Applications have been the center point of everything related to the internet. Smartphones have dominated the world and most businesses are keen to incorporate mobile applications to reach more people.
This is no simple task. A lot of planning goes into developing a mobile app. Right from defining the processes, developing the app, deciding the way you’d like your app to perform, to launching the app to laymen, it is a nuanced procedure. When you initially look for options to develop a mobile app, you find multiple options. Of these options, one question is quite common: What kind of app should one go for? A native app or a hybrid app?
The answer to this question depends largely on the following factors:
- The purpose of building the app
- The speed of development
- Availability of an in-house development team
- Features needed in the app
- Budget of the business for app development
For the best decision, you need to understand the basic differences between a native app and a hybrid app. Let’s have a look at the pros and cons of both these types and make it easy for you to decide on the best fit for you.
What is a Hybrid app?
Hybrid app development involves the use of HTML 5, CSS, and JavaScript and gives you an outcome that is a native app on the outer side but not completely. This native covering displays most information on the app and helps the user navigate the app. For hybrid app development, there are multiple web frameworks available in the market.
What are the main features of a typical hybrid app?
- Takes less time in development
- Super easy to update and maintain
- Offers cross-platform UI
- Easy integration with a device file system
- Development and maintenance is not expensive
- Works on multiple mobile platforms
- Single code management
- Hassle-free
What is a Native app?
As evident from the name itself, a native app is more like a sole app developed specifically for an operating system or platform. It is a program that has been coded in a specific programming language, for devices having a specific OS. To give you a rough idea, native app development for android uses Java while for iOS it takes Objective C. However, these apps can make the most out of an operating system since they’re developed keeping that OS in mind. Also, all these apps have an access to functions such as contact list, gallery, camera, etc. Machine code helps native apps perform the best in a smartphone.
The development of these apps is very easy and there is plenty of information on the internet about the whole process but it is too technical to be understood by laymen. The code for this app needs to be written especially for each platform, separately. The development process changes a lot like the platform changes but the logic remains the same, as it has to display the same outcome on each platform. However, it becomes quite difficult to use the same logic and different codes to bring the same outcome at times.
What are the main features of a native app?
- Super simple yet fast performance
- Best user experience
- Reliability on the app
- Connected to native features
Now, these apps are meant to be developed only for a particular operating system. That makes it mandatory for the business or company to replicate the same app for each of the platforms.
Let’s compare! – Hybrid v/s Native App
What are the development cost and time for both?
While hybrid apps take less time to develop, it is also very cheap as compared to a native app in terms of cost. Also, building a hybrid app saves you the efforts of maintaining multiple codes whereas with the native app you need to do that as well. However, this does not mean that native apps are not worth it. They have their advantages like customization to a platform, access to the local features, etc.
Which one gives a better user experience?
Usually, the user experience is better in Native apps since they are specially designed for one platform only. It is more compatible with the system and gives a better experience due to the same. When it is a native app, the hardware capabilities and screen size is well taken care of. But when it comes to hybrid apps it is not very easy to provide the experience with all platforms using just one code.
Some final words:
Having seen the pros and cons of each one of these apps, it must be very clear to you that both are equally useful when you have specific requirements in mind. The decision of making a choice depends on the requirement of your business or organization. However, none of these options is less advisable than the other one.
If you work with the best app developers, half of your work will be done then and there. You will have an efficient result once you are working with a developer who understands your needs. Although you might have an in-house team for IT, it is good to outsource from a good app development company. At Smartinfologiks, we offer you the best app development services at an affordable rate. Contact us to know more!
