How to Develop Cross-Platform Apps That Scale: A Strategic Guide

Quick Run-Up: In today’s highly connective era, applications are evolving as an indispensable aspect of our lives. And with the help of apps, businesses can easily connect with their target audience. Hence, cross-platform app development allows building apps that function seamlessly across multiple platforms. This blog will help you understand the distinct aspects of this app development approach.

In today’s ever-changing app development landscape, organizations should focus their digital presence on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Furthermore, budget restrictions often hamper the adoption of native apps. And this is where cross-platform app development comes into play. Organizations usually prefer this when seeking the best approach, as it provides an excellent hold on Android, iOS, and Windows platforms.

Here, this platform-agnostic approach plays a significant role by building applications with same codebase that functions on multiple platforms. A savior indeed!

According to Persistence Market Research, the global cross-platform app development framework market will value around USD 546.7 billion by 2033. Exceptional, isn't it?

Hence, in this article, we'll dig into the nitty-gritty of cross-platform app development.

Interested? So, let’s start now!

What is Cross-Platform App Development?

Cross-platform app development refers to building a digital product that operates on multiple operating systems, like Windows, iOS, and Android.

Instead of building different versions of apps for every platform, developers can seamlessly create apps that operate on a single platform with a single codebase. Given that it follows the philosophy “write once, run everywhere,” this accelerates the overall development process and helps your app develop in minimal time-to-market. Simply stated, developing a multi-platform app is like creating a single app that you can use on multiple devices.

Advantages of Cross-Platform App Development

The following are some significant benefits of cross-platform app development:

1. Reduced Development Cost

The cross-platform app development is based on the ‘write once, run everywhere' philosophy. Also, agile development processes, tools, and reusable codes help minimize development costs. Hence, there is no better option than this approach to optimize businesses on multiple platforms cost-efficiently.

2. Best Exposure to the Target Audience

Deploying the best cross-platform app development frameworks allows organizations to create and deploy an app over multiple platforms and the web. Therefore, building a single app targeting Android and iOS platforms maximizes their reach.

3. Rapid Development Process

The rapid app development process is another gratifying situation for building these multi-platform apps. Developers can use single source code for different platforms, helping to minimize development efforts by up to 80%. The fast process also helps develop an advanced business app in less time.

4. Easy Maintenance and Deployment

A single and inclusive application is compatible with running on multiple platforms. So, opting for this approach makes deploying and maintaining the code as per different changes effortless. Developers can synchronize the updates over other devices and platforms. Moreover, if there is any bug in the shared codebase, you only need to fix it once. Thereby, it helps developers save a lot of time and money.

5. Integration with Cloud

Cross-platform apps are versatile and incorporate multiple plug-ins into cloud computing settings. Simply stated, the single source code is interconnected with different extensions and plug-ins to optimize the app’s functionality and scalability.

Best Cross-Platform App Development Frameworks

An ideal framework makes developing cross-platform applications feel like a piece of cake. The best frameworks include:

1. React Native

When developing applications, most providers use React Native, as it is one of the best cross-platform development frameworks. It was initially developed by Facebook.

• Programming Language: JavaScript.
• Best Examples: Microsoft Office, Skype, Xbox Game Pass, Meta’s Facebook
• Features: Hot reloading, Native Performance, Fast Refresh, UI focused

2. Xamarin

Xamarin provides the same functionality as Ionic; however, it is usually utilized by .NET developers as it’s created on top of the .NET groundwork.

• Programming Language: C#
• Best Examples: Alaska Airlines, Captio, Storyo, Novarum DX
• Features: Xamarin consulting, Code sharing, Easy maintenance, Code reusability

3. PhoneGap

PhoneGap is the good option for multi-platform app development that lets developers utilize JavaScript, CSS3, and HTML5 to create applications for Android and iOS devices with minimal effort.

• Programming Language: JavaScript
• Best Examples: Untappd, PayPal Here, Nike Training Club, The Force
• Features: Open source, Powerful backend, Easy plugins, Development Agility

4. Flutter

Flutter is one of the best cross-platform app development frameworks, as it's an open-source SDK used for developing top-notch Android and iOS apps from a single codebase.

• Programming Language: Dart
• Best Examples: Reflectly, Philips Hue, Google Ads, Xianyu
• Features: Hot reload, Graphical widget, Access to native features, Internationalization

5. Ionic

Ionic is one of the most popular front-end frameworks that enables application development using JavaScript, CSS, and HTML. You can use this framework to build Android, iOS, and Windows apps.

• Programming Language: JavaScript.
• Best Examples: T-Mobile, BBC (Children's & Education apps), EA Games
• Features: Useful native plugins, Cordova plugins, Cost-effective, Easy testing

6. Native Script

NativeScript is an open-source, cross-platform framework that enables developers to write programs in any language, such as C#, AngularJS, TypeScript, JavaScript, etc., and then compile them into applications for Android and iOS.

• Programming Language: JavaScript, TypeScript.
• Best Examples: Daily Nanny, Strudel, Breethe
• Features: Live Reload, Synchronization, Angular 8 support, Access to Native APIs and Plugins

Limitations to Cross-Platform Application Development

When opting for cross-platform app development services, you can face some significant obstacles, too. So, if you're planning to leverage this approach, consider the following points:

1. Update Takes Time - Cross-platform frameworks consume time to upgrade and support new and advanced features compared to native apps, which are upgraded immediately after Google or Apple introduces them.

2. Poorer User Experience - You can use a single codebase for both platforms, so app developers cannot experience any advantage of platform-specific functionalities such as 3D effects, animations, or enhanced graphics.

3. Low-Quality Images - Cross-platform application development provides graphics whose quality is not as good as those used in natively built programs. You'll be unable to access the core libraries of OS graphics. So, if you want an app that relies on visuals, we suggest you reconsider.

4. Reduced Productivity - Developing hybrid apps integrates native and non-native elements that eventually might slow up apps due to the inconsistent communication and extra abstraction layer between platforms.

5. Lack of Performance – These apps run efficiently on multiple platforms; however, they lack performance quality compared to apps built natively for specific platforms.

Native vs. Hybrid vs. Cross-Platform: A Quick Difference

To choose the ideal option among the different development platforms available, it's essential to understand the fundamental difference between developing cross-platform, hybrid, and native apps. Every approach comes with its specific set of advantages, features, and multiple factors to consider, depending on the limitations and demands of your project. Let's now understand their significant differences through this brief table:

Best Practices for Cross-Platform App Development

When developing cross-platform apps, you need to consider some factors. And mentioned below are a few tips and tricks:

1. Make Your App Aesthetically Appealing - The look and feel of your app is the initial thing that will draw users in. Also, aesthetically captivating applications will help enhance user engagement. To guarantee that your code runs efficiently, you must adjust each typeface.

2. Conduct Thorough Research - It is essential to conduct thorough market research as it provides you with significant details of user requirements and a credible app development cost. Also, while conducting market research, keep your consumers in mind and develop cross-platform apps that care for the user’s pain points.

3. Use Pre-Assembled Components - You can quickly reduce production time and enhance quality and productivity by integrating ready-made modules when developing the app. The expert app developers can easily understand what Android users or iOS consumers need from an app. So, remember that these apps should be seamless and streamlined with each platform.

4. Carry Out Rigorous Testing - Before publishing the app, ensure that every software component is up to the mark, including the performance, loading speed, and design. Hence, when developing multi-platform apps for business, the app needs thorough software testing.

Cross-Platform App Development Cost Estimation

The overall cross-platform app development cost depends on the crucial aspects of your app, like design, features, integrations, and functionalities. And as you know, the more advanced your app, the higher the app development cost will be.

• A basic app usually ranges from $15,000 to $30,000 or even more. An MVP integrates basic features and standard UI like search, in-app purchase, user profile, login, etc. depending on your needs.
• Developing medium-complex apps costs between $25,000 and $45,000 or even more. These apps integrate basic features along with some additional features and functionalities like geo-tracking, social login, and more.
• Advanced apps might cost you somewhere between $40,000 to $100,000 or more. These apps are integrated with complex, advanced features you can think of. Moreover, you cannot build these apps using a DIY approach; it's necessary to hire experts for this.

Future of Cross-Platform App Development

In these fast-tech times, we can always expect cross-platform application development to evolve and optimize. Here, we've tried to cover top software development trends shaping the future of this approach:

1. Internet of Things (IoT) - Integrating IoT technology helps you provide a seamless user experience. It assists in app development and connects with different devices.

2. Low-Code and No-Code Platforms - This enables developers to develop apps with the most minor coding, making the overall development process more accessible and faster.

3. Artificial Intelligence (AI) - AI tools are potent options for developing cross-platform apps. It can help developers with app testing and personalization.

4. Cloud Technologies - Cloud-based app development helps with seamless maintenance, security, and scalability. It enables developers to focus on app features and functionalities.

Craft Top Cross-Platform Apps with Radixweb!In conclusion, cross-platform app development is among the best choices for organizations as it acquires MVP or a fast proof of concept and provides software solutions to users covering all the devices possible. It's also an ideal option for businesses that don’t want to hire development teams specialized in native platforms and are on a strict schedule and budget. In this regard, if your in-house team doesn't have the know-how of the best cross-platform app development frameworks, the best option is to outsource the app development services to Radixweb.And being in the IT industry for more than 25 years, our experts are proficient in developing top-notch cross-platform apps and empowering startups and enterprises worldwide. We acquire global expertise to enhance client experiences and provide organizations with the best from their digital channels. Also, joining hands with us will help you save costs significantly, speed up operations, and expand user engagement.Contact us to learn more about our app development services.