WHAT IS CROSS-PLATFORM?

Cross-platform mobile app development is the process of create an mobile application that can be integrated into multiple operating systems. Cross-platform runs on the Write Once, Run Everywhere (WORE) strategy to eliminate the need of developing a new application for different versions of OS. The app developed cross-platform must be interoperable with more than one device. Businesses are now approaching the cross-platform app development strategy to save cost, time, and effort in the development of mobile apps. Creating a high-performing hybrid app can maximize the reach of your business to a large audience. The utilization of cross-platform mobile development services can bring valuable insight to any business.

There is a wide assortment of competitive and top-notch open-source cross-platforms available today. These platforms are based on programming languages including JavaScript, C#, Python, Ruby, Java, and Dart.

Top custom software development services worldwide are equipped with all the above stated languages needed to create robust cross-platform applications.

Benefits of Cross-Platform Mobile App Development

  • Code Reusability

 Writing a clean and well-structured code requires much effort and time. Cross-Platform enables the developer to write code one and reuse it on different platforms. Testing the code and finding any bug is just a one-time process in cross-platform. The code can be deployed on multiple platforms either it is iOS or Android, a single code be used as many times as possible. As a result, it saves the cost and time required to create a new code from the scratch.

  • Shorter Time to Market

Mobile app development Houston teams working remotely on in-house are capable of developing and deploying the application while maintaining the standard quality as well. The benefit of using a single code multiple times allows the app developers to market the application in a short period. Developers can easily perform minor changes in the code if businesses require slight changes in the app.

  • Uniformity of design

The app developed through the Cross-Platform enables its users to easily recognize the UI elementsDesigners can create creative and seamless UI/UX design in cross-Platform mobile app development. It also improves the user experience and helps the customers interact with the brand most effectively.

  • Cost-Effective Development

Cross-Platform mobile app development can reduce the cost of building an app for different platforms. Following the agile app development tools and processes can significantly reduce the cost of development. Reusability of codes has made it possible to cut costs and improve the performance and efficiency of mobile apps operating on different platforms. As it is targeted to both Android and IOS systems, the app can be exposed to a large audience on both web and mobile platforms.

  • Easy transmission of data to the cloud

Data can be easily collected, stored, and analyzed on the cloud through cross-platform mobile app development. These apps can take advantage of a variety of plugins integrated with the cloud settings. To enhance the app’s scalability and functionality, the source code is synchronized with various plugins and extensions.

  • Easier maintenance and deployment

Maintenance and deployment processes are being easily carried out in the Cross-Platform mobile app development. As code is reusable and the app is compatible with other platforms, maintenance is quite easy and cost-effective. The update can be easily done over all platforms, thus saving time and money. Moreover, the developer can fix the bug and bring new updates to the app without any hassle.

What steps are involved in creating a cross-platform mobile app?

Even if you run top-tier Android app development services boarded with experienced developers, creating a cross-platform mobile app requires proper planning, market research, and understanding to develop a top-performing mobile app.

Following are the points that must be included in the development phase to ensure the app is developed, deployed, and launch with a high market value.

  1. Cross-platform mobile app discussion and planning

Project discussion and planning are essential to identifying the business goals and objectives. Creating a user persona helps the business recognize its target audience. Planning must be carried out with the project manager, developers, and designers to discuss the needs and requirements. Studying business and app specifications thoroughly can help in building an exceptional Cross-platform Mobile App.

  1. Choosing the right Cross-App development platform

It’s important to select the appropriate cross-app development platform for the development phase. It helps in overcoming the challenges involved in the development of the cross-platform mobile app. Developers must choose a platform that is interoperable with different operating systems. The following are the frameworks that support cross-platform mobile app development.

  • Java- Codename one
  • JavaScript- React Native, Cordova, Native Script, Appcelerator
  • C#- Xamarin
  • Dart-Flutter
  • Python- Kivy, BeeWare
  • Ruby- Ruby Motion
  1. Cross-App development platform analysis and designing phase

Analysis helps in learning about the market needs and requirements. If the developer is well-familiar with the current market needs then a top-notch mobile app can be created according to the market research and analysis. Competitors’ analysis is also included in this step to about what strategy they are following and what mistakes you can avoid staying ahead of them.

Designing means the user interface of the mobile application with a good user experience (UX). A good user experience comes when the app is designed according to the needs of users. Adding new features and updating the old ones can also contribute towards the creation of good UX. The speed and performance of the cross-app should be optimized to increase the productivity of the application. High speed and performance can create a significant impact on your application.

  1. Cross-App coding and development

This is the fourth step in cross-platform mobile development where a team of expert coders writes clean code. The code in cross-platform is only written once as stated above and used multiple times on different platforms. The most common platform is React Native for creating an app on both iOS and Android platforms. Meanwhile, there is a wide range of programming platforms available in the market that developers can select as per the project needs and requirements.

  1. Cross-App development platform testing

In this phase, the application goes under various testing stages to ensure the app is running smoothly and is compatible with different OS. Testing is necessary to check the performance, speed, security, and compatibility of cross-platform mobile apps. Application tester performs different types of testing to verify the effectiveness of the mobile application. And finally, the application is launched to the market after this phase.

Conclusion

This ultimate guide is prepared to give a quick brief regarding cross-platform mobile app development. It explains the basics of cross-platform including its benefits and different frameworks available in the market. Developers can now create a cross-platform app by following all the phases required to implement a cross-platform mobile app. The utilization of the correct tool, framework, and methodology is essential to make your app runs smoothly on multiple platforms. More and more business are now developing their mobile apps through cross-platform as it saves the businesses money, cost, and developers time.