Building an app requires you to make a lot more executive decisions than you might have prepared for. One of the biggest questions most businesses will overlook is which type of mobile app should be created in the first place. Getting this decision out of the way as early as possible will save your business both time and money, and will also give you a clear path for execution.
Essentially, there are three types of mobile apps – Native apps, web apps, and hybrid apps.
Native Apps
This type of app is created for a specific operating system (OS) or platform. You might be thinking of building an app for the Android system since most of the people who use it have Android mobile phones. You also have the choice of building a native iOS app or one that is used for Blackberry or Windows phones. When building this type of app, a mobile application development company uses a variety of programming languages including C++, Swift, Java, Python, and more.
Advantages: Since the app is developed keeping in mind the features and abilities of the device, the app will run more efficiently and reliably. The app will be faster and will use the UI to provide a more satisfying customer experience. They can also be designed to be able to use the device’s hardware options like Bluetooth, NFC, camera roll, etc.
Disadvantages: Once you decide to expand to other platforms, you will have to start the entire process of building the app once again since the coding used in the first instance cannot be used again. This will increase the overall costs while also making the process of maintaining and upgrading a more cumbersome affair.
Web Apps
This type of app is a responsive version of its website and can run on any platform. It is delivered or accessed via the mobile browser, it will work well with any OS. Your client will not have to download an app. It will ‘adjust’ its own UI to the device it is being used on. App developers will need to use HTML5, JavaScript, CSS, Ruby, and similar languages for web work.
Advantages: You won’t have to customize the app based on the platform or OS and any update will be done live over the web, which will reduce the hassle for your clients while also reducing your costs. It also will not eat up precious memory space on their device.
Disadvantages: You will be encumbered by the abilities and features of the particular web browser used by your clients. Each iteration on different browsers might have different functionality and user experience. This type o app also requires that the device is connected to the internet in order to function to its maximum capacity or to update any new data.
Hybrid Apps
This type of app combines both the Native and Web application types. It is a web app that is presented to the user like a native app that must be downloaded from the relevant app store. They function faster, have a responsive design, and can even be used offline. In most instances, a hybrid app s used to check the viability of spending time and resources on a full-blown native app. Mobile app developers will use a combination of native APIs and web technologies to build a hybrid app. This includes HTML5, Ionic, Swift, etc.
Advantages: A hybrid app is built quicker than a typical native app. It is also a much more economical process. The apps use the same code base across different platforms which reduces even the maintenance costs. Due to its quicker speed, it is ideal for usage in places with a slower internet connection.
Disadvantages: While hybrid apps are quicker than web apps, they are nowhere near as powerful or quick as native apps. This might create a frustrating experience for your users.
Paraminfo is one of the fastest grown global leaders in the region of IT consultancy that provides app building solutions suitable to different businesses. They are major players in the Middle East, India, and the USA. The mobile app development company is focused on results and is dedicated to providing the best solutions to its valued customers. If you are looking for a global partner to help you with building the right type of app for you, then look no further than Paraminfo.
