Mobile devices have become an indispensable part of modern life. With the steady increase in the popularity of mobile devices, the focus is on mobile apps and their development. One of the key aspects of mobile apps development is the determination of the development approach, i.e. whether it will be native or HTML5 or Hybrid app development. Each of these three approaches have their own pros and cons.
Let us take a look at which is the best option for your mobile app development –Native vs HTML5 vs Hybrid :
Native Mobile Apps :
A native app is an application program that is developed for use on a specific platform (Android, iOS, Windows etc.) or device. It can be downloaded and installed directly on the particular system for which it has been developed. It has the ability to take advantage of the operating system features and other software that are installed on that platform. It can use device-specific hardware and software. A native app, depending on its specific nature, may or may not require internet connectivity.
Some of the advantages of native apps are:
Performance: Native apps are the fastest and offer the best performance. They are the most secure and dependable options when considered for a specific platform.
Utility of mobile components: Native apps possess the ability to utilize the underlying device hardware and software, such as the camera, microphone, address book, etc.
User Interface: Native apps are designed to have a consistent look and feel with respect to the specific platform for which they are built.
Native apps are among the most popular mobile apps. But the weakness lies in the fact that a native app is built for a specific platform or device and so, its utility is restricted to that platform or device. Also, it is an expensive option in terms of development cost.
HTML5 Mobile Apps
An HTML5 app is an application program that utilises web technologies such as HTML5, JavaScript and CSS. The HTML5 apps follow the write-once-run-anywhere approach of application development. This means they are developed as cross-platform mobile applications that have the ability to function on multiple platforms and devices. Since the utility of HTML5 apps are not restricted to a single platform, they are devoid of many of the specialized features that are found in the devise-specific native apps.
Some of the advantages of HTML5 apps are:
Functionality: HTML5 apps have the ability to function across various devices and platforms. An HTML5 app is actually a webpage that is designed to function on small screens, irrespective of the hardware or software framework of the device.
Development: HTML5 apps can be developed quickly and easily. The testing and deployment time as well as the cost of development for such apps is also low.
Support: HTML5 apps offer easy distribution and support features. For instance, if a need arises to add a new feature or fix a bug in an HTML5 app, it can be done in an easier and faster manner than can be done for native apps.
HTML5 apps are great for use across multiple platforms and devices. But they lack in some of the features available in native apps. They do not have access to the underlying hardware features of the device. The user interface is a basic one. The one-size-fits-all (screen size) approach followed for developing HTML5 apps often creates problems for developers as different mobile devices interpret screen size differently.
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Hybrid Apps
A hybrid app is an application program that combines the best of both, native app and HTML5 app. A hybrid app is basically an HTML5 application that is built inside a native container. This is done to offer hybrid apps the advantage of cross-platform compatibility while still having access to a mobile phone’s underlying hardware. Hybrid apps can be downloaded from app stores and used across various platforms. Depending on the nature of the mobile application, it may or may not need internet connectivity.
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Some of the advantages of Hybrid apps are:
Performance: Hybrid apps offer flexibility and speed. They are developed for use across multiple platforms while having the ability to tap into the wider functionalities of the device through access of the underlying hardware.
User Interface: Hybrid apps are designed to have smooth and beautiful user interfaces that can work on various platforms.
Development: Hybrid apps can be developed in a short period of time. These are sophisticated mobile applications that can be implemented locally or from the server.
Hybrid apps are flexible applications that pack in the advantages of quick performance and multi-platform utility. But such a mobile application may not be optimal for the device on which it is functioning.
Conclusion
Considering the above points we see that native apps are performance-rich applications with great user-interfaces. HTML5 apps offer the flexibility of cross-platform utility. Hybrid apps are designed to enhance the overall user experience through smooth performance across various platforms. Each of these apps also have their own limitations.
If you are not being able to decide which one is the most suitable for you, come to us and we will help you to discover the perfect mobile app for your requirement.