While developing any Mobile App the first question comes in mind is to choose which technology to be used, Native or Hybrid, which will be the best for this particular app according to its features. There is a wide range of technologies available for developing a mobile app which decides whether you are developing a Native app or Hybrid app.
What is the difference between Hybrid and Native Mobile App
The first thing to mention talking about the difference between native and hybrid apps.
Native Application:
The Native ones are developed for a specific platform like iOS or Android. Diving deeper into technical peculiarities we should mention that native apps are built with programming languages that are officially supported by the platform. For Android, those languages are Java and Kotlin, while for iOS Objective-C and Swift.
Hybrid Application:
They are created with the help of web technologies like JavaScript, CSS, and HTML that are combined together. So technically, hybrid apps are websites put into a native app to look and function just like them. However, hybrid apps leverage cross-platform capabilities and use one code base to cover multiple platforms on the contrary to native applications. Both native and hybrid apps can be distributed through the official marketplaces like App Store and Google Play.
Advantages of Native App Development
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Smooth Performance
In native mobile app development, we have to do coding for different platforms using different programming language specific to each operating system.
So, we have different versions of a single application specially made for each platform. Being specific to that operating system, it runs smoothly over it.
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Speed
Considering the application has been optimized for iOS or Android OS, it will achieve higher marks in speed and performance tests.
While developing native apps, everything is considered including the utilization of the memory and the battery.
It is also very easy in native app development to implement gestures support for the app and integrate new functions.
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User Experience
It is very important for mobile apps to make that good impression in order to not get deleted immediately after installing them.
In native apps, the feel and experience are much better with better scrolling, specific gesture recognition, profound effects and animations, much more appealing elements and so on.
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Data Protection & Security
In order to protect your data, full efficiency of hardware resources are required and that is only possible in native app development.
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Flexibility
Native apps offer fast access to inbuilt device utilities like the camera, GPS, calendar, microphone, and other functions of the smartphone.
However, hybrid app development has certain limitations while constructing the interface because one single app will be used on multiple platforms.
In native apps, without any restrictions, everything can be implemented that the technology has to offer.
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Personalization
With so many Android devices available in the market with different screen sizes, only native app development is the way of adjusting the layout on each of them.
Disadvantages of Native App Development
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Development Time
Native apps need more time to develop as compared to hybrid apps.
Creating and implementing the design for every device dimensions like numerous varieties of Android, iPhones, tablets etc takes longer to complete the app.
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Development Cost
Developers usually have specialization in a single platform, be it iOS, Android or any other. In building a native app, you will need as many development teams as the platforms you want the app to be created on.
Multiple development teams imply multiple budgets. Also, future changes or updates will draw costs multiplied by the number of teams.
Advantages of Hybrid App Development
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Decreased Cost of Development
If you are budget-centric, app development occurs only once for all the platforms (Android, iOS, Windows) and you don’t need to hire different programmers.
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Maintenance
As we already know hybrid apps are web apps incorporated in a native shell, so its content can be updated as many times as you need or want. So, hybrid apps have low maintenance.
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Shorter Time to Market
How quickly do you want your app to go live? As there is a high competition in the market and the same idea being pitched by more than one entrepreneur, you want to introduce your app to the target audience as quickly as possible. If that’s the case, then you should go for the Hybrid App.
Disadvantages of Hybrid App Development
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Performance
Hybrid apps add an extra layer between the source code and the target mobile platform. It can result in loss of performance but it varies from application to application.
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Debugging
The extra layer from hybrid development framework also makes debugging a bigger affair. Developers have to rely on the framework itself to play nicely with the targeted operating system without introducing any new bugs in the app.
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User Experience
As compared to native app development, it is difficult to maintain a proper user experience between the Android and iOS app. If you focus more on iOS, the user experience would worsen for Android.
Overall considering the facts here, Native app development is always preferred while developing a reliable, complex apps but if the desired app is with not so complex functionalities then Hybrid/Cross-Platform will work out for you if you are budget-centric, app development occurs only once for all the platforms (Android, iOS, Windows) and you don’t need to hire different programmers.
“The biggest mistake we’ve made as a company is betting on HTML5 over native.” by Mark Zuckerberg (Founder of Facebook)
Facebook migrated its mobile app from HTML5 to native clearly indicates a significant difference as far as enterprise applications are concerned.
The team Signature Software Lab providing the implementation of Native and Hybrid Mobile Applications. We have experienced both technologies and delivered successfully more than 30 applications. I hope this information will help you choose the best.
About Signature Software Lab:
One of the most effective Web And Mobile Application Development Company, Located in Kerala. Here we provide for you with CMS development as well as mobile application development, web application, website design, and custom software development.