Hybrid vs Native mobile app development

Nowadays, almost all the companies consider mobile applications as an important business strategy.

A useful and an efficient mobile app helps in making a strong customer base by winning new customers and retaining existing customers.

Since mobile apps are being used extensively for publicity, sales, and branding, therefore, it is very important that the apps should be developed using right strategy and technology to avoid any negative impact.

While developing new mobile apps the companies have to consider several factors such as operation platforms which get changed rapidly, hardware devices and form factors.

A Mobile Application Developing strategy is selected based on the given criteria

First, should the app be meant for all existing platforms?

Second, does it want its app to access GPS, cameras, and other device-specific functions?

Third, does it require a uniform User Experience (UX) for the app across platforms?

Fourth, what is the EOL of the apps?

Fifth, should it just stick to create a mobile website?

Moreover, there are some other key parameters which are also considered while developing a mobile app such as what kind of Mobile Applications they should offer to the target users, the cost of development, marketing time, ease of deployment.

There is two common mobile app development approaches i) Hybrid and ii) Native

Hybrid Mobile App Development

A hybrid app is developed by integrating the both web-based and native app development. To develop hybrid mobile app the developers use web technologies such as HTML, Java Scripts, CSS3 and the Native application programming interface (APIs) for accessing device specific capabilities. Hybrid mobile apps reside on the devices as they are integrated within the browser control of the platform and compiled with the help of native SDK. Such apps offer more profitability across various operating platforms in comparison to native mobile apps and they depend on the platform provider for hybrid platform development.

Some hybrid mobile apps can be extended and customized depending on the platforms in which they will run. To extend and customize the apps additional wrapper plug-ins is added so that the apps can leverage plug-in extensions for accessing more specific native device capabilities to a limited extent.

Advantages of hybrid mobile apps development

Such apps allow access to limited native device capabilities. It has very good portability across various platforms. It has good ease of deployment similar to Native apps. Development cost and time is less.

Disadvantage of hybrid mobile apps

User experience is inferior compared to the native mobile apps. The performance level is not very satisfactory as the apps depend on the browser and extensively depend on the web.

Native mobile apps development

Such apps are developed with the help of the native language of the mobile operating platform. The apps can access all the device capabilities and functionalities because they use the native SDK for developing the app. Native mobile apps offer the highest user experience factor.

Advantages of native mobile apps

Optimized performance level. Strong integration with platforms. Easy to install as app stores from native OS providers is very good.

Disadvantages of native mobile apps

Reusing of code is not possible. Development and maintenance cost is high. More marketing time.