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Comparing
multi-platform
mobile apps frameworks
by
Louis CORNET
You want to build a mobile app and you wonder...
Which technology to choose?
Main criterias to take into account :
PRICE PERFORMANCE USER EXPERIENCE USE CASES
Context
HTML5 Development
Native Development
Hybrid Development
Your options
Native apps are specific to a given mobile platform (iOS, Android, Windows, Blackberry,…)
using dedicated development tools and programming language
Native Mobile Development
IS THE FIRST NATIVE DEVELOPMENT PAIN
Native Development
The price
« Most native apps require at least 6 months of full-time work, and cost
between $20,000 and $150,000, depending on complexity. »
« It’s important to note that those estimates apply to single-platform
native app development. The cost rises exponentially when developing cross-platform native applications. »
Forrester Research, 2014
Triple Price
Triple Time
Triple Developer
Native Development
iOS Android Windows
Native Development
Advantages • Rich user experience (UX) • Best performance • Full API support (platform specific) • Provides full access to the underlying device hardware
• Proven path for mobile apps • Visibility in App Stores
Native Development
Disadvantages • A code base for each platform
• Expensive
• Slow time-to-market • Need expertise in the native development environment
for each platform • Fees for in-app purchases • High maintenance cost (for each platform)
HTML5 apps use standard web technologies—typically HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript.
This approach creates cross-platform mobile applications that work on multiple devices.
HTML5 Mobile Development
From the inside…
Native device APIs
Specific platform language
(Obj-C, Java, …)
Not Browser based
Browser Dependent
(visible)
HTML5/CSS/JS
No Device APIs
Native app HTML5 app
… to the outside.
Native device APIs
Specific platform language
(Obj-C, Java, …)
Not Browser based
Browser Dependent
(visible)
HTML5/CSS/JS
No Device APIs
Native app HTML5 app
IS THE FIRST HTML5 DEVELOPMENT PAIN
HTML5 Development
The lack of performance
HTML5 Development
Advantages • Create mobile apps quickly and easily (no specific mobile language
required)
• Works across every channel
• Affordable development cost
• Fast go-to-market
• Increasing access to device functionalities (GPS, camera, ...)
• Remote and seamless updates
• No fees for payments
HTML5 Development
Disadvantages • Poorer performance (issues with heavy graphics, 3D, gaming)
• Browser-based user experience
• Limited features (push notification, ...)
• Not device-optimized
• Limited data local storage
• Offline apps are a nightmare to sync
• No in-app purchases mechanism
Mix between native apps and mobile web apps
Hybrid apps are based on
multi-platform frameworks
Hybrid Development
Hybrid Development
Bridging web and native
Combining the best of both worlds
Hybrid Development
Native app HTML5 app Hybrid app
Combine the best elements of native and HTML5 apps
Hybrid: 2 categories combining the best elements of native and HTML5 apps. HYBRID WEB APP HYBRID MIXED APP
UI and app logic are handled in the HTML & CSS code with access to
device features via API and native container
HTML5 & CSS3
Software framework that are written in their own language and may leverage
all native phone capabilities
C#, Java, Javascript,…
Introducing : PhoneGap combining the best elements of native and HTML5 apps. An open source connection layer
between web content and native • Support for all major native platforms
• Does not require other skills than HTML5 / CSS3 / JS
• Support for various APIs
• Custom plugins makes every native capability available
• Free : Open source framework
• 100% of reusability of code across platforms (except custom plugins)
• Performance and User Experience is not optimal
Introducing : Titanium combining the best elements of native and HTML5 apps. The cross platform JavaScript and
API framework • Easy to learn & deploy
JavaScript-based
• Create native application experience
Titanium takes code written in JS and combines it with the Titanium API (written in the targeted device’s native language)
• Support multiple platforms Targets various devices such as tablets, desktop and mobiles
Introducing : Xamarin combining the best elements of native and HTML5 apps. The UI cross platform Toolkits
• Quickly and easily build native user
interfaces using shared code
• Fluid User Experience
• Excellent Performance
• Native API support (anything you can do in native, can be done in Xamarin)
• Same day support of new OS releases
• Can customize UI to match standards of the platform
• Affordable pricing
• Less code reuse than PhoneGap
Hybrid Development
Advantages • A unique code base for all platforms • Lower cost per platform
• A single application to maintain
• Full API support (access to native device functionalities)
• Reuse existing web development skills (HTML, CSS3, JavaScript, …)
• Visibility on App Stores
Hybrid Development
Disadvantages Hybrid Web app
• May not be as fast as native app
• Apps look, but don’t always feel native
Hybrid Mixed app
• Requires skills in a mobile framework
Conclusion
Full Capability
Single Platform
Multiple Platforms
Partial Capability
NATIVE HYBRID
HTML5
Advanced UI interactions Fast performance Optimal User Experience Access to native platforms Web developer skills
Web developer skills Instant updates Web distribution Limited performance and UX
Advanced UI interactions Fastest performance Optimal User Experience
Summary
With all the flexibility and benefits that hybrid allows, enterprises more and more are
choosing to develop with some combination of native and web features.
By 2016 most apps will be hybrid.
«
«
Gartner, 2014
Summary NATIVE HTML5 HYBRID
Graphics Performance Look and feel Distribution Camera Notifications Contacts, Calendar Geolocalisation Swipe Offline storage Connectivity Development skills Price
Native APIs
Fastest
Native
Appstore
Secure fil system
Online, Offline
Objective-C, Java
€ € € € €
HTML, SVG, Canvas
Good
Emulated
Web
Browser dependent
Shared SQL
Mostly online
HTML5, CSS, JS
€ €
HTML, SVG, Canvas
Fastest / Good
Emulated
Appstore
Secure fil system, SQL
Online, Offline
HTML, CSS, JS, C#, Java
€ € €
Blind Test
