Which is the right platform for cross-platform application development?
Picking the right app development tools plays an integral part in building a good app. But certain factors come into play when you’re trying to decide which tool is best.
Often, the platform that you want to build the app is the deciding factor of which types of tools you’ll be using. You’re going to use different tools depending on if you’re building an app for Apple or Android platforms.
For example, if your app is being built strictly for the Android platform, then Android Studio is the ideal choice for development. Whereas Xcode is used for iOS apps.
However, modern development framework technology allows cross-platform development, which means that you can develop for both platforms simultaneously. This makes things much easier for developers, as they do not have to go through the same process twice on two separate platforms.
How To Pick The Right Tool?
There are so many different cross-platform development frameworks to choose from. It can be difficult to narrow down which ones are the best.
Four main factors should influence your decision.
- Speed Considerations
- Feature Support
- Framework Risk
- Development Cost
You’ve got to consider these elements when you’re analyzing cross-platform development tools. Here are the best cross-platform development frameworks you should consider.
Unity3D
When it comes to developing gaming apps, Unity3D is an excellent choice for developers. The reason why this cross-platform development tool is highly popular among developers is that the graphics are incredible. The usage of the app extends beyond smartphones. After you develop the code using Boo, C#, or UnityScript, you can export the game to 17 platforms including:
- Android
- iOS
- Windows
- PlayStation
- Linux
- Xbox
- Wii
- Web
After your game is up and running on all of the different platforms, you can use the Unity3d platform to help you distribute it to all of the stores. The lool also helps in tracking user analytics and get social shares for your app.
Unity3d has a network of developers and experts called Unity Connect. By joining this network, you can find help and get questions answered if you’re having trouble with something.
Corona
Corona claims that you can start the coding process in less than five minutes with their software development kit. It’s safe to say that there the learning curve with this cross-platform development tool is a smooth one. It’s easy to use and even great for beginners. As it’s free to use, you won’t have to invest anything into it except for your time.
Corona’s primary use is for 2D games, producing high-quality graphics and can help you create games much faster than coding the entire app from scratch.
Lua, Corona’s programming language is written in C and works well with mobile apps since it doesn’t have a large digital footprint.
PhoneGap
PhoneGap, owned by Adobe, is reliable and easy to use. One of the best features of this cross-platform development tool is that it’s free to use and easy to translate code from CSS, JavaScript, and HTML5.
PhoneGap is one of the top options to use if you’re building an app for the first time as a developer. All of the software development kits are maintained by PhoneGap, so the burden of handling it is out of the question. On finishing the development of the app, they make it super simple for you to share it with the other members of your team.
This feature helps you collaborate with others so you can continuously make improvements to your app. You’ll also be able to get your app ready for the app stores by using this platform.
In addition to Android and iOS development, apps for Windows and BlackBerry can be build using PhoneGap. PhoneGap allows you to significantly lower your development time as you can reuse existing frameworks, tools, and web development skills.
In the present scenario, cross-platform app development plays a key role in cutting down the time, money, and effort in building apps. Definitely, these tools help you in making app development a smooth affair.
