Native Vs Web Vs Hybrid Apps
People naturally remain curious about native apps, web apps and hybrid apps. These can often seem confusing and quite similar. Developers and publishers cannot often choose the best possible type for their needs and requirements. However, there are a few prominent differences and variations that are present among the trio. Here’s the lowdown:
Native apps
These apps are usually designed and coded for specific device types. This is what sets them apart from their hybrid and web counterparts. These are the apps that actually rest within your own applications tab and can be launched through a simple tap. For example, iPhone apps are usually written in Objective-C while Java is used for Android apps. These apps provide multiple advantages including heightened responsiveness, functionality and reliability. These apps are often very fast and can make use of multiple device features like accelerometers, cameras, gestures and compasses among others.
Native apps can be used for notifications and user alerts and may well help publishers keep their audience firmly ensconced in using the same. These apps are usually a hit with users and are more intuitive than the rest. However, specifically written apps will never run on other devices. The app has to be rewritten in different languages as per the needs of particular devices. Multiple platform apps in this format can be quite costly for developers. However, publishers should focus on building these apps in case budgetary constraints are absent. The sheer user experience and other benefits make it a good deal in most cases. Some top examples include Shazam and Angry Birds.
Web apps
These apps are usually mobile optimized and closely resemble mobile versions of websites. These usually load up within Chrome, Safari and other web browsers in the manner of sites. They usually feel like a proper application and make certain functionalities and content available in quick time. Yet, users often find these apps limited with regard to functionality and an internet connection is always required for them to work. This makes web apps somewhat different and incapable in comparison to real mobile applications.
Hybrid apps
These apps can be created faster and are reasonably cost-effective for developers as compared to their native counterparts. Cross compatible technologies are used for their creation including Java, HTML5 and CSS. Native code is also tapped to make apps more functional and boost user experiences. Only a few succinct native code portions have to be rewritten for multi-device functionality and this is indeed a big advantage.
However, this requires sufficient work on optimization for multiple platforms and costs may well rise in this regard. However, multiple versions of hybrid apps keep benefiting from the single built core version. There are no constant feature additions required like in the case of native applications. Some top examples include BridgeIt, LinkedIn, Facebook and others.
As can be seen, all three app types have their own variations and differences. You have to align your eventual goals with the kind of features offered by the trio and choose accordingly.
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