The native app, a hybrid app, or a web app - what app development approach to chose? This question is rather debatable while each variant has its pros and cons. At the same time, all of these options are progressing. For instance, the introduction of a Progressive Web App or React Native framework shuffled all cards. This begins to blur the lines, making the right app development decision complicated.
These days, mobile apps are a business instrument that acts as another communication and sales channel with clients. Thus, it is necessary to build a product that performs very well so that your app may succeed.
This article compares the unique aspects of native app development vs hybrid app, as well as native vs web app. After reading, you will be able to decide whether native app development is the right fit for you or whether hybrid or web apps are worth a shot in your project idea, startup, or business.
What is Native App Development?
Native App Meaning
Let’s first clarify the meaning of a native app. A native vs hybrid app is an application developed to fully comply with the requirements and guidelines of a particular operating system. In native app development, apps are built separately for each operating platform. Native vs hybrid app development benefits from complete unity with the device and its features, namely camera, contact list, GPS, etc..
Native applications are downloaded from app stores directly to the mobile device. They are launched without any external help from other tools or browsers, and they store data right in the gadget’s memory or in a cloud service.
Native App Development Tools & Technologies
Binary is a language understood only by computers, while native apps are developed with the help of a native programming language. Native apps compile a native code to run on a specific processor (e.g. Intel x86-class) and a set of commands.
The developer uses:
- SDK (software development kit), a predetermined set of dev tools
- IDE (integrated development background)
This allows the creation of a native app for a given operating system easier. Android and iOS are the two main operating systems with the greatest popularity (99.6%) in the mobile app market (WinPhone and Blackberry - alternative OS).
- Android OS - the most popular, designed by Google for touchscreen mobile devices. It uses Java or Kotlin programing language for native app development.
Definition of Java
The Android Development Kit, along with Android SDK, is used in native app development for Android. These tools provide the necessary libraries and headers for building native app functionality, managing user inputs, using sensors and other device hardware, etc.
Java is a very popular programming language; over 9 million native Android app developers worldwide use it to write their code.
- User and designer-friendly (it is relatively simple, it is vibrant by nature and in behavior)
- Object-oriented (with Java, native app developers can create modular programs and reusable code, which further simplifies development)
- Robust (Java is a reliable language that allows the performance of thorough, early checks for any potential errors)
- Secure (safe Java programming helps protect users from hostile programs)
At the same, Kotlin is gaining more popularity in native mobile app development. All in all, Java facilitates native application development for Android, as well as Kotlin has been doing in recent years.
- iOS - created by Apple Inc. solely for its hardware;uses Objective-C or, currently, Swift as a programming language in native iOS app development.
Definition of Swift
Swift is a general-purpose programming language with a modern approach to performance, safety, and software patterns for mobile application design.
The major advantages of Swift are:
- Safety (Swift is a safety-oriented programming language that catches developer mistakes before software moves to production)
- Speed (fast performance of this native programming language is predictable and consistent)
- Expressiveness (modern features of this programming language are always advancing in order to deliver the best experience and performance possible to the developers; tools like web-based REPL, or Swift-based playgrounds in Xcode, make programming a lot more powerful).
Here are some additional details about native iOS development:
Let's cover the many positive sides to native app development:
- Smooth work, fast operating speed, and flawless performance. The native vs hybrid app is built for a specific OS and take full advantage of the processing speed of the device.
- Great design and user experience possibilities. For instance, the implementation of sophisticated UX/UI design and animation
- Native app UI allows users to understand navigation within the app more quickly
- Good integration with the hardware of the device (e.g. camera, GPS, phone, touch screen)
- Easy to launch in the App Store. When it comes to the question of native vs hybrid app or a mobile web app, native applications follow the OS (Android or iOS) guidelines completely
- Better security & reliability (apps developed natively are checked and approved by the App Store)
- Easy to implement new sophisticated features that the market demands (AI, VR, AR, IoT, etc.) in native vs hybrid app
- Ability to operate offline. Internet connection is necessary if there is corresponding functionality required for native app development
- SDK for developers. It provides half-ready, regularly updated solutions and libraries that interact properly with a given operating system.
To conclude, native apps look and feel great, and operate very well, which leads to better user experience, customer satisfaction, and retention rates.
On the other hand, there are some factors you need to consider before you make a decision regarding native app development.
Disadvantages of Native App Development
Cons of Native App vs Hybrid App
The major cons of native mobile app development:
- High initial investment. With native vs hybrid app, you either cut off half of the market and concentrate on one platform (at least in the beginning) or develop a native application for each platform separately.
- Good-quality development team. You need a team of skilled developers with wider specialization to build a top-notch app that will conquer the hearts of your target audience.
- The maintenance and update costs grow proportionally to the line of supported OS devices in native app development.
- Require constant updates to keep up with the current OS versions.
- The app content is not available via search engines. A user can access the content in the native app vs web app once it has been downloaded.
- Both the Apple App Store and Google Play get a 30% commission from every in-app payment.
- Users of different devices could be using different versions of the app, which can complicate maintenance.
Benefits of a Native App Development
Native App Examples with Logo
To start, it is vital to understand when it is best to choose native app development. Overall, it is currently a popular solution chosen by many well-known apps. Native app examples are:
Google Maps, LinkedIn, Twitter, Telegram, PokemonGo, etc. These examples have both native Android and iOS apps.
Since a mobile device is, naturally, with us every moment, the expectations for its operation are high. It has been revealed that around 80% of consumers will try to use an app only once, and even the slightest app underperformance will likely discourage future use.
Thus, if you plan to develop an app in a competitive sector, the decision to go with native app development. As well, if you have an app idea that is unique and for which the niche is free, native vs hybrid app approach provides value directly from the start.
In this scenario, the creation of an MVP (the first version) is a great decision. It typically takes 3-6 months to create a secure native application with a good design and top app performance. As well, consider the platform on which to build your application: iOS, Android, or both, with regard to the budget and business strategy.
Once you receive user feedback, you can easily change, adapt, and customize the native app, and add more features based on market needs. This helps to stay in line with technological advancements and progress.
To summarize, it is advisable to choose native app development:
- when high app performance is necessary
- in order to keep up with competitors in instances of similar app ideas or markets
- when the app market niche is unoccupied, start with unique first product version (MVP).
- when time is on your side and it is possible to plan everything in advance and wait 6 months before a native app launch
- if you plan to scale and update the app on a constant basis.
In contrast to native apps, which have no subcategories, there are different kinds of hybrid apps out there. As mentioned earlier, native vs hybrid app is developed for one specific operating mobile app platform (iOS, Android) with the help of a particular programming language.
Hybrid applications work across different platforms. Hybrid mobile apps that are created for an Apple iPhone will also operate on an Android smartphone. Therefore, a hybrid app is a combination of a native and a web app. It is characterized as a website at its center and a native app as its external sheath.
The distinct difference between a native vs hybrid app is that the latter is developed with the help of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Then it is given a thin native shell with WebView to access the native app system functionality.
Thus, it is no wonder that some of the most well-known apps go for hybrid development as opposed to native or web apps. Examples of companies that decided on hybrid app vs native are Amazon, Evernote, and Netflix.
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