Cross platform mobile app development refers to a software development kit that allows for deployment of mobile apps to both app stores (Google Play & Apple App Store ). The cross platform tool provides a framework for a single codebase to be used instead of multiple. This results in Rapid App Development as much development time is saved. Some of the more popular Cross Platform Development services are:
- Xamarin
- Phonegap
- NativeScript
- Convertigo
- Appcelerator
- Telerik
The obvious benefit in choosing cross platform app development is cost saving. By spending less money on development you are able to test your product in the market sooner. Perhaps even increasing your app promotion and app marketing budget. There aren’t many downsides in using cross platform mobile app development. Certain apps cannot be built using cross platform technology as they require custom native code. This factor is determined by the complexity and uniqueness of the app project. Our advice is to first see if cross platform is a possibility, then if not, to pursue native development for each platform.
Besides the codebase, the mobile app makes use of external services such as API’s. This stands for Application Program Interface. Simply put, an API allows different software to communicate with each other. This could be for an operation as simple sending data from a Google Sheet to the mobile app in real time. An example of this would be a Google Sheet containing a list of shops. When a shop’s address changes in the Google Sheet it automatically changes in the app as well as adjusting the distance the shop is located from the app user.
Especially when testing a concept in a market, it may be a good idea to first spend a low fee on cross platform mobile app development and to make sure there is a market for the app. Commercially ready cross platform apps can provide the same stability and functionality as their more expensive counterparts which are native apps.
Cross platform apps are also sometime referred to as Hybrid apps as they can be published into both app stores.