When having an app developed, there are many aspects that you need to take into account. Often one of the first steps of a professional app is choosing the type of app.
The ultimate app success depends very much on your choice: let yourself be hybrid, native of web app to make? Do the selection guide and get within 3 minutes an idea!
To make a choice for the technology of your app, we first look at the various advantages native-, hybrid- and web apps. For example, native and hybrid apps are both specific to mobile devices, whereas web apps can also be used from a desktop computer.
Our selection guide will give you general advice within a few minutes. Do you want tailor-made advice? Then send your answers and we will contact you!
Web apps are also called web-based applications. Web apps are very user-friendly because they are available on almost any device and only require a browser to work. A web app is a program that runs on a web server. A web app is often written in HTML. You can compare a web app with a mobile-optimized website. In some cases, the app can be downloaded via an icon, which you can then install on the mobile device. This can make it very similar to a mobile app with some unique components. Want to know more about web apps? Then take a look this video which explains what web apps are, based on some of our projects.
Web apps are user-friendly because a user does not necessarily have to download an app. A working internet connection is often sufficient to use the app. The threshold for using the app is also lower for the user. A web app can be implemented directly on smartphones, laptops, desktops and tablets. You also save on disk space and you can integrate a web app with various hosting and web services. It is also possible to realize a web app that largely works offline by means of an icon, these are Progressive Web Apps (PWAs). You read here. more about Progressive Web App development.
Partly the word 'native' tells you the meaning already. Native means 'birth' or 'congenital'. A native app is platform specific, meaning it is an app developed specifically for a given model or operating system. The best-known platforms are iOS and Android. These two platforms work in a completely different way. A native app is developed (also known as: 'born') for a specific platform, so either for Android or for iOS.
A native iOS app can never be directly implemented as a native Android app. When you have a native app developed, you will have to choose which devices you want your app to work on. Native apps are developed in one programming language for the specific platform. This is how we write iOS apps in Swift or SwiftUI and a native Android app is written in the JavaScript programming language.
Do you want a native app that works on both iOS and Android devices? Then you will have to have two separate native apps built in two different programming languages. In some cases, a native app is the only option if you want to integrate specific hardware or functions. For example, sometimes the app needs the camera and performance of the smartphone, such as a product scanner.
In addition to the different programming techniques behind Android & iOS applications, there are also differences between, for example, the app users. It is good to know that there is a difference between iPhone (iOS) and Android users. Before you have an app developed, it is therefore wise to conduct a target group survey: are your (potential) app users iPhone or Android users? Many studies have been done on the different characteristics per platform. For example, iPhone users are said to be willing to spend more on an app, and they are predominantly loyal app users and attach great value to it the design of the app. Android users, on the other hand, are once again in an up-and-coming gear. For example, more and more Android devices are being sold and more people are switching from Apple to Android than the other way around. This can be something to take into account when you have a native app made.
Native applications bring a number of advantages over other types of apps. The biggest advantage of native apps is that they are easy to use. After all, they were developed specifically for the platform, so they are tailored to it. By making optimal use of the native elements of the phone, the app is experienced more pleasantly by the app user. You use the full capacity of the phone. This includes memory, (design) standards and mobile-specific functionalities.
Hybrid apps are applications that are very similar to native apps. Just like a native app, they can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. The big difference between hybrid and native apps is that a hybrid app works directly on both Android and iOS. So you don't have to build two separate apps.
In the past, hybrid apps were a kind of mobile website with a native shell. This means that a hybrid app works immediately on multiple platforms and devices, but it does not have the optimal performance of a native app. Today, however, the development of hybrid apps is in full swing, and you can tell. Often a hybrid app no longer works as a web page, but as a hybrid solution with native components. A hybrid app is written with us in the programming languages Flutter; of React native.
The biggest advantage of a hybrid app over a native app is the cost consideration. Because the app works directly on both Apple and Google devices (with some minor adjustments), you do not have to build two separate apps. This saves development hours and is often cheaper. You also don't have to choose between an iPhone user or Android user as a target group: you can approach both directly. Because the technology of hybrid apps has been further developed in recent years, the user-friendliness has also increased significantly. In some cases, the user will barely notice whether it is a native or hybrid app.
Below you will find an overview of the advantages and disadvantages per technology. This way you can use web apps directly from your smartphone or desktop, native apps offer the best user experience and hybrid apps ensure rapid development.
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