Native vs hybrid mobile app development: Here's why and how to choose

 The mobile app industry is booming nowadays with over 8.93 million applications worldwide, of which 3.553 million apps are available to download from Google Play Store and 1.642 million on the Apple App Store. Due to a deeper penetration to mobile-driven digital experiences, mobile payment systems, and the surge in global cloud adoption, cross-platform mobile applications are setting the hybrid mobile app development industry on fire over react native development.

Interestingly, with the rise of cross-platform apps, traditional native mobile app development has evolved significantly. Presently, over 42% of mobile app developers that are already leveraged hybrid app development frameworks like React Native, Node.js, and Flutter, since 2021 to create versatile and efficient applications that work seamlessly across different platforms.

Let's delve deeper into this article and understand why cross-platform hybrid mobile app development is so hyped over react native development amongst forward-thinking businesses. 

Native vs Hybrid Mobile App Development: Which one is smart choice?

In the mobile application development dynamics, there are three primary types of mobile app development approaches that product development professionals generally ponder on:

• Native Mobile App Development

  Native development can be explained as a process of creating robust applications specifically for a particular mobile operating system (e.g., iOS or Android) using the native programming languages and tools provided by the platform. Native apps are written in languages like Swift or Objective-C for iOS and Java or Kotlin for Android. Professional developers with direct access to all features and APIs, streamline the process of creating highly customized and feature-rich applications. Optimized Performance, Native Look and Feel, Access to the latest features and APIs are key benefits of Native Mobile App Development.

• Hybrid Mobile App Development:

  Hybrid development is one of the most popular approaches used in the modern-age landscape for next-generation mobile application development that primarily involves web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create robust and feature-rich mobile applications compatible to run on multiple platforms. Interestingly, these mobile apps are essentially web apps wrapped in a native container. Under the hybrid development lifecycle, the hybrid apps are developed using a single codebase, which is accessible to both iOS and Android platforms. This it result, helps hybrid app development companies save a lot of cost on the development fronts while reducing development time. Easy maintenance, faster development cycles, better code quality, and cost-efficiency are some key benefits of adopting hybrid app development.

  
  

  Here's a table on Native Versus Hybrid app development summarizing the pros and cons:

  Aspect	Native App Development	Hybrid App Development
  Programming Languages	Native languages (Swift, Objective-C for iOS, Java, Kotlin for Android)	Web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
  Performance	Excellent performance, as apps are optimized for specific platforms	Performance may be slightly lower due to reliance on web views
  User Experience	Consistent, native look and feel, adheres to platform guidelines	May have a less native feel; appearance might be influenced by the web views
  Access to APIs	Direct access to all device features and APIs	Access to native features may require plugins or bridges
  Development Time	Longer development time due to separate codebases for each platform	Shorter development time, as a single codebase can be used for multiple platforms
  Cost	Higher development costs due to separate development for iOS and Android	More cost-effective, as a single codebase can be used for both platforms
  Maintenance	Maintenance involves separate efforts for iOS and Android	Easier maintenance with changes applied to a single codebase
  Platform Independence	Limited to the platform for which it was developed	Cross-platform compatibility, allowing the app to run on multiple platforms
  Community Support	Strong community support with platform-specific expertise	Good community support, especially for frameworks like React Native
  Flexibility	Full flexibility in leveraging the latest platform features	Limited by the capabilities of the hybrid development framework chosen

  Each approach has its advantages and trade-offs however choosing hybrid app development over native will help businesses unlock many benefits like cross-platform compatibility, cost-effectiveness, quicker time-to-market, shorter development time, easy maintenance with streamlined debugging and updating process, more consistent user interface across platforms, pre-built components and plugins, as well as rapid prototyping.

  Quick tips on how to choose a hybrid app development company

  Choosing the right partner for hybrid app development services, plays a crucial role in defining the performance quotient of the hybrid apps. Given below are some important considerations every business must keep in mind when hiring hybrid app development company:

• Flexibility and Adaptability: It is important to ensure that the company is adaptable to changes in project requirements, and feedback during the development process.

• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Verify that the hybrid app development services partner is capable to develop apps seamlessly across various platforms (iOS, Android, etc.) and ask lot of questions to check their expertise in addressing any platform-specific challenges.

• Ownership of Source Code: Clarify the ownership rights of the source code because single codebase access is important to implement future modifications or switching to another development team.

• Communication Time Zones: Consider the time zone difference between your location and the development team. Always select a hybrid app development company with overlapping working hours for effective communication and collaboration.
• Post-Launch Support and Maintenance: Discuss the post-launch support and maintenance hybrid app development services offered by the company. Go for a hybrid app development service partner who is willing to provide a commitment to provide ongoing support ensuring that any issues can be addressed promptly after the app is live. By thoroughly evaluating these factors, you can make a well-informed decision when choosing a hybrid app development company that aligns with your project's goals and requirements.