In today’s ever-evolving digital world, mobile applications hold an integral place in our lives. Whether it’s for business, education, entertainment, or productivity, high-quality mobile apps are on the rise. Not only designing an app is a pocket-friendly business decision, but also a smarter way to grow your business and make it more accessible. To meet the growing demand and stay competitive, developers and businesses constantly look for efficient ways to create apps that can run seamlessly on multiple platforms. Among various app developments, one is cross platform app development which lets developers develop mobile applications that can run on multiple platforms like Android and iOS with the same codebase.
If you want to know more about cross platform app development, along with its benefits, then go through this blog.
What is Cross Platform App Development?
Since mobile apps have become the most critical aspect of businesses, it’s important to understand the intricacies of developing an app. Cross-platform mobile development means developing software applications that are compatible with different mobile operating systems. With cross-platform apps, developers can share some or even all of the source code which gives them the freedom to build and deploy mobile assets that can work on Android and iOS without recording them for each platform.
Cross Platform App Development: Benefits
Wider Exposure
With a mobile cross-platform development approach, companies can build and deploy an app over various platforms, such as the web. By building a single cross platform app, one can easily target both iOS and Android platforms. Thus, boosting their overall reach.
Less Development Cost
The cross-platform app development lays emphasis on ‘write once, run everywhere. With reusable codes and Agile app development processes and tools, businesses can reduce overall development costs significantly. When it comes to cost-efficiency, no one can beat high-performing cross-platform apps.
Comes with Easy Instalment & Maintenance
The main advantage of cross-platform app development is that a single and universal app is compatible with several other platforms, which makes deployment easy and fast. One can easily sync the update across other platforms and devices, saving a lot of precious time. Moreover, in case of a bug, it needs to be fixed once unlike doing the same thing again and again. This gives developers a lot of free time for doing other important tasks.
Fast Development Process
The development process of cross-platform apps is quite fast. Deploying a single source code for various platforms can reduce development efforts by more than half., thereby letting develop a feature-rich business app fast. The developers can complete cross-platform application development within the committed time.
Reusable Code
Codes once designed can be used several times. Rather than developing new codes for every platform, developers can use a single code which eventually ends up making a huge savings.
Tools and Frameworks for Cross Platform App Development
When it comes to developing cross-platform apps, developers have a variety of tools and frameworks for consideration. These tools streamline the process of creating applications that can run smoothly on different devices and operating systems. Some of the most popular frameworks for cross-platform development include:
React Native: React Native which is designed by Facebook is a robust framework. It uses JavaScript and React to construct native-like applications for iOS, Android, and other platforms. With the advantage of a single codebase, React Native facilitates efficient cross-platform development.
Flutter: Flutter leverages the Dart programming language and creates natively compiled applications for mobile web and desktop using a single codebase. This framework is known for its engaging and flexible design and Flutter developers create appealing and engaging cross-platform applications.
Xamarin: The developers use C# for cross platform app development. With code sharing across iOS Android and Windows, the developers can create a native-like experience on each platform. This framework is used by enterprises familiar with the Microsoft technology stack.
PhoneGap: PhoneGap leverages web technologies like HTML CSS and JavaScript. This framework eases the process of building cross-platform mobile apps by letting developers leverage their proficiency in familiar web development languages. This framework is ideal for those who give importance to development and versatility.
The decision to choose the right tool depends on various factors like the specific requirements of the project, skills of the development team, desired user experience, etc. These frameworks make cross-platform development more accessible and efficient.
Cross Platform App Development Cost
The average cost of developing a cross platform app varies from $20,000 to $1,50,000. However, the cost varies based on several factors like –
- The app will be deployed on either Android, iOS, or both because deploying apps in the Apple app store would charge more.
- The cost will be decided based on the design and the features to be added along with app’s complexity.
- The total number of developers working on the project, their location, and cost per hour will bring changes in cross-app development.
- Third-party, security implementations, testing, and app maintenance collectively will decide the app’s development cost.
Final Thoughts
Cross platform app development is quite popular as it eliminates the need to develop different apps for different platforms. Since a cross-platform app can run across several devices and platforms, they are considered as universally compatible apps. Based on the app’ functionality and business requirements, one can choose the right cross-platform mobile app development frameworks.
To make the right decision, consult a skilled and experienced Cross-platform mobile app development company who can deploy the right app development frameworks beneficial for your business.