Top 5 Cross-Platform App Development Frameworks To Consider in 2022

Developers around the world are embracing cross-platform application development because of the many benefits it offers. Today many frameworks allow developers to use the same code to build apps for different platforms. So if you’re looking for the best cross-platform app development framework for your next project, you’ve come to the right place. This article reviews the main frameworks that help you achieve your cross-platform development goals. 

Before we go over the main options, let’s take a detailed look at cross-platform development and its benefits.

What is a cross-platform framework?

Frameworks are special programs of tools and libraries that help developers build applications faster and more efficiently. However, many of these frameworks are designed to develop applications for specific platforms like Android or iOS.  

Cross-platform frameworks add value to application development by providing the tools to build applications for more than one platform. A developer can create unique code to deploy apps for the web, iOS, and Android with such frameworks. Thus, cross-platform frameworks are very popular with developers because they open a new frontier in application development. 

The advantages of cross-platform Frameworks

Here are some of the benefits of cross-platform frameworks.

• Build hybrid apps:  Apps built with cross-platform frameworks are often hybrid apps. They offer the same experience on different mobile devices because the backend functions are the same.
• Hassle-free code management: Code management is more accessible with cross-platform frameworks because only one code is deployed to build applications on different platforms.
• It’s Faster:  Developers can build apps faster, reducing time to market. 
• Cost Saving:  Cross-platform frameworks reduce overall application development costs.

Superior cross-platform frameworks

The major cross-platform frameworks at the time of writing are listed below.

React Native

React Native is arguably the most popular cross-platform JavaScript application development framework. Developers can use it to create code and deploy web, IOS, and Android applications. 

Since its release as an open-source framework in 2015, React Native has gained wide acceptance among developers and has established itself as one of the best platforms for developing cross-platform applications. 

The advantages of React Native

• Profitability:   React Natives helps companies around the world reduce the cost of application development through code reuse. Developers save money and development hours by deploying the same code for multiple platforms. 
• React Native Community:  React Native has an active community of developers who support the platform. You can find user-focused content online, such as tutorials, sample codes, and documentation. New developers can also get help from the community without a problem.
• Impressive performance:   This platform has a reputation for building excellent applications. Features enhance the performance of React Native apps like different threads for user interfaces and APIs, native modules, and controls. React Native can talk to native iOS and Android functions, reducing the processing power required for interpretation.
• Very stable:  A child component cannot compromise the performance of parent data in React Native. Thanks to the customs data link technology used by the platform. That is why React Native apps are safe and stable.
• Supports Third-Party Plugins:   Developers can use third-party plugins such as JavaScript Mobiles and Native Modules. These plugins allow developers to add cool features like Maps to apps. 

Flutter

Google, The search engine giant created Flutter and released it as an open-source framework for developing mobile apps. It offers tools and functions for creating applications for iOS and Android platforms. 

At the time of writing, developers can only use the Dart programming language with Flutter. Flutter is made up of toolkits, SDKs, and UI element frameworks.

The advantages of Flutter

• Reduce Costs:  The tools in this platform allow developers to build applications faster, which helps reduce costs.
• Excellent performance:  Flutter does not require an interpreter; it communicates directly with the machine code and works perfectly.
• Building web apps: A flutter is a perfect tool for building web apps, mobile apps, and browser apps that work offline. In 2019, a version of Flutter Web with increased capacity for web application development was released.
• Dart Support:   Using the Dart programming language is an excellent option for new programmers. It offers simple syntax and other features that make application development accessible.

Cordova

Adobe acquired Cordova, an application development framework from Nitobi, in 2011. The platform allows developers to create hybrid iOS and Android applications with CSS, HTML, and JavaScript. Cordova’s applications are not entirely web or Native, but they use the API to access native functions. Thus, Cordova applications combine hybrid elements with native functions.  

The advantages of Cordova

• Developers can access tools that simplify media management.  They can also perform media queries efficiently and add CSS to application codes without stress.
• Community add-ons are another great feature of Cordova. These add-ons include several frameworks, libraries, and add-on development tools. 
• Since Cordova uses CSS, HTML, and JavaScript, developers can use the scripting language to create extraordinary app functionality without learning a new language.
• Cordova makes cross-platform development easier and faster.  It creates hybrid apps that work on the web, Android, and iOS. 

Ionic

Over the years, Ionic has undergone significant transformations, moving from an AngularJS frontend to Apache Cordova. As a result, it now consists of web components offering options to select a development framework among VUE.js, Angular, or React. Lately, an update was released that allows the developer to use Ionic features without adding a user interface. 

The advantages of Ionic 

• Support for AngularJS framework integration is beneficial for Ionic application development. The developer can select other frameworks as well,
• Ionic works on multiple platforms such as Windows, iOS, and Android.
• Ionic allows developers to use various third-party plugins to achieve multiple application development functions.
• This platform will enable developers to build applications for different platforms with a  single programming language.  So you don’t need to learn any additional language to develop apps for iOS and Android.
• It’s easy for an average developer to build great apps with Ionic since it uses basic markup and scripting languages ​​like CSS, HTML, and JavaScript.

Xamarin

While most cross-platform frameworks use JavaScript, CSS, and HTML, the Xamarin framework uses C # to build cross-platform applications. Thanks to the Xamarin runtime environment that runs on Windows, iOS, and Android. Xamarin’s C # code provides access to native iOS and Android functions. This is why Xamarin apps look like native mobile apps.

The advantages of Xamarin

• It gives developers access to multiple resources for developing applications such as graphics, user interfaces, controls, and more. 
• A feature called ”  Text Cloud  ” allows you to test applications in real-time by simulating various mobile devices. This feature helps fix bugs and testing performance.
• The prefabricated user interface layout helps developers launch application development projects and create functional and attractive user interfaces.
• Xamarin works perfectly with  Visual Studio, a great IDE.  Developers can therefore create quality native code faster and more efficiently.
• Developers can deploy a single code to multiple platforms using the App Logic Sharing feature.

Conclusion

Developers derive immense value from using cross-platform work frameworks. But the many options available in the market make it challenging to choose the proper framework. However, this article has reviewed the major cross-platform frameworks in the world today. It helps new and experienced developers choose the best cross-platform framework for their projects.