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What is Cross Platform Application Development - An Ultimate Guide

Know more about cross-platform development, where to use it, and how to use it. Most importantly, this blog answers why your business should choose this development platform for applications.

Blog Author
Ramya Krishnappa

Dec 7, 2022

One of the most popular trends in software development is cross platform application development. One of its advantages is that development time and expenses can be reduced. Nowadays, companies are required to build responsive websites with standardized interfaces. Businesses may find it difficult to provide this seamless experience.

About one-third of mobile developers work using cross-platform frameworks. Businesses may quickly and affordably create app solutions for Android and iOS using a cross-platform mobile development strategy.

Mobile App Development

Business owners are paying close attention to the fast-growing mobile app sector. If you are a business owner who wants to launch a mobile app and has decided to develop a cross-platform app, then this post is for you.

Businesses all around the world utilize cross-platform frameworks when developing apps because they want to have a digital presence and be accessible on both the Android and iOS platforms. Continue reading the article to learn more about cross- platform app development.

What is Cross Platform Application Development?

Cross Platform App Development refers to creating a single application that runs on different operating systems. Not to mention, cross platform applications can operate on iOS and Android too.

To enable programmers to construct cross-platform apps, a range of cutting-edge technologies is employed in cross-platform app development.

Be aware that designing hybrid apps, which by definition integrate native and online technology, is different from creating cross-platform apps. However, both the creation of hybrid and cross-platform programs require code exchange.

Why should businesses choose to develop cross-platform applications?

To create cross-platform apps, users do not need to write code multiple times. Various operating systems will be supported and the program will function here. With native app development, you will need to write code as well as recruit expert staff for each of the technologies.

Native app development is more expensive than cross-platform development because of the increasing demand for applications. To meet these expanding expectations, businesses are focusing on cross-platform app development.

Benefits of Cross Platform Application Development

Cross-platform app development can be performed with the aid of simple frameworks and technologies. Let us go over the main advantages of cross-platform software development.

i. Releases an application across many platforms

You will profit from using them on numerous platforms if you think about developing cross platform applications. You have access to the source code written for every platform.

ii. A quicker time for development

The quicker development time of cross-platform programs is one of their most treasured advantages. Instead of writing on various scripts, it employs one script. Cross-platform application developers can save a lot of time and work for both the development team and the marketing team.

iii. Reaches a larger audience

Software development for many platforms broadens its scope to include more users. Who knows how? If your software is compatible with running on platforms like iOS and Android, it can be used by a variety of users.

iv. Simpler and quicker updates

Updates are simpler for cross platform applications because they are Internet-based. Users will not have to worry about maintaining and supporting several app versions or downloading separate upgrades. The performance of the app is impacted by the software's automatic updates, which guarantee the availability of the most recent version of the program.

Cross-Platform Application Development Technologies

Hopefully, we’ve ensured why you may consider cross platform applications for your business requirements. Now, let us go further to understand the different technologies on which cross-platform application development is performed:

i. Flutter

Considered the best framework for building quick web applications is Flutter. In 2018, Google released this language as an open-source software development kit. Flutter is almost certain to keep getting better and to get more users given that it is a descendant of the tech as mentioned above powerhouse.

Flutter is a cross-platform software application that offers the following advantages:

  • A huge range of UI components that expedites and enhances the aesthetic appeal of app creation;
  • A potent rendering engine that enables programmers to swiftly adapt animations;
  • Programmers can inspect any coding changes without saving their work because of the hot-reload feature.

ii. React Native

The most popular cross-platform application development technology among developers is React Native. It was introduced by Facebook in 2015. Native mobile apps for iOS and Android can be created using the JavaScript-based mobile framework React Native.

The following are the main benefits of using React Native as your cross-platform app development framework:

  • Without first saving the changes, developers can observe any live code changes.
  • It is made possible to access plugins from third parties.
  • Its User Interface is simpler and more akin to a JS library than a framework because it is focused on mobile UI;
  • When compared to other frameworks, it offers a more dependable app.

iii. Xamarin

The cross-platform software development frameworks that Xamarin provides are very different from the ones we've previously examined. It is a condensed structure that employs C #and. To design apps for Android, Windows, and iOS, use the Net instead of JS libraries and HTML. The developers to create an app for three distinct platforms can use 90% of the code.

Xamarin makes cross platform applications that feel and look like native apps with the help of its outstanding APIs. The qualities of Xamarin that contribute to its status as one of the best cross-platform development tools for mobile development are listed below:

  • The Xamarin framework to create apps uses C #, a cutting-edge cross-platform app development language that has an advantage over Objective-C and Java.
  • amarin supports the direct integration of Objective-C, Java, and C++ libraries.
  • Provides thorough compile-time verification for simpler run-time concerns

Challenges faced during Cross Platform Application Development

Cross platform application or software development is no exception to the rule that nothing spectacular has ever been created without a set of challenges. The following are some difficulties encountered while accomplishing it:

Coding problems

Developers typically employ JavaScript objects in reusable programs. Finding and fixing faults throughout the entire code becomes challenging.

Additionally, there is the problem of slow coding. When an inexperienced cross-platform software developer develops an application, it results in sluggish code, making the program work slowly.

A lengthy procedure

While using cross-platform, the process of integrating local settings can take some time. This ultimately increases the development time. Integration issues with some operating systems frequently hinder performance.

User Experience Issues

A positive user experience and feature parity are made possible through cross-platform development. The user experience suffers as a result, and the program loads slowly. Desertion of apps is a significant issue that can be detrimental.

To sum up

Cross platform application development is a severe threat to the traditional and native methods of app development. There are many factors contributing to its growing popularity. The ability to simultaneously deploy your program on several platforms is the first advantage.

Second, the time to market is shortened because the code does not have to be written from scratch separately for the web, iOS, and Android. Lastly, since just one development team is required to support all platforms, there are significant cost advantages during the development and maintenance phases. We sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this piece. Check back soon for more intriguing articles!