When creating a mobile application, the first decision a developer needs to make is the choice between Native and Hybrid. Hybrid means cross-platform applications that are made to fit on many different operating systems at once. Native means that the programming will be done in an OS-specific language.
For example, a native language for making an Android program is Java, for iOS – Swift. There’s no certain “best” way to do it because every path has strong and weak points.
However, Hybrid ones are basically websites that look and feel like applications. So, we surveyed different android app development services to find out whether native programming is better. Because professional coders know all the tiny details that make the difference.
There are companies, like Develux, for example, that constantly work on hundreds of projects at once, app development included. That means they are able to give us the fullest and the most reliable information on the subject. Without further ado, let’s get into the pros and cons of native development.
Pros
Design
The first and the most obvious difference between a Native android application and a Hybrid one is its visual content. Starting from an icon in your menu, every single detail is made with your operating system in mind. It utilizes all the specifics to maximize visual attractiveness.
If you’re an iPhone user, you have probably noticed that countless apps look different on your device compared to your friend’s android. Many of them are available only on OS-specific downloading services, like Google Play for Android.
That’s because these native applications just won’t work on a different platform. Another reason is that it is just not effective and profitable to adjust it and port to another OS.
Interface
Interface goes hand-by-hand with design. Design always depends on the layout of the software. Apple products are famous for their extremely user-friendly and “addictive” interface.
The most obvious example is the “home” button on this platform. Every developer that creates an app for iOS, knows that there’s no “back” button, but it’s represented by an arrow in the interface of the application itself.
It may look like a tiny detail. But such tiny details make a huge difference in the long run. That’s why you’d want to make an interface considering all these specifics. It allows for a much intuitive and responsive experience.
Integration
This is the most important point of using native development. Working with the OS-specific language allows coders to use all the potential of an operating system. Let’s take a most basic situation as an example.
You want to find a mobile application that will help you to increase work performance. So, you type “Best Work Management Apps to Improve Your Bottom Line” into the search bar. Now, if you click “download” on iOS, you’ll be immediately asked to either enter a security code or scan a fingerprint.
That’s the best example of integration. Of course, AppStore was developed by Apple itself, but think of it from a different perspective. They have made fingerprint scanning a basic step to unlock your phone, enter or download a program. Therefore, countless developers want to make a native program, so they can use this advantage.
Right, Android has this technology too, it’s not that impressive nowadays. But back then, when it was rare, it was a representation of why you’d want to make a native application for iOS.
Speed
It’s pretty obvious that a program made for a particular platform will work better than the cross-platform one. There’s a huge difference in both hardware and software of platforms. Being able to use all the preloaded parts and optimize your application accordingly ensures the best performance.
Offline Access
Like said in the beginning, hybrid development basically makes a website that feels like a mobile application. Just like any website out there, they won’t work without internet access. Native applications, on the other hand, depending on the device. Therefore, there’s no trouble for them to operate offline, as long as you don’t use a service that fully relies on an online connection.
Simplicity and Reliability
Developers need to update their creations regularly. Bug fixes and small implementations are needed to be done too. Working with a piece of code designed for a particular system is much easier than trying to adjust one code for everything. Here’s the most obvious reason – native apps need you to only consider one platform’s possible issues.
So, troubleshooting, adjusting, and changing parts of a program are much easier when it’s related to one OS. Otherwise, the number of possible adjustments increases in geometric progression.
Also, working with one platform makes you free of any limits. You know how a platform works and its restrictions. There’s no need to remove some features in order for it to work on multiple OS.
Cons
Lack of Flexibility
If a company wants a product to be successful, it needs to reach as many potential customers as possible. It’s the most basic principle of business. So, if you want your product to be native software and still be available on multiple platforms, you’ll need to create 2 different programs.
As explained earlier, each of them will work differently, considering every OS-specific detail. Both an Android and an Apple app agency will be needed to be hired to program the respective software.
So, you’ll need to pay a few times more for creating native applications. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t just neglect a huge base of users by not making the program available on their OS.
Such software always needs to be downloaded on the devices, losing from 7 to 15 percent on the users on each step of the process itself:
- Finding an application.
- Downloading and installing (especially with mobile data access).
- Launching.
- Signing up and logging in.
- Getting started with the content.
Pricing
Even if you do choose to make software for one OS only, be ready for some extra expenses. Most of the programmers tend to learn languages that allow cross-platform development. It just makes them more universal and flexible workers and provides them with more career opportunities.
That, in turn, creates a scarcity of coders who specialize in native languages. This, obviously, makes their services more expensive, thus decreasing the cost-effectiveness of your project.
Time
As mentioned earlier, programs that are designed for a particular OS tend to work better. But that also requires a bigger amount of what is needed for each stage of the project.
So, if you’re creating OS-specific software for each platform, you’ll need twice or three times more time. It is explained by the fact that cross-platform development is always faster as it utilizes only one cycle of the process.
Final Words
As explained in this article, choosing the native development for your app isn’t always the best decision. Each company needs to do deep research and consider all their requirements and circumstances. Because making a wrong choice, in this case, can lead to huge losses and even bankruptcy.
