Below, you will find a further distinction: native app and cross-platform app. We will show the advantages and disadvantages of each category.
Native apps
Native apps are developed to let them feel “comfortable” in a specific operating system. For this reason, the languages with which they are developed vary according to the operating system of the device on which they will be installed: Android uses Java or Kotlin, and iOS use Object C, XCode, and Swift.
Benefits of native apps
- High performance and greater responsiveness – they are better for AR/VR and games with complex interfaces;
- No dependency on development frameworks – detailed documentation and support from framework developers.
Disadvantages of native apps
- If the app needs to be installed on all operating systems and desktops, different development teams will be required;
- Long release times;
- Maintenance of different digital products;
- More economic resources are required.
Cross-platform Apps
Cross-platform apps use the multi-platform approach. In this way, digital products can be created that can be installed on devices with any operating system and can also be used by browsers such as a web app or a PWA, with the use of a single code. The languages most used to create this type of app are: React Native, Xamarin, Cordova, Ionic, and of course our beloved Flutter.
Benefits of cross-platform apps
- They have a single code for all platforms;
- They need cheaper efforts from a time & money perspective;
- Greater integration with multi-platform environments.
Disadvantages of cross-platform apps
- Dependence on framework developers;
- Possible instability of frameworks.
Native app or a cross-platform app?
There is not a unique answer to this question. But we suggest meeting your team and answer together to the following questions: how much can I spend? How soon would like my app to be released and usable by users? What kind of app do I want to make?
Conclusion
We love Flutter very much and have really used it on many different digital products: web apps, PWAs, games, and more. Our colleagues use other frameworks, both Native and Cross-platform. The apps world is such a great environment in which every idea can come true. More than a framework or a language, we recommend that you choose the development team that best suits you. The rest will follow!