Mobile apps can be broadly categorized
into native, hybrid and web apps. It goes without saying that native
application fully capitalizes all the features of a mobile device and
its operating system. However, a web app lets you reach out to your
target audience across platforms, reducing development time and cost.
Hybrid application development offers a combination of both the
native and HTML 5.
Native vs Hybrid Apps
There are several articles already on the net discussing the pros and cons of each development approach. A native app is typically developed for a specific operating system such as Objective-C or Swift for iOS vs. Java for Android. It goes without saying that the app is developed to leverage the features of operating system, follows guidelines of OS and best practices for optimum performance. The user interaction with app is consistent with other native apps on the device which helps user navigate the app faster. Native apps leverage built-in capabilities of the user’s device such as GPS, address book, camera and so on.
Hybrid applications are
quintessentially websites packed into a native wrapper. Hybrid apps
are primarily built using HTML 5 and Javascript that is wrapped
inside a native container that provides access to native platform
features. To put it in simple words, hybrid applications use a common
code base to deploy native-like apps to a wide range of platforms.
Quick Overview of Pros and Cons
Advantages
- Developer can use existing web knowledge
- One code base for multiple platforms
- Less development time and cost
- Effectively design for various screen types such as tablets using responsive web design
- Access to device and operating system features
- Advanced offline capabilities
- Drawbacks
- Performance issues for apps requiring complex native functionality
- Does not support all operating system features
- Risk of rejection at app store for lack of native feel
Well, one of the biggest advantages of
selecting hybrid approach is that your web skills can be used.
Therefore if you have experience in web development it won’t need
extraordinary efforts for your developers to create a hybrid app.
If you are pressed for time hybrid
could turn out to be a feasible option because the app can be
developed in one source code and released across different platforms,
and development time is reasonably less as compared to that of native
applications.
Hybrid App: Tradeoff
While the hybrid apps are easy to
build; take less time to market, and maintain one code base, the
flipside of hybrid application development is the user experience. A
lot is at stake when it comes to user experience. The two most
popular platforms Android and iOS are vastly different and there is
simply no way to build a mobile app that can cater to users of both
operating systems. After all, their styles and design guidelines are
entirely different, making it difficult to create a hybrid app with
superior user experience.
Is Hybrid for you?
Ultimately everything boils down to
your business objectives and goals. It is important to analyze your
target audience and their preferences. Based on your analysis, you
need to decide whether your app needs to be on both Android and iOS.
There are advantages to be present on both platforms, but do you
really want your apps on both platforms immediately?
About Anna Harris:
Anna Harris working as web content writer and a strategist for a major IT firm delivering the best iPhone & mobile application development services for all your varied business needs.
Follow Anna Harris On
Anna Harris working as web content writer and a strategist for a major IT firm delivering the best iPhone & mobile application development services for all your varied business needs.
Follow Anna Harris On
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