5 Best Hybrid App Development Framework - Appzure

These days working on a hybrid mobile application makes the work of mobile app developers a lot easier as they are able to write code once and create mobile applications which run on multiple mobile platforms with no additional efforts. The mobile application can run on iOS and Android and this code can be further used for web applications and even desktop applications as well. 

In this post, we will discuss 5 best hybrid app development frameworks currently used by many businesses and mobile app development companies.

Xamarin is a Californian based software company which is owned by Microsoft. It was founded in the year 2011 and provides a cross-platform implementation of Common Language Specifications(CLS) and Common Language Infrastructure(CLI).

Xamarin has a C# shared codebase, app developers can use tools of Xamarin to write codes for native apps in iOS, Android, and Windows with their native user interface and allows to share codes across multiple mobile platforms including MacOS, and Windows. Xamarin is one of the top hybrid app development framework. Moreover, it saves the time regarding tools, re-utilizing abilities, codes, and most importantly the team. In addition, with Xamarin app developers can influence an array of Android and Xamarin APIs as well as design new experience using current Android SDK.

Here are some of the pros and cons of Xamarin: 

Pros

• Xamarin has the backing of one of the biggest tech giants globally: Microsoft.

• With help of Xamarin, you can easily run tests on 2000 devices. Meaning that there is lower time to market.

• 70% of the code in Xamarin can be reused between Android and iOS. Meaning that it has low development costs.

• With Xamarin you are getting the same level of performance from a natively developed mobile app.

• Xamarin is a right development platform for those, who require platform-specific functionality in their mobile apps.

Cons

• Xamarin business licensing fees cost starts from 999$ which is a huge amount for many developing companies.

• Xamarin supports only specific technological components which are available in its library.  

• Xamarin developer community is relatively small. Meaning that it is very less popular.

• Xamarin’s code cannot be reused in HTML5 apps or native mobile apps.

• Apps developed using Xamarin framework are complicated to allow smooth integration.

PhoneGap

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• PhoneGap is one of the most popular hybrid app development framework for developing cross-platform mobile applications. This framework is developed by a team who designed Apache Cordova. PhoneGap is an open source framework. It allows app developers to reuse current web development skills to develop hybrid applications using HTML, CSS, and Javascript for multiple mobile platforms using single codebase for reaching the target audience no matter which device or platform they are using.
  
  The core of PhoneGap application uses HTML5 and CSS3 for rendering and Javascript for the logic. HTML5 provides access for underlying hardware such as camera, GPS, and much more. However, web browser support for HTML5 based devices is inconsistent when it comes to mobile browsers particularly older versions of mobile platforms. For overcoming these limitations, PhoneGap integrates HTML5 code inside native WebView of a device, with the help of foreign function interface for accessing native resources of it.
  
  
  PhoneGap can also be extended using native plugins, which allows app developers to add more functionalities which can be called using Javascript, by making it communicate directly between a native app and HTML5 page. All these plugins allow access to device’s camera, file system, microphone, and much more.
  
  
  Here are the pros and cons of PhoneGap:
  
  
  Pros
  • Anyone possessing skills of coding in HTML5, CSS, or Javascript can do the PhoneGap app development.
  • Provides compatibility with iOS, Windows, Android, and mobile web browsers.
  • There is no requirement for testing a cross-platform app which is created in PhoneGap. Because it only focuses on UI only.
  
  
  Cons
  • Performance of mobile app created using PhoneGap is not so brilliant.
  • PhoneGap lacks UI widgets.  
    
    
    • Ionic
  
  
  
  
  
  Ionic is an open-source hybrid app development framework. It is built on Apache Cordova and Angular.JS, Ionic provides various services and tools for developing hybrid apps using various web technologies like HTML5, CSS3, and Sass. Apps in this framework can be developed using all the above-mentioned web technologies and then can distribute through native app stores to be installed on devices leveraged by Cordova.
  
  
  Ionic provides over 120 native feature for various devices like HealthKit, Bluetooth, Fingerprint Authentication and much more with PhoneGap plugins and other TypeScript extensions. Moreover, in Ionic app developers can develop apps by using Live Reload because it helps them to redeploy and compile at every step of development. In addition, Ionic provides other great features like AOT compiling, deep linking, and Ionic native.
  
  
  Here are some of the pros and cons of the Ionic framework:
  Pros
  • With Ionic, you can develop an app once and deploy it across various mobile platforms like Windows, iOS, and Android.
  • With the help of Angular.JS, it creates a powerful SDK, for creating rich and robust applications.
  • The Ionic framework focuses on HTML, CSS, and Javascript to allow quick development, minimum maintenance, and low costs.
  Cons 
  

  •  The in-app performance is not swift as these applications are developed natively for various mobile platforms.
  • The use of Angular.JS demands that developers need to have special skills for developing complex apps.
  • Developing in-app navigation can be a little complex, as UI-route is quite complex to implement at present.
  
  
  
  
  Framework7 is an open source and free mobile HTML framework for developing hybrid mobile apps or web apps for both Android and iOS mobile platforms with the native feel and look. It also provides indispensable app tools to show the working of an app as soon as possible in case required.
  
  
  The main aim of Framework7 is to give an opportunity to budding app developers to create apps for iOS and Android using HTML, CSS, and Javascript very easily. This framework completely focuses on iOS flat design and Google material design to bring best experience and simplicity.
  
  
  Some of the useful features of Framework7 are scrolling natively, caching, browsing history, preloading, multiple view support and much more.
  
  
  Here are the pros and cons of framework7:
  
  
  Pros
  • Framework7 is very easy to customize.
  • Framework7 helps in creating a native application which contains animations, without using complex frameworks like Angular or React.js.
  • Framework7 comes with many UI widgets and elements for developing feature-riched hybrid apps.
  Cons 
  
  

  • It does not support other mobile app framework builders like Xamarin or PhoneGap.
  • It is not compatible with all mobile platforms.
  • To start developing apps using Framework7. It is compulsory to use the integrated Framework7 MVC framework.
  
  React Native:   
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  The main purpose of the React Native framework is to build native mobile apps, instead of developing hybrid mobile apps which run in a web-view. However, the development is still completely done using React and JavaScript. This framework is not customized for beginners in website development, but its huge developer community will help developers in every part of the way. The latest version of this framework also have support for Android, so now you can also have real cross-platform mobile apps.
  
  
  Here are the pros and cons of React Native:
  
  
  Pros
  • React Native is one framework for multiple mobile platforms. It allows copying codebase between iOS and Android.
  • With hot reloading app, developers can make changes in make quickly without any need to save them.
  • React Native provides various ready-to-apply components which can speed-up the development process.
  Cons 
  
  

  • React Native lacks navigation components to provide the seamless user experience.
  • Despite being matured, React Native lacks in some of the components.
  • There such things in React Native for which native developers are required like access to device sensors, push-notification or camera.  
  If you are looking for a mobile application and hybrid mobile app development company, then AppZure will be the best option for you. The company provides complete mobile app design and development solutions. The solutions are backed by the use of latest tools and techniques to provide the engaging mobile apps for a variety of business verticals.
  Wrapping Up
  
  
  These are some best mobile app development frameworks which can be used to develop hybrid mobile applications. You can clearly see that each of the above-mentioned frameworks on this list has some pros and cons. You can compare these above-mentioned frameworks and choose the best according to your app development requirements.
  To read more article related about mobile app development please refer:

  https://appzureblog.wordpress.com