What is Mobile App Development?
Last updated on January 19, 2025 by RGB Web Tech
The mobile app development industry is going through a transformative phase. With the advancement in micro-processing technologies, you will be able to run mobile applications on multiple platforms. For example, apps built for mobiles will run seamlessly on desktops in the coming years. Moreover, mobile apps built with Flutter or React Native will work on Android Phones, iPhones, Macs, as well as PCs. But before we get more in-depth, let’s dig into the mobile app usage statistics to understand how users are spending their time using mobile phones, and what are the opportunities in building your own mobile application.
Mobile App Development Lifecycle
There are over 3.5 billion smartphone users worldwide, so there is no doubt that the industry is healthy and thriving. Stats are growing steadily, without any indications of slowing down. And studies show that an average American checks their phone at least once every twelve minutes, and over 10% of these people check their phone about every four minutes. There are some more statistics to keep in mind.
- People spend over half of the time they spend with digital media on mobile.
- Smartphone users spend 90% of their screen-on time using mobile apps.
- Over 85% of consumers prefer native apps over mobile cross websites.
- Revenue from mobile apps is set to cross $693 billion in 2021.
- The average consumer has over 30 apps installed on their device.
- An average user spends about 35 hours per month using mobile apps.
The statistics are motivating for anyone who wishes to build or develop a mobile app. But before we jump to any conclusions, let’s understand the exact process for mobile app development. Although it sounds very lucrative to build a mobile app to get a piece of the billion-dollar pie, the decision needs thought, strategy and planning. The fact also states that your app will be competing with over 1.5 million applications on the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.
What is Mobile App Development?
Mobile app development is a process for building mobile applications that run on mobile devices. These applications can either be pre-installed or downloaded and installed by the user later. They use the network capabilities of the device to work computing resources remotely. Hence, the mobile app development process requires creating software that can be installed on the device, and enabling backend services for data access through APIs, and testing the application on target devices.
To develop scalable mobile apps, you also need to consider screen sizes, hardware requirements, and many other aspects of the app development process. With an increasing number of jobs in the mobile app development industry, it is essential that the process is well defined and understood by entrepreneurs, startups, and especially developers.
Types of Mobile Apps
- Native Apps
- Cross-Platform Apps
- Hybrid Apps
- Progressive Web Apps
Mobile App Development Platforms
The two most important mobile app platforms are iOS from Apple Inc. and Android from Google. iOS is Apple’s proprietary mobile operating system built specifically for iPhones. Android, however, runs on mobile devices manufactured by various OEMs, including Google.
While there are many similarities between the two, different software development kits (SDKs) are used for different platforms. Apple uses iOS exclusively for their own devices, while Google has made Android available for other companies that meet specific requirements. Developers have built over 1.5 million applications for both platforms to date.
- React Native
- Flutter
- Xamarin
- Swiftic
- Ionic
- Apache Cordova
- jQuery Mobile
- Native Scripts
- Sencha Ext JS
- Onsen UI
Which is the best programming language for mobile apps?
There are several programming languages for different sorts of tasks. Choosing the right language for the mobile app is different from choosing one to learn. The right selection yields solutions that are concise, easy to code, easy to scale, easy to debug and fix.
Often people will tell you that there is no choice and that all languages are equal and are developed to fulfill a particular purpose. However, it can be quite confusing, if you are new in the mobile development arena and lack information about programming languages.
So, if you are in a confused mess, the following factors can you help you choose the best language easily:
- The targeted platform.
- Elasticity of the language.
- The time to produce.
- Performance, support, and community.
- The purpose of building the app.
- Efficiencies of the programmer.
Here is a top mobile app development languages
- JavaScript
- Kotlin
- C++
- C#
- Python
- PHP
- Swift
- Objective C
- JAVA
- HTML 5
- Ruby
- Rust
- Lua
- Action Script
- SQL
- Dart
Best Practices for Mobile App Deployment
Once the user installs the application, you should work on minimizing uninstalls, delivering the best user experience, keeping up with the competition, and achieving maximum financial benefits in the long run. Regularly maintaining your mobile application to create a sustainable brand image in the minds of the users. Here’s a list of best practices for long-term app development.
- Monitor the performance of your mobile application. Keep an eye on loading types, if there are any lags, or if there are any responsiveness issues. This will help you stay ready with your analytics report. Analyze your retention rates, churn rates, and try to understand usage patterns.
- Keeping your user interface updated is also one of the ways to maintain your mobile application. Customers align themselves with changing styles, trends, habits, and other essential features of the apps that need constant updating. If you keep your app interface the same, your customers might gradually start preferring other competing apps with similar features.
- Ensure that your app supports the latest software updates and hardware updates. A new version of the mobile operating system is released every year. Think about how many mobile devices can be upgraded to the latest version of that OS, and thus your app?
- Fixing bugs can win customers. No software application is ever published with proper testing. However, bugs are an integral part of mobile app development. Fixing bugs can display your faith and dedication towards your users and also towards your mobile phones.
- Regularly add new features to your app. You can do this by observing how users are interacting with your app. With the help of insights received, you can discover what’s working for your user, and what isn’t.
FAQs - Mobile App Development
1. What is App Development?
Mobile application development is the process of making software for smartphones and digital assistants, most commonly for Android and iOS. The software can be preinstalled on the device, downloaded from a mobile app store or accessed through a mobile web browser.
2. What is a Native App?
Native apps are developed for specific mobile operating systems such as iOS or Android. Platform-specific language is used to build these apps. For example, (native) Android apps use Java, while iOS apps use Objective – C or Swift.
3. What are cross-platform apps?
Cross-platform mobile development is the creation of software applications that are compatible with multiple mobile operating systems. Originally, the complexity of developing mobile apps was compounded by the difficulty of building out a backend that worked across multiple platforms.
4. What are Hybrid Apps?
Hybrid apps are essentially web apps that have been put in a native app shell. Once they are downloaded from an app store and installed locally, the shell is able to connect to whatever capabilities the mobile platform provides through a browser that's embedded in the app.
5. What is Progressive web Apps?
A progressive web application, commonly known as a progressive web app, is a type of application software delivered through the web, built using common web technologies including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and WebAssembly.
6. What Are The Best Mobile App Development Platforms?
BuildFire, Flutter, Microsoft Xamarin and Adobe PhoneGap are the best mobile app development platforms.
7. Mobile App Development Platforms
The two most important mobile app platforms are iOS from Apple Inc. and Android from Google. iOS is Apple’s proprietary mobile operating system built specifically for iPhones. Android, however, runs on mobile devices manufactured by various OEMs, including Google.
Conclusion
There’s a lot to unpack with mobile app development. But whether you’re creating cross-platform apps or native apps, you always need to prioritize the user experience.
Your app’s functionality needs to meet its primary use case, and the interactive features must be easy to navigate.
There are tons of different paths to take for app development. The best option for you depends on your budget, goals, timeline, technical skills, and app complexity,
Overall, BuildFire is the best option to consider because the platform is so versatile. BuildFire has a no-code DIY solution that’s great for entrepreneurs. We also offer full-service app development that includes post-launch maintenance and support.
Want to learn more? Request a free consultation to chat with one of our app development experts.
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Written by RGB Web Tech
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Comparison of App Development
Last updated on January 19, 2025 by RGB Web Tech
App development today is very different from the past. Historically, low-level coding for native development was the only option. So if you wanted an iOS app for the Apple App Store and an Android App for the Google Play Store, you needed to code two different versions from scratch.
But the barrier to entry for app development today is much lower. App development tools, languages, and platforms are more integrated, and Javascript is used for cross-platform codes.
This makes it much easier for e-commerce companies, existing businesses, and entrepreneurs to develop native apps from scratch.
Here’s a Comparison of App Development and what makes them unique for development:
1. Native Apps
Native apps are developed for specific mobile operating systems such as iOS or Android. Platform-specific language is used to build these apps. For example, (native) Android apps use Java, while iOS apps use Objective – C or Swift.
- Native applications are built using the tools and SDKs offered by platform owners like Apple and Google. These apps run natively on the platform of your choice.
- Native apps offer the best runtime performance.
- Directly use the platform’s data through platform-specific SDKs.
- The cost of building and maintaining different codes for each platform is high.
- Features have to be implemented differently based on the platform’s SDK tools.
Pro
- Best runtime performance
- Direct access to device APIs
Con
- Higher costs when building and maintaining your app
- Multiple code-bases for each platform
2. Cross-Platform Apps
Cross-platform mobile development is the creation of software applications that are compatible with multiple mobile operating systems. Originally, the complexity of developing mobile apps was compounded by the difficulty of building out a backend that worked across multiple platforms.
- Cross-platform mobile applications can be written on various programming languages and then compiled for each platform separately.
- Single code base for multiple platforms.
- A unified user experience can be offered even for different platforms.
- Since native libraries are not available, the dependency is on third-party open-source libraries.
- The code is not written natively. Thus, it has to be complied with and bridged. Which can be bugging.
Pro
- Single code base for multiple platforms
- Easy to build and maintain your app
Con
- Dependents on bridges and libraries for native device features
- Performance limitations due to bridging
3. Hybrid Apps
Hybrid apps are essentially web apps that have been put in a native app shell. Once they are downloaded from an app store and installed locally, the shell is able to connect to whatever capabilities the mobile platform provides through a browser that's embedded in the app.
- Hybrid Applications are built using the latest web technologies like JavaScript, CSS, HTML, and then bundled as mobile applications for the required platforms. Hybrid Apps are different from Cross-Platform Apps in the sense that they work using web containers using browser runtime.
- Codebase is shared between web and mobile apps.
- Web development tools can be used to build mobile applications.
- The performance is not native, as essentially, they are built using technologies for web development.
- Little or no support for native devices.
Pro
- Shared code base between web and mobile apps
- Using web development skill set for building mobile apps
Con
- Lower performance compared to native apps
- Limited support for native device features
4. Progressive web Apps
A progressive web application, commonly known as a progressive web app, is a type of application software delivered through the web, built using common web technologies including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and WebAssembly.
- Progressive Web Apps don’t require native or cross-platform development. They skip the app store installations and also traditional app delivery channels. They work inside the browser, whether it be mobile or desktop. A link is added to the mobile in the form of an app icon. These are basically web applications that also run on mobile.
- Apps run on the web, as well as mobile.
- No need to install the app. Runs through a browser on URL using the network connection.
- Little or no support for native devices. Runs using browser’s capabilities.
- If the network connection is not available, interactivity is lost to a great extent.
Pro
- Same app is available both for web and mobile
- No installation required, accessible through a URL
Con
- Limited support for native device features
- App capabilities depend on the browser in use
If you found this article helpful, we encourage you to share it on your social media platforms—because sharing is caring! For more information about article submissions on our website, feel free to reach out to us via email.
Send an emailWritten by RGB Web Tech
Latest Technology Trends
Latest technology trends shaping the future, including AI advancements, blockchain innovation, 5G connectivity, IoT integration, and sustainable tech solutions. Explore breakthroughs in quantum computing, cybersecurity, augmented reality, and edge computing. Stay ahead with insights into transformative technologies driving innovation across industries and revolutionizing how we live, work, and connect.
Best Mobile App Development Frameworks
Last updated on January 19, 2025 by RGB Web Tech
Companies have demonstrated that mobile applications are the best way to grow their customer base. There’s never been a lack of original app concepts. Everything functioned to the benefit of application development businesses.
You don’t need to know any complicated computer languages to create an app. There are various app development frameworks for iOS and Android. All you require is a solid grasp of web-based programming languages such as HTML, CSS, or JavaScript.
A mobile app framework is a software creation platform that includes tools and software, compilers, debugging tools, and programming interfaces, among other things. Thus, a developer creates the application’s source code and the framework and uses various elements to generate the application for the different mobile devices.
Best Mobile App Development Frameworks in 2023
Modern-day mobile app development frameworks provide several built-in benefits, like speed, effectiveness, and a bug-free atmosphere. The framework uses pre-built elements, including compilers, debugging tools, and toolkit, to display the application on the target device using the company’s code.
Using the expertise of a reputable mobile app development company may help the firm create mobile applications which are quick, reactive, and provide excellent user interactions. The use of mobile app development platforms speeds up and simplifies the app creation procedure.
Top Mobile App Development Frameworks in 2023
Below are some Modern mobile app development frameworks. These can be very helpful for both android and iOS users.
1. Alpha Anywhere
It is a complete front & back-end and a low-code application development platform. It is widely used for the rapid development, distribution & deployment of mobile applications on both iOS and Android platforms.
It has unique coding-optional technology, which allows developers to achieve high productivity with complete freedom.
Features
- Easy to connect with all SQL and no-SQL databases.
- Flexible conflict resolution and large data storage capacity.
- Enterprise-class data protection and complete administrative control.
- Tightly integrated analytics & charting features.
- Easily add drag-and-drop editor and scheduling to cross-platform apps
2. Flutter
Flutter is the best UI toolkit that helps to build native applications for the web, mobile, and desktop. It comes with fully customized widgets, which help to create native mobile applications in a very short time. Its layered architecture will ensure the fast rendering of components. Here are the top applications developed using Flutter.
Features
- Built-in Cupertino (iOS-flavor) widgets.
- Supports both iOS and Android platforms.
- Can develop high-performance apps.
- Rich motion APIs
3. Mendix
Mendix is the fastest & easiest low-code app development platform. Therefore, it is widely used by businesses to develop mobile & web apps for high performance.
It accelerates the delivery of enterprise applications, from ideation to deployment and operations. It becomes easy to implement both Agile and DevOps with Mendix.
Moreover, it also offers both no-code and low-code tooling in one single fully integrated platform.
Features
- The rapid building, deploying, and operating of enterprise-grade applications.
- Can be used for low-code and no-code platforms.
- Build on unrivaled cloud architecture.
- Best functionalities and exceptional customer support
4. Xamarin
Xamarin supplies add-ins to Microsoft Visual Studio that allows developers to develop Android, iOS, and Windows Apps with C# codebase. The reason behind the preference of using Xamarin is that it allows code sharing in multiple platforms, such as cross-platform mobile app development.
Being a cross-platform and open source app building platform, Xamarin is known for offering a development ecosystem with back-end, API, and components. Here are the top applications developed using Xamarin.
It is also supported by various tools, libraries, and programming languages. Moreover, it also has a cloud service, which allows testing on any number of devices.
Features
- Produce only fewer bugs and faster time.
- Best backend infrastructure.
- Component store with UI controls, cross-platform libraries, and third-party libraries.
- Allows application Indexing and Deep Linking
5.Unity Ads
Unity Ads is an important platform when it comes to integrating video ads into mobile games to increase player engagement. You must have seen the recommendations of seeing a video to get one more life to play the game.
Unity Ads is also known for offering the highest Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) of any global rewarded video ad network. Here are the top applications developed using Unity.
Features
- The setup is simple and easy to implement.
- Helps to engage more players.
- Offers a positive player experience.
- Doesn’t interrupt the gameplay while introducing rewarded gameplay.
6. Ionic
Ionic comes into the picture when you want to build an interactive hybrid mobile and progressive web apps along with cross-platform applications.
The unique benefit of using this open-source framework is that you can create applications and ship them to deployable locations every time you build.
If you want an easy visual development environment, then you can install Ionic Studio, which is the lightning and powerful version of Ionic. This mobile app development software is widely known as a tool for developing hybrid mobile apps as it is an HTML 5 mobile app development framework. Here are the top apps developed using Ionic.
Features
- Ionic is a free and open-source project.
- Fast and powerful development platform.
- Have complete control over app building.
- Can build native and progressive web applications.
- Easily handles all the UI components.
- A developer can build an app for all app stores with a single code base
7. React Native
It is a widely used JavaScript library to create native mobile apps for all devices and platforms. It helps to develop rich apps to give the best user experience.
Moreover, this mobile app development software also allows a developer to create platform-specific versions of various components for native apps with easy use of a single codebase across various multiple platforms. Here are the top applications developed using this platform.
Features
- Low-code requirement.
- Compatible with third-party plugins.
- Declarative API for predictive UI.
- Supports both iOS and Android.
8. Sencha
Sencha Ext JS is an MVC-based JavaScript platform, offering a high level of responsiveness to the application for improving customer satisfaction.
Sencha has merged with Ext JS, and now you can use this for building data-intensive applications for both web and mobile. It is also known for cross-platform mobile development. Here are the top applications developed using Sencha.
Features
- Has the ability to manage millions of data.
- Flexible layout system and data representation.
- Code can be translated with the help of the mobile app development tool.
- Rationalized configuration system.
- Best support with the animations and touch events
9. Adobe PhoneGap
Adobe and Apache both have sponsored Adobe PhoneGap. This platform is widely known for its use in Android development.
The benefit of using PhoneGap is that you can develop a single app that can work on all mobile devices. Moreover, it is an open-source desktop application, and you can link the apps to mobile devices.
Features
- Compatible on all the platforms.
- Works effectively on JavaScript, HTML5,and CSS3.
- Easy to integrate various libraries to enhance app development.
- Can extend the functionality of the app with a plug-in architecture.
- Strong backend and easy to develop an app.
10. NativeScript
NativeScript is one of the preferable platforms to create native mobile applications. This helps to reduce the code and load time of native apps on the system.
Moreover, there are many leading companies, such as Puma and SAP, that love using Native Scripts for their web empowerment platform.
Features
- Native user interface without WebViews.
- Full direct access to Android and iOS APIs.
- Cross-platform mobile app.
- Good backend support.
- Hundreds of NativeScript plugins are available.
- Provides three complete real-world app implementations.
11. Swiftic
Swiftic is one of the best platforms for iOS app development services. It offers an easy-to-navigate interface for everyone to build an app. Swiftic offers a lot of profitable app features, such as unlimited push notifications, advanced analytics, and also makes the app attractive to look at.
Swiftic, an iPhone mobile app development software also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Along with that, it has a 6-months of success guarantee scheme. So, if you do not get the result within 6 months, then the service will be free for you.
Moreover, Swiftic has seven different templates and UX/navigation styles and comes in different colors, background pictures, and building blocks.
Features
- Helps to publish apps on the App Store.
- Easy to create a customized app with loyalty programs.
- Attract customers with eye-catching push notifications.
- Implement features to contact via call or email.
- Guarantee app brings results for the business users.
- Third-party integration.
FAQ – Mobile App Development Frameworks
1. Which mobile app development framework should I learn in 2023?
All the above-mentioned mobile applications frameworks (React Native, Flutter, Xamarin, Swiftic, Ionic, Apache Cordova and jQuery Mobile) are essential for any mobile app developer to learn. As of now, changes can take place with time, but the given frameworks are essential.
2. Which is the most used app development framework?
In the software industry, React Native is among the most popular mobile app frameworks. The FB software is an accessible framework that allows you to construct mobile apps for Android and iOS devices.
3. Which are the easy-to-use mobile app development frameworks?
Framework7 is simple to understand and also uses an open-source framework. It enables programmers to create native-looking Android, iOS, and desktop applications utilizing popular online standards like HTML5, JavaScript, or CSS3.
4. Which mobile app development frameworks can be used for cross-platform app development?
React Native, Ionic Framework, Node, Xamarin, NativeScript, Adobe PhoneGap, and Flutter are the best mobile app development frameworks for cross-platform app development.
5. Which frameworks are the best for native app development?
Native Script is an accessible framework that uses Angular, Typescript, JavaScript, and CSS to develop native mobile applications. React Native is the finest JavaScript framework for creating native apps for any platform and operating system. Xamarin is among the most used mobile app development frameworks. Microsoft launched this native framework.
6. Which is the best mobile app development framework?
React Native is among the most commonly utilized mobile applications frameworks, with 42% of programmers globally using it. It was created by Facebook and is built on JavaScript. Using Android and ios platforms, React Native programmers can quickly construct a smartphone application with a native appearance and touch.
7. What technologies or frameworks can be applied to build a mobile application?
Python, Java, Flutter, React Native, Swift, Kotlin, R Programming can be used to develop a mobile application as they are the top mobile app technologies.
8. Which stack is best for Android Mobile App Development?
Java has turned out to be the most widely utilized programming language for creating Android apps. Because it is centered on Android APIs and a large number of built-in Java libraries, it is among the finest choices for developing Android apps.
9. What is a hybrid mobile app framework?
The Hybrid Managed Framework combines the advantages of both Data-Driven as well as Keyword-Driven frameworks. The terms, and the testing dataset, are externalized in this scenario. Test data could be kept in a properties file or perhaps an Excel file, and keywords are kept in a distinct Standard java file.
10. Which framework is best for Mobile App Development?
Flutter is the most popular Android framework out there. It has speedily scaled the list of dominant positions after being recognized as the second most-used framework after React Native. Onsen UI, React Native, NativeScript, Iconic and more are best for mobile app development.
11. How to select the right mobile app framework?
Consider these factors at the time of choosing the right mobile app framework: (1) Platform Feature Support (2) Speed Considerations (3) Cost of Development (4) Security Risk Enhance Efficiency, and After Launch Updates. You should consider these factors at the time of choosing the right app framework for your mobile.
12. Is there any framework for Android development?
Apache Cordova, formerly known as PhoneGap, is a free and open-source Android framework that allows hybrid app development in many basic web-development languages and technologies, like JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS3. It authorizes the construction of multi-platform apps with a single code base, e.g. Appcelerator Titanium.
13. What are the technologies used in iOS mobile app development?
Technologies like UIKit allows you to create a touch-based user interface. Because all iOS apps are based on UIKit, you can’t send an app without this framework. Its interfaces are an integral component and part of the Quartz Core framework.
14. Which programming is best for app development?
Java is best for app development. Java was the official language for Android App Development and it is the most used language. Many of the apps in the Play Store are constructed with Java, and it is also the most reinforced language by Google.
Conclusion
Mobile application development is more accessible than ever. Whether you are a full-stack developer, aspiring engineer, or have decades of experience in the Microsoft ecosystem, you can build great mobile applications that can run on billions of devices today. There may not be a clear winner, each platform has pros and cons, but the important thing is you have a plethora of options. As the old adage goes, "use the right tool for the job". Hopefully you've learned more about native app alternatives and can make an informed decision about developing mobile applications.
If you found this article helpful, we encourage you to share it on your social media platforms—because sharing is caring! For more information about article submissions on our website, feel free to reach out to us via email.
Send an emailWritten by RGB Web Tech
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Latest technology trends shaping the future, including AI advancements, blockchain innovation, 5G connectivity, IoT integration, and sustainable tech solutions. Explore breakthroughs in quantum computing, cybersecurity, augmented reality, and edge computing. Stay ahead with insights into transformative technologies driving innovation across industries and revolutionizing how we live, work, and connect.
Top Mobile App Development Languages
Last updated on January 19, 2025 by RGB Web Tech
Learning programming languages is a hard nut to crack unless you know the basics.
Every programming language has its building blocks, which help budding programmers learn the language from scratch.
App development languages are no exception. They are, of course, advanced, but the secret to cracking these languages stays the same, you have to learn the basics.
Besides, many mobile app development languages resemble and are even based on languages like C and C++, something you have known for a long time now. Therefore, learning app development languages can be easy and fun if you have mastered these languages.
Which is the best programming language for mobile apps?
There are several programming languages for different sorts of tasks. Choosing the right language for the mobile app is different from choosing one to learn. The right selection yields solutions that are concise, easy to code, easy to scale, easy to debug and fix.
Often people will tell you that there is no choice and that all languages are equal and are developed to fulfill a particular purpose. However, it can be quite confusing, if you are new in the mobile development arena and lack information about programming languages.
So, if you are in a confused mess, the following factors can you help you choose the best language easily:
- The targeted platform.
- Elasticity of the language.
- The time to produce.
- Performance, support, and community.
- The purpose of building the app.
- Efficiencies of the programmer.
Here is a top mobile app development languages
- JavaScript
- Kotlin
- C++
- C#
- Python
- PHP
- Swift
- Objective C
- JAVA
- HTML 5
- Ruby
- Rust
- Lua
- Action Script
- SQL
- Dart
Take a minute to think about how many times you use an app in a day? Multiple times, isn’t it? In fact, there is probably an application waiting to be discovered in your app store for every possible human need. Therefore, it is no surprise that the demand for mobile applications has been on a steady rise ever since the smartphone was invented. Also, the reason why you’ll find hundreds of mobile app development companies in your locality.
No one on the surface doubts the future of mobile application development and mobile programming languages. Gone are the days where businesses could ignore mobile users! Having crossed a milestone already, if your business isn’t mobile-ready, you’re in trouble today.
If you are taking the plunge to build your mobile app to get the user’s attention – you need to focus on choosing the right technology, the right programming language, the right UX design tools, and most important of all, one of the top mobile application development companies to create a robust, innovative and user-friendly app for your business needs.
With several mobile programming languages to choose from, you have to consider multiple factors, pros, and cons, as well as the popularity of the language, before making your decision to build the most popular mobile app. Once you’ve chosen the best mobile programming language and built a business app, you step into the marketing stage which demands a suite of best marketing apps to scale up your development efforts.
In this article, we have curated a list of top 16 mobile app programming languages which will help you choose the best quickly and get you started with your mobile app.
1. JavaScript
William Ting’s once said, “JavaScript will stay relevant as long as people use the internet.” JavaScript is best for cross-platform app development, mobile apps used for various platforms, and web browsing. It smoothly runs in other environments, outside of browsers, and can be compiled from a wide array of programming languages. So, my vote for the best programming language is for JavaScript.
Features
- A lightweight, platform-independent, and prototype-based language.
- Supports dynamic typing and object-oriented programming.
- Can validate user input and client-side calculations.
- Has built-in date and time functions.
Pros
- Versatile and Flexible language and can used in many ways through Node.js
- Faster on the client-side browsing and doesn't need to be compiled.
- Straightforward to work with and easy to control.
- No set standard and plenty of room for variation.
Cons
- Is vulnerable and can be exploited for malicious purposes in some cases.
- You can encounter some browser support issues in some cases.
- Server-side scripts always provide the same output and client-side is a bit unpredictable.
2. Kotlin
Said to be the advanced version of Java – Kotlin is a statistically typed programming language used for developing modern Android applications. Kotlin has the potential to influence other programming languages such as JAVA to make high-performing and robust apps. Some popular apps built-in Kotlin are Trello, Evernote, Coursera, and many more.
Features
- An open-source programming language.
- Reduces startup time for Android apps.
- Has a clean and compact syntax.
- Supports operator overloading.
Pros
- Clean, concise, and perceptive syntax increases team efficiency.
- Interoperable and versatile and can easily overrule the shortcomings of JAVA.
- Has full support from Google and IDE’s installation packages including Android and SDK toolkit.
- Generates compact, simple, and cleaner code as compared to JAVA.
Cons
- Still a new language in the market is so hard to learn, so think before you choose it.
- Sometimes it gets slower.
- There are limited resources for learning.
3. C++
C++ is considered to be an upstanding choice for mobile app development. It is a general-purpose, object-oriented language with generic and low-level memory manipulation features. Used for Android App and Native app development, C++ is used for developing games, GUI-based applications, real-time mathematical simulations, banking apps, etc. C++ is popular with Cloud computing apps as it can quickly adapt to changing hardware or ecosystems.
Features
- A portable, high-level, and object oriented programming language.
- Simple and easy to understand.
- Includes built-in libraries to provide various functions to the programmers.
- A compiler-based language that improves the speed of program execution.
Pros
- Fast and stable and has a vast pool of ready-to-use in-built libraries and compilers.
- If you know C++ you can quickly learn JAVA, C, C#.
- No garbage collector is running in the background.
- You can take full control, and the app can run on any platform and take advantage of any hardware.
Cons
- Complex syntax, small standard library.
- Most complicated programming language to master.
- Cannot support garbage collection or dynamic memory allocation.
- The object orientation is quite essential as compared to other languages.
4. C#
Pronounced as ‘C-sharp’ – this is another object-oriented, general-purpose programming language extensively used for mobile development, majorly for cross-platform and windows app development. C# has everything you want to achieve using other programming languages such as Swift, Objective-C, and JAVA programming languages. If you are planning to develop an interactive and high-performance game app, this is the best language.
Features
- A modern, structured, and scalable programming language.
- Has a function-rich library for programmers.
- Ensures security of a program with type safe code.
- Is interoperable and updateable.
Pros
- Fast, easy-to-use, and quick to deploy
- Generic, strong typing, functional, imperative, declarative, component-oriented, and object-oriented disciplines.
- Simple, modern, and general-purpose language
- Most preferred programming language
Cons
- Intricate and complex language for fresh learners
- Case-sensitive language and creates confusion even if there is a slight miss-match between even alphabets
5. Python
A widely accepted programming language, Python is used for developing web applications, desktop apps, media tools, machine learning, network server, and more. Examples of Python are YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest. The language provides excellent library support, robust integration, and enhanced control capabilities. If you are a start-up planning to develop your app – Python is the best language!
Features
- Ensures rapid application development.
- Can “glue” existing scripts with each other.
- Has readable and clean code as it uses indentation.
- Can help create GUIs using one of the many standard libraries.
Pros
- Fast, easy-to-use, quick to deploy, easy to learn, and excellent at readability.
- High-level programming language used for analyzing, computing scientific and numeric data, and for software development.
- An interactive language used to build scalable apps and supports GUI applications.
- Supports multiple systems and platforms.
- Has huge-set of frameworks which make programming flexible.
Cons
- Slow execution time.
- Not that great with modern mobile application development.
- Not a great choice with memory-intensive tasks.
- Has some drawbacks with data access.
6. PHP
PHP is one of the most recommended programming languages for mobile apps that need database access. It is an open-source language used for server-side scripting, command-line scripting, and coding applications. Widely used for creating eCommerce applications, content-heavy apps, dynamic web applications, and mobile apps. It is a flexible language that can be easily embedded into HTML or HTML5. A few of the popular websites on PHP are Wikipedia, Facebook, and Yahoo.
Features
- An open-source, interpreted, and loosely typed language.
- Logs real-time access by the users.
- Can generate error messages with predefined reporting constraints.
- Is compatible with all databases and almost all local servers.
Pros
- Easy to learn, is platform-independent, and exceptionally compatible with smooth integration
- Is excellent with content-heavy apps and loads quickly even with a slow internet connection
- In-built security features to protect from complex security threats
- Great language for learners, which can then help them learn complex program development quickly
Cons
- The open-source nature of the language is readily available for all to see and thus bugs can be found quickly to exploit its weakness
- Not suitable for large applications
- Not modular and is difficult to maintain
- The framework needs better error handling.
7. Swift
A prospective game-changer in the mobile app development space – Swift is an open-source programming language specifically designed to work with iOS, OS X, and tvOS platforms. The language is flexible, scalable, and can easily adapt a safe programming pattern to add modern features to any app. Swift is expressive and fun to work with a scripting language, along with having the first industrial-quality systems. Examples of apps developed in Swift are Lyft, LinkedIn, Hipmunk, and more.
Features
- Has a free-standing IDE called Xcode.
- Is type safe and catches minor errors during compilation.
- Has native error handling functionality.
- Has in-built memory management techniques like automatic reference counting (ARC).
Pros
- Can execute on Cocoa and Cocoa Touch platforms
- Requires less, little maintenance, and avoids some of the bugs of Objective C.
- Projects are easier to scale
- Powerful, intuitive, and easy-to-learn programming language
- Writing Swift code is interactive and fun; the syntax is expressive yet concise.
- Has multiple features for seamless and safe design yet produces lightning-fast software
Cons
- Still at a nascent stage and can be considered quite young for development of heavy apps
- Considered an unstable language as its new in the market and needs regular updates
8. Objective C
An extended version of C language, Objective C is a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language with added features like Smalltalk-style messaging. A well-updated and mature programming language, Objective C is mainly used for macOS and iOS app development and operating systems.
>Features
- Supports both static and dynamic typing.
- Message syntax is just like our natural language, thanks to Smalltalk.
- Has an automatic garbage collector.
- Easy to introspect objects.
Pros
- Easy-to-learn and used by most of the developers
- A lot of legacy codes are included to support the nest coding style
Cons
- Does not support any latest features which are then overcome by Swift
- Requires extended coding which is time-consuming
9. JAVA
Java is an official Android development – object-oriented programming language. With in-built open-source libraries readily available for users to choose from, JAVA is easy to handle and offers the best documentation and community support. With JAVA’s vibrant spectrum of features, you can develop the best cross-platform apps, Android apps, games, server apps, embedded space, websites, and more.
Features
- A robust, server-side programming language.
- Is compiled and interpreted.
- Is independent of platforms and environments, meaning architectural neutral.
- Ensures security of programs with access modifiers and virtual machine sandbox.
Pros
- Popular for code reusability and portability
- JAVA codes can run in multiple environments, virtual machines, browsers, and different platforms
- Safeguards developers against issues inherent in native code, memory leaks, etc.
- Flexible, versatile, portable, and platform-independent programming language
- Explicit interface, simplified, and machine-independent language
Cons
- Some bugs may occur while running JAVA in a virtual machine – JVM
- Poorly written class libraries and complex syntax in some cases
- Complex implementations due to poor garbage collection
10. HTML 5
Are you planning to build web-fronted apps or location-based apps for mobile devices? Then the fifth version of HyperText Markup Language – HTML 5 is an ideal option for you. It is not a programming language but a markup language that uses tags to structure and present the content on the webpage. The latest updates of HTML 5 highlights exceptional features like media elements, multi-platform functionality for different programs, and quick market deployment. Examples of HTML 5 are Google Docs and Google Drive.
Features
- Supports vector graphics, enhancing the use of Adobe Flash while creating websites.
- Includes predefined tags to display header and footer information, photos, captions, and other similar elements.
- Has eliminated using the “type” attribute for scripts and links.
- Supports multiple tags and media elements to display content.
Pros
- Compatible with all the browsers and new features and standards already emerge
- In-built capability to support rich media formats like audio and video
- Loads faster using local storage or cache
- Has CANVAS elements used for embedding applications based on geolocations, dynamic graphics, offline/ online games, and animations
Cons
- A vast amount of coding required for each platform
- Does not support old version or systems causing a backward compatibility issue
- It takes a longer time to develop a mobile app as each platform requires its coding
- In case of customization or adding features, HTML5 adjusts the code, and the tools of iOS and Android goes behind the official SDK
11. Ruby
Ruby is a back-end object-oriented scripting language used in the development of web applications, servers, system utilities, and standard libraries. Over the years, Ruby has evolved into a general-purpose, high-level multiple-paradigm, interpreted programming language. It is a functional language that directly executes the instructions rather than compiling the program in machine language. A few of the well-known websites developed using Ruby are Twitter, Bloomberg, Airbnb, and Shopify.
Features
- Supports dynamic and duck typing.
- Has a flexible and compact syntax.
- Features an extensive library of in-built functions and modules.
- Implements exception handling and operator overloading.
Pros
- Supports dynamic typing to make changes on the go without affecting the overall result
- Allows duck typing that focuses on operations rather than class objects
- Easy-to maintain, smooth performance, and intuitive code quality, garbage-collected, and concise
- Easy to learn and execute for beginners
Cons
- Considered as slow language and is not that popular for the development of web apps or mobile apps.
- The shortage of flexibility and the boot time of the framework is quite long.
- Slow runtime speed and low performance
- Development and updates for bug fixes are slow
12. Rust
Rust has been Stack Overflow’s most loved language for four years in a row. Sponsored by Mozilla, Rust is a system programming language having syntax almost similar to C++. With strong compile-time correctness, fast-performance, intuitiveness, and safe memory, Rust is useful in a time-constrained scenario and to develop applications across different fields. Examples of Rust are Dropbox and Yelp.
Features
- Is memory-safe and manages resources with RAII (Resource Acquisition Is Initialization).
- Can extend Rust with the help of procedural macros.
- Uses a foreign function interface (FFI) to call code from Rust to C and vice versa.
- Implements pattern matching to improve the program’s flow.
Pros
- Errors are caught while compiling the code
- Developers are encouraged to write optimized and high-performance code
- Supports functional and imperative procedural paradigm
- Safe, concurrent, and practical language
- Low-level language suited for embedded systems
Cons
- Installation on Windows is not straightforward
- Does not have in-built libraries as compared to other languages
- Difficult to learn and execute for beginners
- A steep learning curve
- Slow to compile
13. Lua
Lua is a light-weight mobile-first enterprise communication solution. It is a cross-platform multi-paradigm programming language. It powers in-built messaging for businesses and is instant, secure, and keeps developers accountable. It is popular for real-time secure messaging, analytics dashboard, easy file sharing, and two-touch conference calling. If you want to improve the speed, extensibility, portability, and reliability of your apps, Lua is perfect for embedded applications.
Features
- An extensible and adaptable programming language.
- Is lightweight and cross-platform.
- Ensures fast execution of programs as it compiles interpreted bytecode.
- Has dynamic data types and freeform syntax.
Pros
- One of the fastest languages which use the least amount of runtime memory
- The smallest memory footprint for bundling and is helpful for error handling
- Lua C API is very well documented and can be easily integrated with C
- Reduces API and lower learning curve
Cons
- Though the documentation has improved, it is still a bit sketchy overall
- Not adequately documented with the least amount of code comments
- Not easy to learn and execute for beginners
- Poor garbage collection capacity
14. Action Script
ActionScript is a popular programming language for Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR runtime environments and is a tool in the tech stack – languages category. It is an object-oriented programming language derived from HyperTalk – the scripting language for HyperCard. Looking to use Adobe Flash Player on your website or software? Lua works great with animations or motions in websites and to develop video games.
Features
- An event-based language in which events trigger actions.
- Allows developers to create onscreen environments.
- Protects code with obfuscators that transform code in a way that’s difficult for humans to understand.
- Has both an open-source compiler and an open-source virtual machine.
Pros
- ActionScript versions 1.0 and 2.0 can run on the same machine
- Supports custom classes like external text files structured in a particular way
- Is popular among developers using Adobe Flash Player or Adobe Air
- For data-based applications and basic robotics – ActionScript is the most suitable language.
Cons
- To program with the latest version of ActionScript – Flash player nine or, the higher release is required
- Need to keep things simple as it would be difficult to demonstrate complex content
15. SQL
SQL stands for Structured Query Language used for assessing, communicating, and manipulating the standard database for most applications. SQL is designed to meet specific standards, both ANSI and ISO, and there is extensive support for both on a community and enterprise level. Strength – Relational data model and referential integrity between data, data query, data manipulation, and data access control. With well-defined standards, SQL is widely used in business intelligence tool platforms.
Features
- Is rich in data definition and manipulation commands (DDL and DML).
- Provides vertical scalability to databases.
- Encrypts data to ensure security and authentication.
- Is vendor-independent, making it easy to migrate from one vendor to another.
Pros
- Powerful and one of the most popular query languages
- Optimized for a large number of table rows and supports many different database choices
- Can handle a large number of transactions in a single query
- Fast for retrieving data, search and querying of data from multiple tables
- High availability and consistency of data
Cons
- Difficulty in interfacing, complex to add a few lines of code in between
- A predefined and inflexible data model
- Can be difficult to convert data from objects into database tables
- Vertically scalable. It can only run on one server, so if speed increases, hardware needs to be upgraded.
- Lack of partition tolerance
16. Dart
DART is a client-optimized and open-source programming language focusing on UI, productivity, and speed. It features asynchronous coding and is used on Flutter to make cross-platform apps easily. Apart from client-side and server-side development, Dart is also popular for Native mobile app development. Google developed Dart to accelerate app development on all the platforms.
Features
- Supports iterative changes and “hot reload” to track results on the go.
- Is type safe and allows both static and dynamic typing.
- Provides a feature-rich library that simplifies core programming tasks.
- Has both just-in-time (JOT) and ahead-of-time (AOT) compilers.
Pros
- Accelerates app development on multiple platforms.
- Emphasizes productive and high-quality development.
- Has separate compilers for both native and web platform app development.
- Is easy to learn and has a familiar syntax (of C).
- A detailed description of features and support from a friendly community.
- Programs run fast and are stable.
Cons
- Does not give much importance to the backend.
- Lack of generic and domain packages.
- Is yet to provide native support to bring Dart on browsers.
Conclusion
There are constant evolution’s in the world of programming languages. Some evergreen languages such as JAVA and JavaScript have earned an eternal place in the list, whereas other languages like Kotlin and R have risen at an outstanding pace and have made it to the list of the most popular programming languages.
With a list of questions to ask, factors to consider, and the above-listed pros and cons, we are sure you can make a sensible decision regarding which language to choose. After all, choosing the right mobile programming language will help you develop agile mobile apps that will weather the changes in future business needs.
So, what are you waiting for? Dive into the nitty-gritty of the programming language, choose the best and give your business the most needed mobile application to reach a more substantial mass.
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