Launching a new app development project is a demanding task, especially if you want to release your app for multiple platforms at once. Creating a separate native app for each platform is not only time-consuming but also increases the overall development cost. That's why cross platform app development is in such demand today — it allows programmers to build user-friendly apps for multiple platforms in a short period of time. We at CHILLICODE are a cross platform app development company, so we know a lot about building these applications from scratch. In our cross-platform app development guide, we’ll explain the purpose behind cross-platform development and talk about its strengths and shortcomings. We’ll discuss the most relevant cross platform mobile app development trends, look at the best development software, and study the best cross platform app development examples. {{ "title": "Write ChilliCode", "description": "To help you acknowledge your business needs and decide whether IT services will work for you, I’ve sorted out a list of cases.", "buttonText": "Contact us" }} What is cross platform app development? As we’ve already mentioned, cross-platform development means creating several versions of the same app for different platforms at once. Here’s an example: let’s say you want to make a mobile app for both Android and iOS. In this case, you can either build two separate native apps using different programming tools or opt for cross platform mobile app development. This method of development will allow you to use just one front-end framework instead of several, removing the need to split code across many separate codebases. As a result, you’ll be able to significantly shorten the app development cycle and reduce costs. By the end of development, you'll end up with a great user-friendly app for multiple platforms, allowing you to reap the benefits of a large user base. All in all, when it comes to mobile app development, cross platform is the way to go if you want to build a great-looking app for every mobile platform without breaking the bank. In recent years, the popularity of cross-platform development has skyrocketed. It’s not really surprising, given the versatility of this development method. Before the advent of cross-platform development, programmers had to learn the language of a particular platform to create any, even the simplest application. Nowadays, everything’s different, and developers can build cross platform apps for almost any existing platform, using just one or two programming languages. The scope of platforms available for cross platform development is impressive — in addition to mobile platforms like iOS and Android, it also includes web and desktop. Such an extensive range of platforms allows businesses to significantly expand their audience and, as a result, boost their app's overall revenue. Now that we know the basics about cross platform mobile app development, let’s move on and talk about the strengths and shortcomings of cross platform development. Pros and cons of cross platform app development To help you navigate the complex world of cross platform development, we made a list of the most important strengths and shortcomings of this development technique: ✅ Pros ❌ Cons Great versatility. Cross-platform development tools like Flutter allow programmers to build responsive applications for every platform imaginable. In addition to mobile development, they are also particularly useful in web app development. No access to advanced platform-specific functionality. Unlike fully native applications, cross-platform apps can’t utilize the full range of platform-specific features that are built into smartphones and other devices. This can be a problem if you want to create an app with the most cutting-edge features. Helps reduce the development time. Working in a single code base allows programmers to build complex applications faster, resulting in an optimized development workflow and quicker product launches. In addition, cross-platform development allows programmers to quickly build fully functional app prototypes, which also helps a lot in reducing the overall development time. Cross-platform apps can be difficult to optimize. Cross-platform applications are highly flexible, but their performance can be difficult to properly optimize. They can’t rely on hardware functionality to boost performance, so programmers have to find ways around this limitation. Can help you save money. Many companies can’t afford to spend a fortune on app development. Cross-platform development allows them to save money on building an app, as it tends to be much faster and smoother compared to native development. Integration with third-party development tools can be difficult. Cross-platform frameworks can be a bit picky when it comes to compatibility with third-party tools. This can complicate the process of integrating additional tools and extensions into your app development project, increasing the development time. Gives you access to a wider user base. Cross-platform app development will allow you to expand your target audience, giving you access to multiple platforms at once. This can be very useful for building a diverse range of income streams and increasing the overall revenue of your app. Limited selection of development tools. While the functionality of cross-platform frameworks like Flutter is very impressive, there are currently only a few to choose from. Besides Flutter, some of the best cross platform frameworks include React Native, Xamarin, and Ionic. Provides you with the best set of tools for mobile development. When it comes to mobile app development, cross platform apps have become the new standard. Cross platform mobile app development is especially valued among new startup owners, as it’s very accessible and cost-effective. Fewer possibilities for customization compared to native application development. Many cross platform frameworks offer a selection of pre-designed UI elements that are useful but can potentially limit the possibilities for app customization. It’s worth noting that native development also has some limitations when it comes to customizing user interfaces. Let’s wrap up our brief overview of the advantages and weaknesses of cross platform development. Next, we’ll cover the best approaches to building a brand-new cross-platform app for your product. How to create a cross platform app? So, you’ve witnessed the massive success of modern cross-platform apps now you’re eager to create your own multi-platform application. This is a complex task that needs to be broken down into multiple key steps to ensure the eventual success of your app. To help you get started with your project, we made a list of the 5 most important steps you will have to go through to develop your own cross-platform app. It’s worth mentioning that the full cross platform app development pipeline will involve additional steps, and in our list, we’ll be covering only the most essential stages of development. 1. Come up with a compelling idea for your app At the start of your app development journey, you’ll need to settle on an interesting idea for your cross platform app. To do that, you’ll have to start by conducting market research. This is necessary in order to study the current landscape of app development and learn about the most successful app development strategies. Conducting detailed market research will also allow you to gauge the audience's interest in different app genres, which will make it easier to work out the specific details of your app concept. When conducting market research, it can be useful to browse through statistics compiled by reputable websites such as Business of Apps. This will help you gain a thorough understanding of the most important trends in application development. In the initial research phase, it is very important to identify the target audiences that your app will serve. The core concept behind your app will define the type of audience your product will be targeting. For example, if you’ve come up with an innovative food delivery app, your main target audience will likely consist of young, active people who don’t have a lot of free time for cooking. 2. Decide how the app will generate revenue Once you have a general outline of how your app will function, it's time to decide how to monetize it. Today's cross platform applications present a wide range of opportunities for generating revenue. If you’re developing a mobile app, consider a paid subscription model or in-app purchases — these are the most common types of monetization for mobile platforms. Web apps can provide even more freedom in terms of monetization, as they’re not required to follow the rules set by app stores. Some of the other popular monetization types include ad integration, affiliate marketing, and partnerships with other businesses. Ultimately, your cross platform app can generate revenue in many ways, and you can even combine different monetization approaches to benefit from a variety of revenue streams. This will ensure the financial stability of your product for years to come. 3. Hire a competent development team and decide on a tech stack To ensure your future app is profitable, you’ll need to hire a professional team of developers that will provide you with cross-platform mobile app development services. Searching for competent programmers should be a bit easier after you’ve outlined the main technical requirements of your cross platform app. When it comes to development, experience is very important, so we recommend going with a cross platform development company like CHILLICODE. We have extensive expertise in building cross-platform applications for any industry. After you’ve found a team of programmers offering cross-platform mobile app development services, discuss with them the technical requirements of your app and decide on the appropriate technology stack. Depending on how complex you want your digital product to be, you may need to build an extensive tech stack to help you realize your vision. In cross platform development, the most important component of the technology stack is the frontend framework, the main options being Flutter, React Native, and Xamarin. Later in the article, we'll provide you with a handy cheat sheet to help you choose the right framework. 4. Develop and release your cross platform app The actual process of cross platform app development can be complex, as there are a lot of factors involved. Throughout the development, the average project goes through multiple iterations, and programmers typically create numerous prototypes to make sure that the app is on track to meet the project goals. Testing and bug fixing can take up a lot of time, so make sure your budget accounts for any complications or delays during development. Flutter provides programmers with a convenient automated testing system, which allows them to accelerate the development process. When the development process is nearing its end and the bug-fixing process is finished, it’s time to prepare for app release. When it comes to launching cross platform apps, it’s important to research all the app stores your app will be released on. They all have their own rules and requirements, and these can vary quite a bit depending on the specific platform. You should also come up with effective strategies for promoting your app. Try to get your app featured on the main page of an app store — this will boost the visibility of your app and attract a lot of new users. Next, we’ll make an overview of the 3 best cross platform development tools to see what exactly makes them useful. The best tools for cross platform development When discussing the best cross platform app development tools in 2024, several reputable frameworks come to mind. They are very flexible and can be used both for mobile and web app development. We’ll walk you through the two most prominent cross platform frameworks, look at what makes them useful, and discuss which industries they'd be most beneficial for. Flutter To understand why Flutter is the best framework for cross-platform app development, let's take a quick look at the history of this framework. Flutter was created by the tech corporation Google and became a revolutionary cross-platform development tool. Following its release in 2017, Flutter has quickly established itself as a leading cross-platform framework thanks to a wide range of features and impressive performance. Flutter allows programmers to create applications even for the less mainstream platforms such as cars, smartwatches, and intelligent home systems. Flutter allows programmers to create applications even for the less mainstream platforms such as cars, smartwatches, and intelligent home systems. While it can’t be said that Flutter is the one tool that made mobile app development cross platform, it has brought a lot of innovation to the field, making mobile development viable and accessible for everyone, no matter the budget. Besides the convenience of its unified codebase, Flutter is widely recognized for its efficient widget system, which allows developers to create complex user interfaces in a matter of hours. Flutter widgets are out-of-the-box UI solutions that don't require a lot of work to set up. They can also be customized and reused as needed, making them a very useful addition to any cross-platform development workflow. Today, thousands of companies use Flutter to provide their customers with modern software products. Flutter is particularly popular with e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba and eBay, which speak favorably of its efficient loading capabilities and scalability potential. Other industries that often utilize Flutter include finance (Betterment app), health (Push app), and education (iRobot app). React Native The other prominent framework for developing cross platform apps is React Native, which is the main competitor of Flutter. React Native offers many similar features, but isn’t as robust in terms of its UI capabilities. But it does have several advantages over Flutter — for one, it can access native device functionality, whereas Flutter doesn’t have that option. It does so via a “bridge” that serves as a communication link between the framework and the device. Access to native features can be beneficial to increasing the scope of features in an app, but may also negatively impact performance, especially when it comes to complex applications. Either way, React Native boasts an impressive array of features, such as JavaScript integration and fast code refresh. Thanks to its near-native functionality, React Native is favored by large ecommerce platforms like Amazon and Shopify, which rely on it for building their ever-growing range of digital products. React Native is the preferred mobile development framework for website builder platforms such as Wordpress and Wix, both of which used the framework to make their iOS and Android apps. React Native is also frequently used in the industries of ecommerce (Amazon Shopping), social media (Pinterest), finance (Coinbase), and gaming (Playstation App). Xamarin One of the oldest cross-platform frameworks is Xamarin, now owned by Microsoft — today, it’s integrated into the company’s .NET programming ecosystem. This tool shares some advantages with Flutter and React Native — for example, it also uses a unified codebase and allows the reuse of large fragments of code. Similar to React Native, it can access native device functionality and can be used to achieve great app performance. Microsoft provides a variety of resources for Xamarin developers as part of its .NET ecosystem. However, Xamarin has one disadvantage — it’s based on C#, a relatively complex programming language. Cross platform app development services on C# can get expensive because of the complicated nature of this language. Flutter is based on Dart, a streamlined and lightweight language, whereas React Native is JavaScript-based. If you have access to developers with great knowledge of C#, then it would make sense to go with Xamarin for developing your cross platform app. Otherwise, it might be better to opt for Flutter or React Native. Either way, Xamarin has earned its place as one of the most reliable cross-platform frameworks and you should definitely consider it for your project. How to pick a framework for making a cross-platform app? All the prominent cross-platform frameworks are effective, so deciding on the right one can be tough. To help you decide, we've put together a cheat sheet explaining how to go about choosing a cross-platform framework: Flutter React Native Xamarin Choose Flutter if you want to launch a great-looking cross-platform app in the shortest time possible. If you appreciate great UI/UX design and want to build a consistent brand identity across every platform, Flutter is the right framework for you. Choose React Native if you need to develop a cost-effective cross-platform app that makes use of native device functionality. React Native is particularly useful for building responsive mobile apps that make use of hardware capabilities by integrating camera or gyroscope functionality. Choose Xamarin if you have access to talented C# developers with great knowledge of the Microsoft ecosystem. Xamarin is most suitable for companies that want to develop a large ecommerce web platform and have an appropriately large budget. sub As you can see, there’s no definitive answer when it comes to selecting a framework for cross platform development. It all ultimately depends on the specific requirements of your project, and they can be hard to outline if you don’t have the right team to assist you. A company like CHILLICODE, which has experience in custom app development, will help you realize your vision and launch a successful product. To sum up It’s clear that all of the cross-platform frameworks covered in this article are worth considering for any app development project. When trying to decide on the right tool, consider things like the size and skills of your team, the type and features of your app, cross platform app development cost, and how quickly you want to get your app to market. If you need cross platform app development services, we at CHILLICODE can help you build your product, leveraging all the strengths of cross-platform frameworks. To get started today, contact us and we’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.
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