First of all, it is important to define what each term means:
Native Development – This is when an application is built using a specific tool and language (Swift or Kotlin) for a specific platform.
Cross-Platform Development – This involves a shared code base for both iOS and Android (using frameworks like Flutter or React Native), allowing you to create versions for both platforms by writing a single application.
It's important to understand that there is no universally convenient option, and the choice depends on the requirements of the application.
Native Development
Native development is considered the more traditional approach for creating applications for iOS (Swift) or Android (Kotlin). In this case, the team works on two separate applications simultaneously and maintains them separately.
Factors for Choosing Native Development:
- Specific requirements for application characteristics or functions:
- Application Size – Native development results in a smaller final application size compared to cross-platform, which includes additional components from external libraries.
- Modern Technologies – Frameworks may lag behind in technology advancements and thus have limited functions compared to the newest technologies like VR/AR. All new features first appear in native languages and are later adapted by frameworks.
- Low-Level Development – Frameworks act as intermediaries between the developer and the platform, making low-level function access impossible. Only native development allows direct access to features like the compass, gyroscope, Face ID, encryption, or other built-in hardware functions.
- Performance – Access to low-level functions and direct interaction with the device enables deeper optimization and faster performance.
- Large budget for development
- Specific functionality required for different platforms
Examples of Applications Developed Natively:
- High-performance applications (browsers, games, AR/VR, editors)
- Applications using built-in functions (video/audio recording, health tracking, finance, government services, messengers)
Cross-Platform Development
Cross-platform development is used when the application does not have specific performance requirements, and the project budget is limited, allowing for time and cost savings in development and easier maintenance.
Factors for Choosing Cross-Platform Development:
- Unified application for both platforms
- Lower development costs and time
- Simplified post-release maintenance
- Development using frameworks
Examples of Applications Developed with Cross-Platform:
- Applications not requiring special functions or performance (e.g., stores)
- Informational applications (advertising, branded)
- Low-budget applications
Conclusion
The logical and natural distribution of mobile applications shows that the majority are native, followed by cross-platform. Native application development, though more complex, allows for solving tasks regardless of their complexity and supports the continuous development and expansion of the application. The limitations imposed by cross-platform solutions significantly reduce their share, as functionality and performance are usually prioritized.
When faced with the decision of choosing a development method, the primary step is to define the functional requirements and performance needs of the future application. In most cases, you will find several reasons to opt for native development. However, if your application does not use device functions directly and does not require high performance, you can simplify and expedite the task by choosing a cross-platform option and, if necessary, refining it natively to create a hybrid.
In large companies, there are often already established teams of developers for different platforms, making it simpler for them to develop and grow a native application without any constraints.