The mobile app economy has experienced a significant rise in recent year. As a result, there is an increasing demand for mobile development frameworks.
According to Statista, the global mobile app market size is expected to grow to $673 billion by 2027, with a noteworthy CAGR of 8.58%. Enterprises have realised that having a mobile presence is essential for success.
However, merely entering the mobile ecosystem is not enough. Success lies in realising a powerful vision and committing to solutions driven by the best-in-class mobile development platforms, which ensure efficiency, agility, and adaptability.
So, in this post, we will explain what mobile app development frameworks are, and which mobile app frameworks are the best for businesses to achieve their objectives.
What is a Mobile App Development Framework?
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There are several framework and tools in mobile application development available for iOS and Android platforms. All you need is a good understanding of web-based programming languages such as HTML, CSS, or JavaScript.
A mobile app framework is a software platform that provides tools, software, compilers, debugging tools, programming interfaces, and other resources.
Developers can use these elements to create the application's source code and then use the framework to generate the application for different mobile devices.
Categories of Mobile App Development Frameworks
Mobile application frameworks can be broadly divided into three distinct categories.
Before proceeding, let's take a short look at the three types of mobile development applications: -
Native Apps
- Designed for a specific platform (iOS or Android)
- Uses the platform's native programming language (Swift for iOS, Java/Kotlin for Android)
- Offers the best performance and access to all device features
- Requires separate codebases for each platform
Cross-Platform Apps
- Allows developers to write code once and deploy it to multiple platforms (iOS, Android, Windows, etc.)
- Uses a common programming language (JavaScript, C#)
- Faster and more cost-effective development than native
- May have some limitations in performance and access to device features
Hybrid Mobile Apps
- Hybrid mobile app development framework
- Combines native and web technologies
- Uses web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to build the app's UI
- Runs within a native container app
- Offers a balance between cross-platform development and native performance
Most Popular Mobile App Development Frameworks for 2024
Given below are the top 6 mobile app development frameworks for 2024: -
- React Native
React Native is a popular mobile app framework in the development industry. Created by Facebook, it is an open-source framework that allows developers to build mobile applications for Android & iOS platforms. The framework is based on React and JavaScript, and it aims to create native applications instead of hybrid applications that run on a web view. React Native is a cross-platform development framework, which means that it uses a single code base for both Android & iOS applications.
Some of the significant benefits of using React Native include: -
- Code reusability
- Cost-effectiveness
- Compatibility with third-party plugins
- Re-usable components for optimal performance
- Hot deployment features
React Native has been used to build famous mobile applications, such as Instagram, Soundcloud, Uber Eats, etc.
- Flutter
Flutter is a UI toolkit developed by Google that enables the creation of native applications for mobile, desktop, and web platforms.
This cross-platform mobile app development framework allows for the development of Android and iOS applications using a single code base. It provides a wide range of fully customisable widgets that help to build native applications quickly.
Moreover, Flutter uses a 2D rendering engine called Skia for developing visuals and its layered architecture ensures the efficient functioning of components.
Some of the major benefits of Flutter include: -
- Providing full native performance
- Offering flexible user interface (UI)
- Strong widget support & built-in material design
- Fast application development is also a significant advantage of using Flutter.
Some of the most popular mobile applications developed using Flutter are Google Ads, Hamilton, SpaceX Go, and Watermaniac,etc.
- Ionic
This is a mobile app framework that can run easily on both iOS and Android. If you are developing hybrid mobile applications, then this open-source mobile app framework is the best option.
It utilises CSS, HTML, and JavaScript for better results. With the help of Angular and Apache Cordova (earlier PhoneGap) in Ionic, developers have the freedom to create Android and iOS apps that can function together effortlessly.
The framework aids developers in creating native apps that are reliable and packed with features.
Programmers can use a variety of UI components, including filtering, inputs, navigation, views, and simple and action sheets, thanks to Ionic’s most notable feature.
Key features of Ionic includes: -
- Utilises web technologies (CSS, JavaScript, HTML)
- Offers a rich selection of UI elements and components
- Interactive forms
- Filter options
- Xamarin
Xamarin is an open-source framework that is widely used for developing mobile applications.
The framework, which was acquired by Microsoft, is based on .Net and allows you to build native applications for Android, iOS, and Windows platforms.
Xamarin comes with all the necessary tools and libraries required for building native applications and provides you with the ability to create rich experiences using native UI elements.
Additionally, Xamarin also supports the feature of sharing a common codebase to make the development process more efficient and cost-effective.
There are various benefits of using Xamarin, some of which are mentioned below: -
- A large community of developers
- Native API access and UI support
- Easier API integration
- Ability to target all platforms
- Cost-effective and faster development process
Some of the most popular and renowned mobile applications built on Xamarin are OLO, Alaska Airlines, Storyo, etc.
- Swift
Swift is Apple's official programming language for developing iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS applications. It was designed to be quick, safe, and simple to use.
Swift's syntax is both precise and expressive, making it more developer-friendly than Objective-C. It includes advanced functions like optional and automatic memory management, which improve the security and efficiency of iOS apps.
Swift is the official language for Apple systems. Here are its key features: -
- Quick and efficient code execution
- Simple and expressive syntax
- Automatic memory management
- Improved safety with optionals
- Compatibility with Objective C
Swift-based apps include Instagram (iOS), Lyft (ridesharing), and VSCO (photo editing).
- Kotlin
Kotlin is an innovative, statically typed programming language created by JetBrains. It has acquired popularity in the mobile app development community, notably for Android.
Kotlin is entirely compatible with Java, making it a good choice for developing Android applications. It's simple syntax, additional safety features, and increased developer productivity have made it a popular choice among Android developers.
Key features of Kotlin:
- Compatibility with Java
- The syntax is concise and expressive
- Null security and type inference
- Increased productivity
- Simple to learn language
- Broad standard library
Examples of Kotlin apps include Trello, Evernote, and Slack.
Final Thoughts: Must-Know 6 Mobile App Development Frameworks For 2024
The framework you pick in 2024 will determine the success of your app. It is not only about functionality; it is also about user experience, performance, scalability, and security. Staying up to date with emerging trends and new services is essential for startups and enterprises to be successful in tech industry.
However, the journey does not end with framework selection. It's a continuous process of adaptation and alteration to keep your software competitive and relevant in the changing online industry. So, pick wisely and continue to evolve for long-term success in the mobile app development field.
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