Cross Platform Hybrid Mobile App Development Tools

The world of internet is always changing. The term “Internet of Things” has reshaped the way we live now and companies are no exception. Gone are the days of using a single channel for work flow; most of the businesses rely on multiple devices and platforms to stay connected and manage operations.

Owing to the ever-evolving needs of the clients, businesses are going mobile which means their market offering are available on the go.

Real-time and cross platform functionality are two of the most common factors while companies choose to have a dynamic mobile app for their business.

Cross platform mobile app development is on the rise and there are numerous tools that can be used for their development.

What are cross platform apps and why they are preferred?

Before we go in the details of such tools, let’s just discover what cross platform mobile apps are. Cross platform mobile apps, by definition, are those apps which are capable of running on multiple platforms.

They can be compatible with various mobile operating systems hence they are preferred over native apps which only run on a single platform. Greater market coverage, lesser development costs, dynamic functionality and enhanced manageability are some of the factors that make cross platform mobile apps a popular option for businesses.

Common tools for cross platform app development

Java, launched in the 90s, quickly became a popular programming language and development suite with its motto “Build Once, Run Anywhere”. Extending the legacy of Java, a number of companies rolled out mobile app development tools and solutions. Today, a series of mobile app development tools is available which can be categorized into the following categories:

• Code less Tools: Commonly used for basic and rapid app development, these are the tools used by power users and app developers.
• Mobile Web: Powered by JavaScript and HTML, these tools are used for low cost web solutions.
• Cross Platform Developer: These are the tools that use an advanced multi-paradigm programming language such as C# (pronounced as C sharp) for cross platform app development solutions.

Options available for cross platform app mobile development tools

Among the aforementioned categories of mobile app development tools available, the third category focuses on cross platform app development. Following are some of the tools that you can use for an effective and professional cross platform app development.

Xamarin

Xamarin is one of leading business-ready cross platform mobile app development solution providers. Enabled through C#, their solutions are widely popular and are used by a number of professionals.

PhoneGap

Owned by Adobe, PhoneGap is a free cross platform mobile app development tool and is probably the most popular of all.

Appcelerator

An enterprise-focused cross platform app development solution, Appcelerator presents a blend of JavaScript and its signature Alloy MVC framework. It offers a virtual private cloud for companies that deal in sensitive data and hence is one of the most desired tools.

Ionic

Ionic is another promising HTML 5 mobile application framework which has been by built using SASS. It offers a variety of UI constituents which aid in developing highly responsive and interactive applications. The apps developed by Ionic are powered by JavaScript MVVM framework, AngularJS. One of the main reasons to why mobile developers prefer Angular JS is because of the API’s and two-way binding data MVVM framework with backend services. The look, feel and UI interaction are the core essences which the Ionic developers work on while building an application. Ionic can be freely used by individuals or companies for various projects as it is an open source SDK that has been released under a MIT licence.

MobileFirst by IBM

IBM’s Mobile First is a complement of products which help in building and providing applications for your enterprise. Mobile developers can use HTML 5 functions and additionally enhance the mechanisms and features that are vital to the organizations of today. Some of these imperative conveniences are offline authentication, encryption of locally stored data, combined HTML 5 and native coding, third party library integration with frameworks like Jquery, Sencha Touch and more.

5App

A relatively new entrant in the field of app development solutions, 5App provides you 2 options; an app building tool and a BYOD management tool. App building tool uses JavaScript and HTML5 to make cross platform mobile apps while BYOD management tool allows you to create internally curated apps for the use of employees.

Sencha

Among other mobile solutions, Sencha Animator and Sencha Architect are two of the most popular cross platform app development tools. The company’s HTML5-centric approach makes its apps compatible with a variety of platforms and devices. With its clients ranging from Samsung to Google, Sencha is one of the most sought-after companies.

The final word

Choosing a cross platform app development tool is a tricky business and depends on a number of factors. These include the size of the company, budget and funds involved in the development, sensitivity of the information an app is supposed to handle, speed of delivery and overall business goals. The decision of leveraging a tool for cross platform app development should be made after thorough examination of each factor.

Businesses, ranging from multinationals to small and medium sized enterprises, are relying on multiple mobile solutions for their operations and communication.

Cross platform mobile apps prove to be a promising solution for the ever-evolving business needs. For any business, the decision of deploying a cross platform mobile app development tool is not easy.

PhoneGap, Xamarin, 5App, SAP, Sencha and Appcelerator are the most popular cross platform app development tools. Mobile app development tools, being a highly volatile market should be examined carefully before any business decides to pick a particular cross platform mobile app development tool.

About the Author

Priya Panwar is a Technical SEO at Hopinfirst, a leading mobile app development company which provide best ios app development and Android app development Services.