Cross-platform application
Cross-platform application is an application that can run on various operating systems.
After writing the application code, it can be deployed on different devices and platforms without worrying about incompatibility issues. This is a universal approach that is widely used to save time and money on development. Specialized cross-platform frameworks are often used for this.
Advantages of cross-platform applications
- One code is available for reuse on other platforms.
- Cross-platform application development is cost-effective.
- Simple and fast deployment.
- Cross-platform applications cover a wider audience.
- Cross-platform applications allow the same interface and UX.
Disadvantages of cross-platform application development
- They are not as flexible as native applications.
- Possible UI inconsistency in different platforms. For example, each system has its own requirements for the design of UI elements. In certain cases, these requirements may be mutually exclusive.
- Sending cross—platform Apps to the relevant stores may have difficulties due to the different requirements for the products presented at them.
Native applications
Native applications are designed for a specific hardware and software platform and written in languages created for this platform.
For example, native languages for Android are Java and Kotlin, for iOS, respectively, Swift and Objective-C.
Native Apps are created specifically to be run on some target platform — with support for all native technologies and hardware capabilities of a particular platform.
Advantages of native applications
- High performance.
- Maximum use of the platform's capabilities.
Disadvantages of native application development
- The high cost and time spent on development.
- Incompatibility with another operating system.
- Developing applications focused on only one platform can lead to missed opportunities. Especially if other platforms are not taken into account in advance.