What is a hybrid app?
A hybrid app, as the name suggests, is a combination of web and native app solutions. The universal code of such apps is built on Internet technologies such as JavaScript, CSS, and HTML, compiled with appropriate frameworks and plugins to handle the platform’s unique capabilities. Another option is to take advantage of tools like Xamarin and React Native that allow you to share code across multiple platforms using native components. Apps built this way are called cross-platform because they use offline technology. While many people accuse hybrid apps of poor performance, using the right tools can greatly improve performance.
To keep things simple, a hybrid app is a website wrapped in native functionality that allows it to resemble and function as a dedicated app. The underlying code is shared across platforms.
Most of the users may not even realize that they are using this kind of app despite its popularity in the market. Works well with content sharing apps. Until recently, this was the technology used by Facebook, but as the app underwent disastrous optimizations and was heavily criticized by users, it may not be the best example.The most popular hybrid currently Apps include Instagram, Twitter, Gmail, Uber, and more. No! Even the Apple App Store is based on HTMLS5
Search results are nothing more than web pages.
What is a native app?
native apps are built with a specific platform in mind, using an officially supported programming language. For Android, these are Java and Kotlin, while apps running on Apple iOS are built using Objective-C and Swift. Native code allows apps to make better use of the device’s resources and possibilities: GPS, video cameras, address books, all kinds of sensors and detectors such as accelerometers and gyroscopes. Apps built for the operating system also offer easier navigation and design customization, aligned with popular standards. Native apps do not need to be linked to internet tools and the entire program content is downloaded to the phone’s memory, allowing offline use.
Apple and Google provide manufacturers with their own programming tools. Transcription of a native app to another platform requires programming from scratch with a new development team that specializes in a particular language. Native technology is typically used for advanced apps and games that function independently of network access.
Benefits of Hybrid Apps Sharing basic code between
platforms primarily saves a lot of resources and time. All you need is a development team to create apps for various systems. Less working hours means less economic spending. Plus, you can get to market faster and reach a wider audience of iPhone and Android smartphone users.
Investor savings and benefits don’t end there. Hybrid apps can be modified and debugged on both platforms simultaneously. Updates can be live on both sides of the server, so users don’t have to manually download the latest changes and see them the next time they launch the app.
Many people have ad blocker plugins installed in their browsers. You can’t do the same with an app (at least you can monetize it by purchasing a premium ad removal service). This will increase your profit.
Dramatically improve the user experience of even the simplest hybrid app content. Instead of manually entering the address into your web browser, you can access it directly from your device’s desktop. If the user does not have Internet access, the user’s browser becomes useless, but the app can display some of the information of interest to the user that was downloaded during the previous visit. Push notifications are also attractive and increase user loyalty. Thanks to downloading navigation elements to the phone, apps load faster and work more efficiently than traditional websites. B. When switching between successive tabs. Additionally, hybrid apps like Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) work at the browser level and don’t require manual downloads from the store. All of this has to do with the fact that mobile his users spend up to 86% of their time on apps.
Advantages of
native apps The undeniable advantages of
native apps are high performance regardless of internet speed and the ability to tailor the interface and set of gestures to suit the user habits of a particular platform. Access is more reliable as all content is downloaded to the device’s memory. A unified technical specification and programming language enables developers to leverage better resources to create richer and more engaging apps. An example is his latest game with 3D graphics
From a coding side, native SDK packages allow easy access to device-specific functionality without having to deal with the complexity of plugins. This will speed things up and eliminate issues with outdated libraries in the future. His
compliant UX design allows the user to intuitively navigate through her interface without initially feeling uncomfortable cognitive dissonance. It greatly reduces the chances of your app being destroyed after the first launch. Native apps are often considered more secure because the data doesn’t need to be moved to a server and can be encrypted in the app’s own infrastructure.
Disadvantages of Hybrid Apps
As we have seen above, one of the main advantages of native apps is efficiency. The question is, are hybrids worse in this regard? Both yes and no. They mainly rely on connecting to the server. Mobile app developers can have significant problems introducing offline mode for this type of app. Of course, some of the data will be downloaded to the device, but without fast access to the network, users may experience annoying delays, or worse, be completely unable to access basic functions. I have. A server overload or its failure will have the same negative effects. Because of this, the hybrid model works well for less advanced, content-centric apps.
When building hybrid apps, programmers can face unexpected problems. This is because some native features of the device are only accessible via third party plugins and for new devices you may need to build them yourself. This can be an unreliable solution, especially if your app uses device capabilities in unusual ways. Difficulty doesn’t necessarily mean limited possibilities, it just requires more work and budget, but hybrid apps can use augmented reality but require the purchase of an additional set of SDK tools. Our library should always be in sync with the latest changes and versions of the system
Building apps for two platforms at the same time is also a design compromise. Hybrid apps should be as neutral and readable as possible when it comes to navigation. For example, using a set of gestures known from Apple devices, for example, he on a daily basis may find it unintuitive for users of Android.
It’s worth paying attention to the following words spoken by LinkedIn director Kiran Prasad after he moved from hybrid to native apps. One of which is tool support. It’s a working debugger and a performance tool that tells you where you’re running out of memory. Looking at Android and iOS, there are two very large companies focused on developing tools that provide a lot of detail when something goes wrong in production.
Disadvantages of native apps To create
native apps, you need to use a professional programmer. If we were to create iOS and Android versions at the same time, we would need two development teams, and of course our budget would increase. Deciding that a native app needs a primary platform and shipping it not only requires more resources, but is spread over a much longer production cycle. During the lifecycle of the product, each update must be done separately and can have different issues depending on the platform. So not only will we need a larger initial budget, but we will also need another development team in the future.
Should I choose a hybrid app or a native app? The hybrid model is ideal if you want to facilitate access to The same is true for bringing an idea to market with an MVP (minimum viable product). If you want to see demand for a particular feature or want to attract the interest of potential investors with your idea, it often doesn’t take long and you can offer an aesthetic design even in a hybrid.
Hybrid apps are primarily associated with lower costs early in the product life cycle and easier and faster updates. If your budget and time are tight, choose a hybrid. Especially if the app is intended to be an addition to an existing business. Most importantly, the user experience is improved thanks to the reliability of access and an interface tailored to the platform. The best examples of this are games that are intended for offline gameplay and sold at a fixed price with sophisticated graphic design. must be created. It’s possible that the target group has specific research in hand that he only uses one platform, or is primarily interested in the local market with a major platform (Apple products in the US or Japan). I have. Of course, if the trend reverses, you’ll have to make another investment to reach your customers.
This will help you decide which model best suits your needs. If you’re still hesitant, we can coordinate the technology with the software house after you send us your specs. Agency will communicate in detail the required budget, completion time, capabilities, and limitations resulting from using a hybrid or native app solution.