Hybrid App Development : Pros, Cons, and Best Practices

Hybrid App Development : Pros, Cons, and Best Practices
Published

12 May 2022

Content

Laxmi Hari Nepal

If you’re looking to develop an app, you might be wondering if hybrid app development is the right choice for you. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of hybrid app development, as well as some best practices to help you get started. By the end of this post, you’ll have a better understanding of whether or not hybrid mobile apps are right for your business!

1. What is a hybrid app development and why might it be a good choice for you

When it comes to mobile app development, there are three main approaches: native app development, hybrid app development and progressive web apps development.

A native mobile app is an app that is developed using the language and tools specific to a given platform, such as iOS or Android. It typically offers better performance and functionality than a hybrid app.

A progressive web app is an app that is built using standard web technologies, such as HTML5, CSS and JavaScript. They often look and feel like a native app, but they are accessed through a mobile browser rather than a dedicated app store.

A hybrid app is an app that is developed using a combination of web technologies and native code. It can run on multiple platforms but typically doesn’t offer the same level of performance or functionality as a native app. Developing a hybrid app typically requires less code than developing a native app, making it faster and easier to develop. Additionally, hybrid apps can be built using web technologies that are already well-known and widely used, making it easier to find developers with the necessary skills.

If you’re unsure whether a hybrid app or a native app is right for your project, we recommend talking to a development expert. They can help you weigh the pros and cons of each option and make a decision that’s right for your project.

2. The pros of hybrid apps

When it comes to hybrid app development, there are a number of pros that make this approach appealing to businesses.

  • One key advantage is that hybrid apps can be developed quickly and at a lower cost than native apps. This is because hybrid apps only need to be built once and can then be deployed across multiple platforms.
  • In addition, hybrid apps tend to have better performance than web-based apps, as they are not limited by the browser and can access native device features.
  • Hybrid app development is a great option for developers because they only need to maintain one codebase, making changes will be less tedious than with native app development where both iOS and Android platforms need updating.
  • One of the main advantages of hybrid app development is that it allows for code reuse, making it efficient to develop applications at scale.
  • Finally, hybrid apps offer a good compromise between the user experience of native apps and the cross-platform compatibility of web-based apps. As a result, they are an increasingly popular option for businesses looking to develop mobile apps.

3. The cons of hybrid apps

While there are a number of pros to hybrid mobile apps, businesses should also be aware of the potential drawbacks.

  • One key disadvantage is that it can be more expensive and time-consuming to develop mobile apps using this approach. This is because hybrid apps require more coding work to make them compatible with multiple platforms.
  • In addition, they may not be as polished as native apps, which can give a negative impression to users.
  • Finally, hybrid apps can be slower than native apps, and they may not be supported by all devices.

This means that businesses should carefully consider whether or not hybrid app development is the right choice for them before making a decision.

4. Best practices for hybrid mobile app development

When it comes to developing hybrid mobile apps, there are a few best practices to keep in mind.

  • First and foremost, it’s important to make sure that the user experience is top-notch. This means designing an intuitive interface and ensuring that all features are easy to use.
  • Secondly, it’s important to choose the right hybrid app framework. There are a number of different frameworks available, so make sure to do your research to find one that’s right for you. Flutter or react native is often a great choice.
  • Additionally, be sure to test your app on multiple devices before releasing it. This will ensure that it works properly on all platforms and that users have a positive experience with your app.
  • Finally, make sure to promote your app through the appropriate channels. This will help ensure that it reaches your target audience.

By following these best practices, you can be sure that your hybrid app development process is smooth and successful.

5. Process of building a hybrid mobile app

1. Decide on the purpose of the app

When deciding on the purpose of the app, businesses should carefully consider what they want it to do. They should define a clear customer persona and conduct user research and user interview to understand the need of the target audience.

At EB Pearls, we use a value proposition canvas to determine the pains and gains of the customer segment to outline a clear strategy for creating value for our customers.

2. Research the best approach for developing the app.

It is important to consider several factors before starting the development of the mobile application. We have outlined some of the key areas that we discuss during the free consultation at EB Pearls:

3. Conduct UX and UI processes for mobile app development

Once the approach for the mobile app has been decided it is important to synthesise all the information collected during the research and outline a clear strategy on how the app will work and how it will look and feel.

5. Choose a hybrid app framework.

Businesses should carefully research different frameworks to find one that is compatible with their desired features and functions. We recommend considering the following factors:

  • User experience
  • Performance in each operating system
  • Speed to market
  • Support for features
  • Development community popularity

4. Develop the app using the chosen framework.

Once the right cross-platform has been selected, utilise the agile scrum methodology to iteratively develop the features of the mobile application. We recommend conducting the following activities:

  • Sprint planning
  • Daily Scrum
  • Sprint review
  • Sprint Retrospective

More on the details of developing a mobile app can be found here.

5. Test the app on multiple devices.

It’s important to test your app on multiple devices before releasing it to the public. This will help ensure that it works properly on all platforms and provides a positive user experience for your audience. We recommend the following testing activities:

  • Test cases
  • Test Automation
  • Code Quality Review / Code Coverage testing
  • Unit test
  • Integration test
  • Smoke test / Build Verification test
  • Functional test
  • Regression test
  • User acceptance test
  • Interoperability testing
  • Performance testing

6. Promote the app through appropriate channels

Once the app is built, businesses should promote it through appropriate channels to reach their target audience. Considering building a marketing website to promote the mobile application across search, social and native channels.

After the mobile app is released, analyse user feedback and make changes to the app if needed. This will help improve the user experience and ensure that the app meets the needs of the target audience.

  • Brand position, Marketing and user growth
  • Keep an eye out for technical debt
  • Maintenance of the application to continue with a working product
  • Prepare a Technology roadmap
  • Consider utilising OKR to continuously grow

By following these steps, businesses can successfully develop a hybrid mobile app. Hybrid apps offer a number of advantages, including code reuse, cost-effectiveness, and cross-platform compatibility. However, businesses should carefully consider their goals before deciding on this approach. By following the best practices outlined in this article, businesses can be sure that their hybrid app development process is smooth and successful.

1. Flutter

Flutter is a newer hybrid app development framework that is quickly gaining popularity. It offers a high degree of flexibility and performance, making it a good choice for businesses looking to develop mobile apps.

Key Features:

  • Massive widget library
  • Hot Reloading
  • Scalability and flexibility
  • Support for a wide range of integration
  • Use reactive framework

Top Apps made with Flutter:

  • Google Pay
  • Alibaba
  • BMW
  • Plenti
  • eBay

2. React Native

React Native is a popular hybrid apps development framework that allows developers to create mobile apps using React framework. It was created by Facebook and has been growing in popularity in recent years.

Key Features:

  • Write once run anywhere (WORA)
  • User interface-centric architecture
  • Third-party library support

Top Apps made with React Native:

  • Facebook
  • Wix
  • Walmart
  • Bloomberg

3. Ionic

Ionic is another popular framework for hybrid mobile app development. It allows developers to create apps with a simple, cross-platform codebase that can be run on both iOS and Android devices.

Key features:

  • Web standards base
  • AngularJS compatible
  • Based on the SAAS UI framework

Top Apps made with Ionic:

  • 86 400
  • Sworkit
  • H & R Block
  • Target
  • General Electric

4. Xamarin

Xamarin is a hybrid mobile app development framework that allows developers to create mobile apps using C#. It was created by Microsoft and has been growing in popularity in recent years.

Key Features:

  • Built using C#
  • Robust compile-time checking

Top Apps made with Xamarin:

  • The world bank
  • Storyo
  • UPS
  • Insightly CRM

6. Other notable hybrid mobile platforms

  • Mobile Angular UI
  • Onsen UI
  • .NET MAUI
  • NativeScript

No matter which platform you choose, be sure to do your research so that you can find one that meets your needs. Additionally, be sure to test your app on multiple devices before releasing it to the public. This will help ensure that it works properly on all platforms.

7. Who is the winner?

EB Pearls conducted in-depth research and development on each one of the above cross-platform frameworks. We prepare an internal benchmarking report based on the following considerations: user experience, app performance in each operating system, development speed and efficiency, reusability of code, use of native elements and native container, support for devices, support for features, support for commonly used third-party libraries, success with app stores submission, hybrid app development tools available for each framework, native wrapper, development community and activity on product document.

Flutter is our clear favourite for mobile app development in the cross-platform category because it offers excellent performance and a high degree of flexibility. It has a growing community of developers and winning the race against react-native due to its module development structure. We have also found that flutter’s dart programming languages are easy to learn and extend for our mobile app developers.

8. Hybrid app development at EB Pearls

At EB Pearls, we start building mobile apps using a hybrid platform in 2008. Back then, the choices were limited and Phonegap was the only production-ready platform. Since then, 75-80% of mobile app development conducted by EB pearls is in native platforms such as swift and kotlin. Developing applications in a native platform provides the stability, scalability and flexibility to grow.

In recent years, the emergence of mobile application development platforms like flutter and react native have changed the landscape of mobile app development. Depending on the app features, these platforms can provide excellent performance, scalability, and support native features such as push notifications, advanced mapping features, offline mode etc. We have successfully deployed several production-level Flutter and react native applications in Finance, Banking, Education, Real estate and Social media sectors.

Problem: Do you have any other questions about hybrid app development? Or, you’ve decided that you want to develop hybrid mobile apps, but you’re not sure where to start.

Agitate: Developing hybrid apps can be difficult, especially if you’re not familiar with the mobile app development process.

Solution: EB Pearls is one of Australia’s leading mobile app development companies that offer Flutter App development services. We have over 12 years of experience in developing hybrid mobile apps and our team of experts can help you get your project off the ground quickly and efficiently.

If you’re interested in learning more about our hybrid App development services, please contact us today. We would be happy to answer any questions you have and provide a free consultation.

Laxmihari Nepal

Laxmi Hari leads the Agile transformation in our organisation, creating a culture that embraces agile practices. He trains and coaches our employees to adopt agile methodologies, instill agile values, and develop an agile mindset, resulting in improved performance.

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“We’re very happy with the results of EB Pearls’ work. Since its launch, the app has had over 7,000 downloads, with around 6,000 users completing the signup process in the first 6 weeks. ”

Giuseppe Saffioti
Giuseppe Saffioti

— Founder at Intro Dating