Top 5 Tools for Cross-Platform Mobile App Development

Once business plans to launch its mobile applications in the market, the first thing that pops in the mind is cross-platform app development. Of course, why shouldn’t that be? After all, brands want to reach maximum users and coming up with an app that is compatible with multiple operating systems is the ideal way to ensure this. This implies that by building a single application, a business also have to ensure which platform to target first - Android vs iOS. 

Unlike platform-specific apps, where one has to decide the tool to use in the development process, this modern development framework makes it easier to select the right tools. Now, developers have a wide range of options and they can zero in on the right one on the basis of 4 primary factors - speed, risk, features and cost. 

However, making the ultimate choice can still be complicated for many. So, whether you provide custom Android app development services or planning to launch a business app, a little help from experts would surely guide you.

Therefore, here are 5 top development tools that are highly recommended by proficients for cross-platform applications.

Have a look:

PhoneGap

PhoneGap is an open-source framework owned by Adobe and based on Apache Cordova which not online streamlines the whole development process but also provides access to the complete toolset. As it makes it easy to translate codes from JavaScript, CSS and HTML5, it is highly recommended for the first-time mobile app developers. It combines the app with the native application container, enabling JS to access device-level APIs just like any other usual apps.

As Phonegap maintains all the software development kits, you hardly need to bother about handling it and can easily share the app with all other members once you are done with the development process. Along with iOS and Android, you can build apps for other platforms too, such as Windows, Firefox and BlackBerry by deploying a single code base. With its Hydration feature, you get faster build cycles and debugging. It pushes all the updates to the users testing the app so that they work on the latest version only. 

Qt

One of the major reasons that we would suggest you buy it is that you can try it for free at first before shelling out a penny and this free trial surely makes it a popular tool. Another feature that makes it a reliable tool for cross-platform mobile development is that you can create UIs, fluid, embedded devices and applications using the same code for all the operating systems, such as iOS, Android, Windows and more. You will be using C++ to code the app in Qt and once you are done with coding, you can export it to various platform seamlessly. Now, you can access the apps via the Qt interface on the specific device, making it convenient for you to monitor the performance of the application.

In case it fails to meet your expectations, you can make the changes through Qt and it will be applied automatically to the app. No wonder why even top Android app developers prefer using this tool. What’s more? It doesn’t have a complicated interface like any other cross-platform tools that you use. 

Sencha

Sencha is a well-known cross-platform framework used to develop powerful applications by using hardware acceleration techniques. Its primary product for users is Ext JS that allows to build apps in HTML5 and convert them into a cross-platform one with Adobe PhoneGap. This makes it possible to come up with platforms that are compatible with browsers and mobile devices. You also get 115+ UI components that easily integrate into the applications. It is certainly one of the most comprehensive mobile development tools that offers end-to-end testing across all devices.

With Sencha, you can work with multiple members of your team anytime, anywhere, hence, boosting productivity. It comes with ‘Themer’ to create reusable themes that can be customized for iOS, Ext React, Ext JS, and Ext Angular. There is also a data visualization table to track app information and organize content on screen, browser and device. Its great testing tools also deserve mention that give the most accurate results, ensuring quality and reducing time and cost invested in it.  

Xamarin

Xamarin, owned by Microsoft Visual Studio, helps you build applications for multiple platforms, such as Android, Microsoft, iOS, etc., using a shared C# codebase. The strongest point of this tool is that all the apps developed here look like natives because of the native interfaces that work the way users want them to. However, you can add platform-specific hardware in the app to enhance the performance further. Unlike common belief, you can do anything with Xamarin in C# that you can otherwise do in Swift or java. You can use the same APIs, IDE and language everywhere.

Furthermore, it offers debugging, code editing, UI design tool, free packages and also has store delivery capabilities once you are done with the developing step. The apps are simple and easy to start and are written clearly which can be used as a reference. The functionality testing and quality assurance for various devices add to its seamless features. 

React Native

React Native uses JavaScript as a programming language to develop mobile applications and allows developers to create native apps. There is no denying the fact that this tool comes with its set of features and advantages but the most prominent one is that you can write modules in different languages like Swift, C and Java. Moreover, unlike other API frameworks, it enables you to edit images and process video. It interprets source code and converts it into native elements within comparatively less time. Even leading and the most used social medial portals across the world- Instagram and Facebook have used React Native for their mobile apps. Considering that such popular brands trust this tool, most of the mobile app development service providers are using it for building cross-platform applications. 

Final Thoughts

We are living in a highly competitive era and businesses have to put in their best efforts to keep pace with their peers and get the attention of the target audience. Hence, they opt for cross-platform apps. However, picking the right tool to develop a credible and efficient mobile application is the real challenge.

The above-mentioned 5 development tools are capable enough to manage your Android and iOS app development needs and capitalize on the huge audience of multiple devices and OS. Now, rather than alienating one group, businesses can focus on every platform and can maximize their revenue eventually. To attain this, they need a trusted mobile development partner that can understand their needs and deliver the product accordingly. A3logics is one destination that serves all your business goals. Connect with our professionals, specify your requirements and they will provide you with the app that resonates with your objective.