Premier Mobile App Development Frameworks (Updated)

Mobile applications can be molded according to technologies in demand. Know more about trending mobile app frameworks to adopt the latest mobile app development trends here!

Business owners can never predict results. It is always necessary to know the pre-emptive adjustments to ensure before it’s too late to future proof your business. A business is always centered on the needs of its customers. App development has to simultaneously move around the expectations of the customers. Monetization of a mobile app requires a deep study of frameworks and trends. Let’s dig deeper.

Mobile App Development Trends

Here are the major mobile development trends:

• Introduction of 5G
• App privacy and transparency
• Use of Artificial Intelligence in various domains
• Applications from international companies will continue to rise – e.g.: FaceApp, Alibaba and TikTok
• Prevalence of Progressive Web Apps will enable people to install fewer apps
• Mobile apps will be built to support multiple devices at once.
• Legacy businesses will be back on track with all the fine-tuning and upgrading of their technology stack coupled with the right amount of smoke testing and post-deployment maintenance support.
• Internet of Things in Apps
• Blockchain in Mobile Apps
• Bots/Chatbots
• Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)
• Personalized Mobile Apps
• Voice-Based Searches
• Mobile App Security
• Cloud-Based Mobile Apps
• Wearable Devices
• Beacon Technology
• Enterprise Mobile App Management
• Mobile Wallets Payments
• Predictive Analytics
• APM and EMM
• 5G Wireless Services

Knowing the Differences between Native vs. Hybrid Frameworks

The gradual shift from desktop to mobile applications wasn’t incidental, and it has only helped businesses to reach a wider audience. For this sake, a platform of the application, framework, frontend, backend, server, database, and third-party API’s to be used.

The popularity of mobile applications enables users to leverage the related benefits in respective business domains. Mobile apps make it much easier for businesses to track users’ needs acting as direct communication turned into a conversion channel.

The reduced cost, reusable code, faster time-to-market, and native app-like performance are some of the preliminary reasons behind the acceptance of cross-platform app development.

Native Mobile App Development Framework

Native mobile applications are singularly developed for their inherent Android or iOS platforms. A Native Android App is primarily written in Java/Kotlin. A native iOS app is primarily written in Objective-C/Swift. The Android Apps are compiled using Android Studio, while iOS apps are compiled via Xcode Native Apps. Native applications are high in performance but are simultaneously very expensive. The code written for one platform cannot be used for another platform. An app written on Objective-C cannot be executed on the Android Platform.

Hybrid Mobile App Development Framework

Hybrid = Native + Web Framework. Hybrid Apps are created for more than one platform, which requires the best cross-platform framework. These applications are built using web technologies that include HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc. These are quicker and easier to build and are as well cost-efficient. Five foremost hybrid mobile app development frameworks:

Ionic

Ionic is an open-source framework for mobile application development based on Angular and Apache Cordova. It enables developers to build cross-platform applications for three platforms, i.e. iOS, Windows, and Android.

The framework is ideal for creating interactive, high-performing, progressive web and mobile applications. Notably, Ionic has been one of the most popular frameworks for cross-platform app development due to its extensive features and predefined elements.

Ionic Features

• Ionic offers tools and services for using technologies like HTML and SaaS.
• It is open-source and licensed by MIT.
• It is free to use and serves a wide customer base globally.
• It contains native-styled layouts
• Has 120+ device features (as of 2023)
• Apps can be created by live reload
• User-friendly and customizable
• It relies on PhoneGap and Cordova wrappers to operate as a native application.
• Year– 2013, Language Stack – Typescript, Developer – Drifty, Architecture – Angular MVC

React Native

React Native is an app development framework released by Facebook in 2018 and is also considered one of the most popular languages among developers. It is a Javascript-based framework and has more than 2 million monthly users. Note that React Native is capable of harnessing the native features in the best possible way, easily adapts UI according to the given platform’s needs, and is a cost-effective, time-saving, and effortless language.

Some popular examples of famous applications built-in RN are Facebook, Instagram, Bloomberg, Airbnb, UberEATS, 2048, Wix, Tesla, Skype, Walmart, and LinkedIn.

React Native Features

• React Native makes use of a single codebase.
• It relieves the developers of small platform or device-related challenges, adding or importing packages and libraries to suit the requirements of the application.
• The use of JS makes rendering easy across server and client browsers.
• It is as well not laden with the side effects of a hybrid HTML5 app.
• It interactively crafts the UI due to the presence of enormous libraries, tools, and many ready-hand solutions.
• React Native brings React’s declarative UI framework to iOS and Android.
• Writing the entire application all over again seems to be the only option in case of additional bandwidth requirements.
• Frameworks like React Native are always helpful in extending the functionality that a web page could offer, like the integration of a camera, GPS, Flash Light, Bluetooth, Rotation, Auto-Correction, etc.
• React Native code can have declarative views that make the code more predictable and easier to debug. It can be used to build encapsulated components that manage their state and then compare them to make complex UIs.
• Besides, any changes done to the program at compile or run time can be seen locally in seconds. Changes to JavaScript code can be live reloaded without rebuilding the native apps. Additionally, the same code can be used across platforms.
• Year– 2015, Language Stack – Javascript / Typescript, Developer – Facebook, Architecture – Flux

Flutter

Flutter is Google’s mobile UI framework that is used for creating high-quality native-like applications for cross-platform development for different devices & operating systems using single code. It is a free and open-source framework, comparable with React and Kotlin in performance. Note that it can deliver fast, expressive, flexible applications and features Hot/Live Reloading.

Some famous companies using Flutter include Google Ads, Alibaba, Cryptograph, Birch Finance, Watermaniac, Hookle, Coach Yourself and Reflect.

Flutter Features

• Flutter is a framework for cross-platform app development that makes use of DART (Google’s in-house programming language), which enables Flutter to make use of the Skia graphics library used by Chrome.
• It is not directly comparable to Kotlin. It makes code reuse easy.
• Flutter apps can work equally well on Android, iOS and Google’s Fuchsia.
• Create Frontend and Backend With Single Programming Language
• It has widgets to create powerful UI
• Wraps Web View And Native Platform
• It hosts applications with portable runtimes
• It supports various IDEs
• Flutter can integrate with Firebase and Code Magic
• It provides its widgets in a combination
• Flutter features a variety of themes
• It has extensive community support
• It comes for desktop, mobile and web platforms
• It has 2D animations that can be performed easily
• It is lightning fast
• Hot reload feature- enabling coders to see the changes in the app right away.
• Smooth UI designs with unorthodox design elements
• The absolute choice for MVP
• Dynamic code writing
• Compatible with Fuchsia
• Year– 2017, Developer – Google, Language Stack – Dart, Architecture – Flutter- Flux

Cordova (PhoneGap)

Cordova (PhoneGap) is a cross-platform development framework that requires little to no knowledge of native platforms and allows developers to create mobile applications using their existing knowledge of HTML, CSS, and Javascript. Cordova (PhoneGap) is easy to learn & communicates with the native side by making use of plugins which gives the effortless feature of including only the features which are required for your application.

Some popular applications using Phone Gap are FanReact, TripCase, My Heart Camera, Untappd, Hockey Community, Bit Timer and METAR Reader.

Cordova (PhoneGap) Features

• Cordova (PhoneGap) provides APIs to communicate to native platforms APIs, which does its magic when you need to communicate to the native side of platforms.
• Cordova (PhoneGap) is compatible with a single codebase for iOS, Android and Windows 7 platforms.
• It has a rugged backend system
• It supports HTML5, JavaScript and CSS3, which makes it extremely flexible.
• It taps into the system’s hardware components like a Camera, accelerometer, navigation compass, etc., without hampering the design (UI) features.
• It is easily compatible with a plugin architecture
• The rapid testing can be performed with ease
• Year– 2009, Language Stack – C# / Objective-C, Developer – Adobe

Xamarin

Xamarin is an open-source framework by Microsoft that allows the development of hybrid apps for iOS, Android and Windows & different devices. The framework leverages .Net and C# and features its own fully developed ecosystem with Xamarin Studio, Xamarin SDKs, Xamarin Test Cloud, and Xamarin Insights.

Some popular applications are StoryO, The World Bank, Fareboom, Olo, Just Giving, Skulls and Shogun, Insightly CRM and CA Mobile, etc.

Xamarin Features

• Xamarin has the means to include libraries for Java, C++, and Objective-C directly.
• Xamarin’s assemblage of libraries is huge.
• It reduces explicit costs and gives minimum budget hassles.
• Xamarin is as fast and performant in building a mobile app as its native counterparts. (With the help of native UI controls)
• Xamarin apps connect seamlessly with hardware components via plugins without hampering the device’s performance.
• It features easy API integration.
• Fast GUI prototyping
• Excellent code sharing and maintenance
• Year – 2011, Language Stack – C#, Developer – Microsoft, Architecture – Mono / ART

Corona

Corona is an open-source, cross-platform framework that is ideal for rapidly creating apps and games for mobile devices, desktops, tablets & smart TV. The framework is powered by Lua, a lightweight, adaptable, and easy-to-use scripting language. The language is widely used for creating cross-platform mobile games for various operating systems.

Some popular games developed using Corona are Designer City, Zip Zap, Gunman Taco Truck, and I Love Hue.

Corona Features

• It offers speed, ease of usage and flexibility to develop apps.
• Year – 2009, Language Stack – Lua, Developer – Corona Labs Inc

JQuery Mobile

JQuery Mobile is an HTML5-based user interface framework built on top of the jQuery Core JavaScript framework. It is designed to make responsive websites or applications for mobile, tablet, and desktop devices. Notably, the framework is lightweight and offers a variety of UI components, allowing developers to build efficient, high-quality apps.

Some top companies using JQuery Mobile are The North Face, Enterprise Fleet Management, Uber, Twitter, Udemy, and Slack.

JQuery Mobile Features

• JQuery builds on jQuery and jQueryUI to provide API features for mobile web applications by keeping the single code version.
• Year – 2006, Language Stack – Javascript, Developer –  jQuery Team

Intel XDK

Intel XDK is a comprehensive cross-platform development environment (IDE) for cost-effectively testing, debugging, building, and creating native apps for mobile phones and tablets using web technologies like HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript using a single code base.

Some popular platforms using Intel XDK are Intel and Upwork.

Intel XDK Features

• Intel XDK is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) developed by Intel.
• It’s a comprehensive cross-platform development environment for cost-effectively testing, debugging, building, creating native apps for mobile phones and tablets using web technologies like HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript.
• Year – 2013, Language Stack – Javascript, Developer – Intel

Mobile Angular UI

Mobile Angular is a free, open-source mobile UI framework that provides numerous UI components like switches, overlays, scrollable areas, and navbars to build a seamless, intuitive and attractive user interface for mobile applications.

Some popular Mobile Angular UI users are Tanisha Systems Inc. and Mongo DB Inc.

Mobile Angular UI Features

• Mobile Angular is a free open-source mobile UI framework
• It provides numerous UI components like switches, overlays, scrollable areas, navbars to build a seamless intuitive and attractive user interface for mobile applications.
• Year – 2013, Language Stack – Angular / Bootstrap, Developer – Maurizio Casimirri

Appcelerator Titanium

Appcelerator Titanium is based on open-source Titanium, a JavaScript-based SDK with over 5000 APIs for Android, iOS, Windows, and HTML5 that allows you to reuse up to 90% of code if you are targeting multiple platforms. It is a powerful framework chosen by app development agencies creating cross-platform mobile apps for iOS and Android using a single code base.

Appcelerator Titanium Features

• It is a powerful framework for chosen by app development agencies creating cross-platform mobile apps for iOS and Android using a single code base.
• It’s based open-source Titanium, a JavaScript-based SDK with over 5000 APIs for Android, iOS, Windows, and HTML5
• It allows you to reuse up to 90% of code if you are targeting multiple platforms.
• Year – 2017, Language Stack – Javascript/XML, Developer – Appcelerator, Inc.

Other Popular Hybrid App Frameworks

• Framework 7
• Sencha Touch
• Nativescript
• Firebase
• Sencha
• Mobile Angular UI
• Sencha Ext JS

In Conclusion

Every framework for mobile app frameworks must be chosen by considering the target audience of the mobile app, the demand in the market, the available skillset, the available budget, the available timeline to implement, the features to be included in the app and the platform throughout the app development process. Besides, a business must estimate the requirements that it needs to achieve through the app and give proper thought to the factors that can impact your app, the size of the business, the developers’ expertise and the required solutions. Small entrepreneurs may use ionic, and mid-size or larger firms may use Sencha or React Native. Ionic and React Native have been performing well in current years. One requirement that remains constant is an excellent team of developers for design and maintenance.