Top frameworks that can be perfect to develop cross-platform applications?
Today, when Mobile applications have completely overhauled the basic principles of business and no business can take risk of being absent on the leading app platform like Google Play Store or the Apple App Store, Cross-platform app development has come on the scene as the predominant option for the businesses to be present on Android as well as iOS.
Before we move on, let's discover what is a Cross-Platform Framework and why is it so important in today’s highly disruptive and mobile app scenario.
Benefits of Cross-Platform Framework
- Maximum Outreach
With a cross-platform development approach, one can build an app that can be operated over various platforms. This means with a single app one can target iOS as well as Android platform users and maximize their outreach.
- Cost-effective and Time-saving
Reusable codes and agile app development brings down the cost of development. A cross-platform development approach enables the prompt syncing of updates over multiple platforms and devices which saves a lot of time and money.
- Effortless Maintenance and Deployment
The operating ability of one developed app over all the platforms makes the maintenance easy and facilitates deploying code or making changes.
- Quick Development Process
Single code for multiple platforms and cross-platform app development framework support for HTML5 and CSS3 enables the developers to readily meet the expected deadlines in cross-platform app development.
- Reusable Code
The cross-platform framework eliminates the repetition of codes because the same codes can be used for every platform, app, and upcoming projects.
- Easy Integration with Cloud
Cross-platform mobile apps are highly compatible. Cross-platform mobile apps can be easily integrated with different frameworks which enhances their functionality, scalability, and validity.
These are only a few advantages. Let us check the top 6 frameworks that can be used to create cross-platform applications:
Top 6 Cross-platform Frameworks
1. Xamarin:
Founded in 2011, Xamarin is an open-source mobile UI framework for building Android and iOS apps with C# and. NET.
Millions of developers use Xamarin to build different types of apps for Android, iOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and Windows.
Xamarin is part of the .NET ecosystem. The platform was founded by the developers who created Mono which is an open-source and .NET Framework-based development platform.
Some of the apps invented with Xamarin Cross-Platform App Framework include Fox Sports, Alaska Airlines, HCL, American Cancer Society.
Pros
- Uses C# for coding indicates the seamless working of Xamarin app development seamlessly on different platforms which includes Android and iOS.
- Xamarin offers a “write once, run anywhere” facility with 75% of code sharing across platforms.
Cons
- Pricey for enterprises as they need to buy a license for Microsoft’s Visual Studio.
- Restricted access to some important libraries that the app developers require to develop mobile apps.
2. Ionic
Ionic is one of the most leading open-source cross-platform app frameworks.
Ionic enables developers to use a combo of various cyber languages like JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS. It is used to create highly interactive mobile apps. Besides, progressive web apps and the addition of user-friendly features in the apps is also a big reason for its popularity.
Licensed under MIT, it is based on AngularJS and features some design elements from both iOS and Android.
Some of the Apps invented with this Cross-Platform App Framework are IBM, ING, and SAP.
Pros
- Particularly designed for mobile operating systems, It provides many UI components to develop robust applications.
- Ionic has a strong back of above 5 million developers from around 200 countries
Cons
- To create an advanced app, knowledge of AngularJS becomes a must.
- It is difficult to design in-app navigation because of the complexity of using UI-router.
3. React Native
