We have already talked about the different types of app development processes, the native app development, cross-platform, and hybrid app development. Today we will discuss deeply that what is cross-platform app development, and why it is beneficial over native app development.

What is Cross-Platform App Development?

In simple words, the cross-platform app development follows the Write Once, Run Anywhere approach. That means a single code is enough to run on various platforms, and here we are talking about the mobile apps that have compatibility with different OS i.e. iOS and Android being the main operating systems. The native apps, on the other hand, are dedicated to a certain operating system. The biggest examples of cross-platform apps are Instagram, Walmart, Bloomberg, and SoundCloud Pulse, etc.

Cross-Platform Apps: Save your Time, Money, and Efforts

The beginning of smartphones also brought the need for dedicated apps for the OS that making things easy for the users. The companies started to build their apps to make sure the users get a friendly environment, and they engage with the content. But at that time, they had to make separate compatible apps for each operating system. But with the discovery of cross-platform app development, things became easier for the developers and the app owners as well. Here are some of the benefits of cross-platform app development:

1. Saves the Time: Having a single code to be used for different platforms is way too time-saving than creating separate apps for different operating systems. So cross-platform apps save you a lot of time.
2. Cost-effective: Similar to the time, when a single code is enough to operate on various platforms, you do not need to spend more money on different development teams for different platforms. Your work is done in one go, and you save on money too.
3. Reusability of the Code and Design: The code for the cross-platform is the same for various platforms, so one doesn’t have to write new code for similar work within the app for the different OSs. Also, design-wise too, the design becomes more uniform for all the platforms and provides a similar UI for the end-users.
4. Fewer Efforts are Required: When we use the Write Once, Run Anywhere approach the efforts are also reduced to a certain degree. A single development team is handling the code as well as the design, and they are writing the code for all the platforms at once, saving a lot of effort for the developers and the designers too.
5. Easy Maintenance: Since the app is cross-platform and users a single design and code, the maintenance work is also reduced to 50%. So the efforts are reduced not only for the development process but also for the rest of the lifetime of the app.
6.  Expands the Reach: Sometimes, people do not have enough money to develop a certain app for various platforms, so they choose to develop for a single OS (e.g. Android). This way, the app is only available to a certain group of people, and its reach is limited. But when one spends on a cross-platform app, they do not have to worry about not reaching to right people as the app is open for all.

Since cross-platform app development is much cheaper and much less time-consuming, these are more suited for startups.

Steps to Follow When Developing a Cross-Platform App:

Cross-platform app development uses a similar approach to the native app development, but with a few additions to it:

• Analyze the Needs and Research the Market: First of all, you must be ready with the basic idea on which you want to create an app, and who are the people your app will be served. There has to be a blueprint of what needs the app is going to fulfill, and what the app will be doing differently to make it successful. Researching the market as well as the competition is another related step that requires a lot of time, effort, and brainstorming. So make sure you are done with all these steps before jumping into the app development.

• Deciding on the UI/UX Design: When you are done with all the basic research process, you must hire a team that will help you on deciding the look and feels of your app. The app has to be user-friendly and have a great UI so that the users are always engaged. You can also take the help of your app development team, or a dedicated designing person can do it for you.

• Selecting the Right People: Since you are thinking of developing a cross-platform app, so you must agree that a skilled team is what you require. The team has to be experienced enough to handle the development process on their own and must be skilled enough to fulfill your requirements. You cannot take the chance of hiring a team that has never worked on a cross-platform app development project. So interview them well and go through their past work record.

• Choosing the Right Tool: Thanks to all the developers in the world, that one doesn’t need to write long codes to make a single thing work. Today you have got a list of development frameworks that can help you with obtaining your desired operations for your apps. Some of the popular cross-platform app development tools include Ionic, Xamarin, Corona SDK, PhoneGap, NativeScripts, etc. You must describe your requirements to your development team, and they will help you choose the right tool for your cross-platform app development.

• Q/A Testing: Quality Assurance and testing is the most important part of your app development process as you do not want to have bugs in your app when you launch it. The Q/A team will help you debug your app and will make it flawless. A flawless app is easy to maintain, and you can engage more audience through it.

• Launching the App: When you are ready with your final product, with no bugs disturbing the app, you are all set to launch the app. The different OS like iOS and Android have different policies for launching the app, and here too, the development team is going to help you. So make sure to connect with a team that is taking the charge of your app from the start to the end.

• Maintenance: Though the launch of the app might seem to be the final step, it is not. The testing of the app and the maintenance continue the whole lifetime of the app, as with time, the requirements of the users and the technology keep on changing, so you have to have your maintenance team always on their toes. Maintenance of the app keeps the app young and doesn’t let the users go away looking for alternatives.

So these are some of the steps that you must follow while developing a cross-platform app. If you are still confused about ‘how to develop a cross-platform app,’ you can contact the team Xornor, a qualified and skilled Android app development team that can help you with all your cross-platform app development queries.