which makes it easier for developers to create applications faster using the pre-existing elements.

Development Speed:

React native requires less time to develop as opposed to Xamarin as there is no need to learn various interfaces to iOS and Android making it easier for developers to use with less learning. Titanium has a faster development rate when compared with React Native as Titanium uses JavaScript for both iOS and Android which makes it easier to manage easily.

Summarizing:

In the end, the variety available cross-platform frameworks available can be overwhelming, but you can narrow your choices by determining what kind of app you’d like to develop and how comfortable you are and your team members with this framework. Keep these three points in mind when selecting an application framework that supports mobile development and you’ll be able to build your project as a success within a matter of minutes!

When should you make use of Appcelerator Titanium for Mobile App Development:

Appcelerator Titanium is an excellent option for those looking for an open-source mobile app development framework that allows web developers to effortlessly transfer their expertise into mobile apps. If you’re looking for only the essential features, and your app will require only minimal modifications It might be the right choice for you based on the kind of app you have in your mind.

If you should use Xamarin to develop a mobile app: Mobile App Development:

It is perfect for the development of native mobile applications which are indistinguishable from the built-in apps on your device. It also supports Windows applications as well as Android as well as iOS devices. If you’re a company with an internal team of developers familiar with .NET technologies, this might be a good choice, as it requires less programming knowledge when compared to other mobile app development frameworks that cross-platform.

When should you make use of React Native for Mobile App Development:

React Native is the best choice for applications that require the user interface to be 100% natural on both platforms (iOS and Android). The framework makes use of the same basic UI components on both platforms and provides JavaScript libraries that permit the implement custom styling that is similar to CSS. React Native also makes it simple to develop and deploy your application.

Choosing Right Cross-Platform Mobile App Development Framework – Artoon Solutions

Artoon Solutions provides end-to-end services in one place, from basic to advanced IT projects, open-source solutions custom software development, mobile app development, etc. They also guarantee top-quality security by adhering to OWASP guidelines and best practices in the development and design phases because they know the importance of security for companies today. You can drop us an email at info@artoonsolutions.com and we shall get back to you at the earliest.