Currently, as many of us know, the market is dominated by two mobile operating systems: iOS, developed by Apple, and Android, developed by Google. Each of them uses different programming languages: iOS Objective-C, XCode and Swift; Android Java or Kotlin.
In the past, the only way to develop an app was writing the code natively. Today, thanks to advances in technology, this is no longer the case.
There are, therefore, three types of apps: native, hybrid and web. Let’s discover them together.
Table of contents
Native apps
Native apps are developed for a specific operating system, which means that an iOS app will not run on Android and vice versa.
The advantages of native apps are:
- better performance (an aspect not to be underestimated in the case of games, augmented reality and multimedia content);
- immediate access to the hardware (camera and microphone) and software components (file system, address book, etc.) of the device;
- push notifications allowing the user's attention;
- offline operation.
Native apps, in short, ensure an optimal user experience by adapting to each platform.
Hybrid apps
These apps are faster and cheaper to develop than the native ones. Basically, a single code is generated using markup languages such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
Hybrid apps are nothing more than websites within browsers run in full screen. This allows a cross-platform approach.
The advantages of hybrid apps are:
- one code for all platforms, regardless of OS;
- lower costs than native apps, as only frontend web skills are needed;
- for the same functionality, they provide similar performance to native apps, albeit lower;
- updating is easier.
Hybrid apps, therefore, are a good middle ground, involve less investment and are more versatile.
Web apps
In the case of web apps, users do not have to download and install any apps; they are simply mobile versions of a website.
A web app is the opposite of a native app; it therefore only requires an Internet connection to “work”.
Web apps also have some advantages:
- they are written directly in HTML but, unlike hybrid apps, are not enclosed within any “wrapper”;
- being 'web' apps, they do not go through the store approval process;
- they have a very short development time.
Considering, however, that web apps do not allow push notifications and consume a considerable amount of data traffic, they may not be the best solution. In other words, web apps make the “loyalty” process more complex.
Which type of app to choose?
Let’s just say that choosing the right app depends on several factors: budget, objective and target audience. It is well known, for example, that iOS users, compared to Android ones, are more inclined to pay for an app or digital products.
Consequently, if you need a video game, it is better to go for a native app; if you want an app that is simple and accessible with push notifications, a hybrid app is better; finally, if you need an app that fits on any device, go for a web app.
The choice is up to you! We can guide you through the decision-making process, but you will decide. In any case, whether you need a native, hybrid or web app, if you trust the HT Apps team, you will not be disappointed. Contact us!
HT Apps, part of the JO Group cluster of companies, develops apps and software for PCs/Macs since 2004. The company also espouses the philosophy of software as a service (SaaS) and participates in European research and development (R&D) projects in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).
If you are interested in developing an app, please fill in the contact form below or write to us directly from our LinkedIn page.