A Comprehensive Handbook on Hybrid App Development

Quick Summary: Hybrid apps are quickly becoming very popular among businesses, startups, and large corporations alike. The popularity of hybrid apps has grown quickly over the last few years because of their ease of development and versatility. Hybrid app development allows you to create an app that works on several mobile operating systems and can be done without a big investment of time or money. This is a huge advantage for businesses on a budget or for those businesses that want to have apps working on multiple platforms and operating systems whether it’s an iPhone app, Android app, iPad app, or tablet app.

What Is Hybrid App Development?

Hybrid app development is an increasingly popular way to develop apps. As opposed to using a native language for each platform, a single codebase can be used for creating the app on all supported platforms. This approach can save a lot of time and costs during the development process (as well as during the maintenance period). The most popular approach to hybrid app development is based on building the main functionality inside an HTML5 wrapper. The first part of this article explores this concept and its core advantages. In the second part, we’ll discuss some common mistakes and provide guidance for improving your workflow.

What is a Hybrid Mobile App

A hybrid mobile app is a type of mobile application that combines elements of both native and web applications. Unlike purely native apps, which are developed for a specific platform (e.g., iOS or Android) using platform-specific programming languages, hybrid apps are built using web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. These apps are then wrapped in a native container, which allows them to be installed and run on various mobile platforms.

What are the Top 5 Benefits of Hybrid App Development 

Easier scalability

There are multiple reasons why you should be considering using a hybrid framework to build your app. One of them is the ability to quickly deploy a single codebase to multiple devices without creating multiple applications. This allows you to create an application for Android and quickly deploy it on iOS and vice-versa.

Single codebase to manage

Two approaches to building apps offer unique uses. Hybrid apps integrate with mobile operating systems through the use of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript while native apps are developed using computer languages like Swift, Objective-C, and Java. With native app building, you build two copies of your app: one for iOS and one for Android. With hybrid software building, you develop only one app, so you only need to manage one database.

Faster build time

Hybrid applications are a better choice than native apps for quick development. The reason is that there is one database to manage, less UI to design and develop, the same technology stack on both platforms and many libraries or SDKs available.

Low cost of development

Hybrid mobile apps cost less than native ones because developers never have to recode the app if you need to update your code. This results in less initial costs (and less recurring ones). Hybrid apps also are performance optimal with faster load times since they use web technologies and are installed through the browser. This is a huge benefit for companies that want to keep their costs down without affecting user experience.

Offline availability

Hybrid apps can be run in an offline mode because they have access to the native platform infrastructure. Hybrid apps work just as well offline as they do online.

Five Best Examples of Hybrid Apps

Here are five notable examples of hybrid mobile apps:

Instagram

Uber

Gmail

Twitter

Amazon Kindle

What Are the Most Popular Hybrid App Development Tools?

React Native

Creating mobile apps with hybrid frameworks is common these days. There is a wide range of options to choose from, with React Native taking the crown. This framework allows you to create apps for both iOS and Android devices, thanks to its underlying code written in JSX. NativeScript is a framework that allows developers to convert their React and JavaScript source code into native elements. This means that the web experience can look and feel just like native applications.

Flutter

Flutter is a mobile app development framework developed by Google. Compatible with both Android and iOS, Flutter showcases the power of tools like Google Dart language to create vivid apps for both platforms. Flutter supports any other third-party framework for integration in its code.

Ionic

Ionic is an open-source framework for developing cross-platform mobile apps using web technologies. This framework helps developers reuse code across all platforms and also encourages long-term platform support by making use of AngularJS and Apache Cordova. Ionic is a top choice among hybrid app developers since it has a large community of users and contributors that create effective tools to help streamline the development process.

Xamarin

Microsoft’s Xamarin is a well-known cross-platform app development framework. It can be used by both .NET developers and Java developers to create cross-platform native applications. If you are considering using Xamarin, it may be good to have an idea of what it is and how it works. 

How To Choose the Best Hybrid App Development Company for You

Expertise

Certification is a plus for hybrid mobile app developers. They’re certified in Android, IOS, and Windows platforms and are familiar with building applications for the majority of business areas. When it comes to specific frameworks, Sencha, jQuery Mobile, Kendo UI, PhoneGap, and many others are integrated into their projects. Hybrid mobile app developers are indeed the ones that should be chosen for creating your app.

Location

Hybrid app developers – or mobile app development agencies – may be a perfect fit for many businesses. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the best option for everyone. Before considering using a hybrid app development company, investigate their location (especially if you need to work closely with them), educational background, and the number of apps they’ve developed in the past to determine if they’re a match for your project.

Cost

Hybrid app developers charge both a one-time price and an ongoing fee. The one-time price is the initial cost of building your mobile app, while the monthly or annual recurring fee is paid on an ongoing basis to maintain the app. It depends on the vendor that you choose and what type of pricing model they will offer you. Because this is something that affects your budget, it is recommended to have a look at both options.

Post-Launch Services

The first thing to make sure of is whether the developers will be there in the future after you have successfully launched your app. You don’t want to miss their presence when your customers start requesting new and updated features.

Conclusion

Hybrid software has gained traction in the marketing world and for good reasons. Hybrid solutions are an efficient way of delivering services to mobile users, allowing marketers to reach their target customers while saving valuable time and money. With software companies constantly innovating and creating new tools, a hybrid solution is a great way to catch up with competitors while maintaining brand integrity.
With a wide range of experience in the industry, we are capable of dealing with various challenging business problems. Brain Inventory understands the importance of time and cost involved in taking up new mobile app development projects and thus works on them with the utmost professionalism and dedication to deliver the desired results within the specific timeframe.