As mobile app developers, we develop apps using the development environments “Android Studio” for Android and “Xcode” for iOS, according to the official documentation. However, there are many tools in the world of mobile app development. The important thing here is whether you are going to develop a native app or a cross-platform app. Let’s decide together which development environment will make the most sense and fit you best.
What is Native App Development?
When an operating system is released, the company behind it aims to make the operating system more popular by offering its own development environment. If you develop Android and iOS applications with these environments, this will be native application development.
If you want to write code once and have it work on both Android and iOS, this will be cross-platform application development. I will talk about cross-platform in a moment.
Native app development for Android with Android Studio
So Android Studio, released for Android, is the most popular and most used development tool offered to all developers for free. That’s why Android Studio is the native application development environment for Android.
As an Android developer, I actively use Android Studio and publish articles on this site for people to improve their Android skills. You can find information on what you need to do to become an Android developer by reviewing my article titled How to Become an Android Developer.
Programming Languages: Java/Kotlin
Native app development for iOS with Xcode
The development environment was also shared after the iOS operating system was released. The only native and most widely used development environment for iOS is Xcode.
Programming Languages: Objective-C/Swift
After the iOS operating system was released, the development environment was also shared. The only native and most widely used development environment for iOS is Xcode.
Take a look at my category that you will want to follow constantly while developing an iOS application. I am sharing information about how to develop an iOS application for you.
I will be comparing the advantages and disadvantages of native app development below.
What is Cross-Platform App Development?
If you want to develop applications for both operating systems (Android, iOS) by developing with a development studio and programming language, you should choose Cross-Platform application development.
Here are some of them;
React Native
React Native is a fast community and a strong cross-platform development tool developed by Facebook. It is an Android and iOS application development tool that is especially easy for people who are interested and knowledgeable about JavaScript. It is known as the most popular cross-platform application development tool using Native UI components. The support behind it is really strong.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Opportunity to develop Android and iOS applications with a single javascript codebase. | If you have a large application with high graphics, you will see that your speed will slow down compared to native application development. |
| When you make a change to your code, you can instantly see the changes on the test device without having to build. | You will need to write custom code for some UI components. |
| lots of community and library support | Instability between versions can drive you to exasperate on large projects. |
| You can easily access native components such as camera and location. | targeting small and medium-sized applications. |
Flutter
It is a cross-platform tool that allows you to develop mobile applications using the “Dart” programming language, which is not familiar to many people. However, once you get used to the Dart language, it will be an indispensable option. With Google support and a strong community behind it, it can offer you the opportunity to create unique applications with its resources and libraries. We can say that it is the closest cross-platform tool to the native application development experience.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| The entire codebase can be written using dart. You won’t need iOS or Android specific codes for the UI. | Dart programming language may be difficult for those who are coming from other languages because it is a different language. |
| When you make a change to your code, you can instantly see the changes on the test device without having to build. | Difficulties may occur when accessing all device features. |
| Great community and resource support with Google. | Your application sizes may be larger than native and other cross-platform tools. |
| You can create not only mobile but also web, desktop and even embedded applications. | Performance issues may occur with intense animations and graphics. |
Kotlin Multiplatform
Created for those who are familiar with Android Studio and have developed applications with Android before, you can quickly create Android and iOS applications with this tool. This is a new technology, but it is growing rapidly with the support of Google and a large Android community behind it. That’s why the most trendy cross-platform application development tool of 2024-2025 will be Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| You can work with native code: it is perfectly compatible with Swift/Objective-C on iOS and Java/Kotlin on Android. | Since the community is new, you will get fewer resources and you may be left alone with many problems. |
| It uses the Kotlin language, which minimizes the language learning curve for Android developers. You can use Kotlin’s modern language features (coroutines, extension functions, type safety). | You may have difficulty with the initial installation and configuration. |
| By integrating Compose Multiplatform you can work with a single UI layer. | Your build times are a little longer than other cross-platforms. So you may lose some time while working. |
| Chance to gain Live Coding experience with Compose Multiplatform | You may have difficulty integrating some libraries. There are not enough resources on these topics. |
Other App Developments
Other tools that I don’t need to mention but are no longer popular or that I don’t recommend for development are:
Xamarin, Ionic, Cordova, NativeScript.
You may have a lot of trouble developing with these, so I used them but I can say that I don’t prefer them, you can research them if you want.
Native App Development or Cross-Platform App Development?
This question is a very comprehensive question that you need to evaluate according to your own needs. However, I would like to explain it in a few profiles.
- I do this job as a hobby, not a career goal.
- Flutter
- React Native
- I have a career goal.
- Native Android Development
- Native iOS Development
- Flutter
- React Native
- I know a little bit about Android application development. I want to develop applications for both platforms.
- Kotlin Multiplatform
- Compose Multiplatform (If you know Compose)
- I have some knowledge about iOS app development. I want to develop apps for both platforms.
- Flutter
- React Native
- I want to make a very simple application.
- React Native
- Flutter
Conclusion
In this article, I shared the best Android and iOS application development tools with you. While sharing these, I tried to convey the information I know in my environment, what I have seen in the sector, and what I have seen in job postings with 7 years of experience. We can say that this information is generally correct. If you do not have a mobile application development experience, I think you can start developing Android applications. I would like to help you for this, please state your questions in the comments if you have any questions.
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Great guide
Thanks :)