The mobile application development sector is growing by leaps and bounds, and as of now the concept behind developing an app, imagination is limitless. We are in the last quarter of 2018, and the app economy has received a phenomenal response, with several trends redefining the digital landscape. Technology is brimming with innovations, the application of which will take your business to new heights.
Applications have taken off in a big way unfolding on many fronts. Now when we are talking about writing software for small, wireless devices- a set of processes and procedures must be adhered to and that’s what an application is all about. Long days, even longer nights and investment of accounted money are behind you when you are developing an app, be it for iOS or Android. And all you have to do is wait for a long run hoping that one day your app will be a major hit across the globe. But the table has turned these days;development procedures have almost become a cakewalk- thanks to all the emerging unprecedented innovations. Above all, you don’t require to be a certified developerto come up with an interesting app all you require doing is pick a relevant framework and you are on!
A framework is a software library that lays the platform for the development of the app. In simple words, it is the stepping stone or the foundation on which the app settles. Further below I would like to mention a list of top Android frameworks that can get you an app under your belt without much hassle.
1. PhoneGap–
Supported by Adobe, PhoneGap is a framework which aids developments in CSS, and JavaScript. Being one of the most popular frameworks, it lets you reuse existing web development skills to create experiences for multiple platforms with a single codebase. Which means you can each your audience irrespective of their device. Developing the app without using a command line, instant changes, no maintenance of native SDK’s, rich library plugins, vast developer community are some of the core benefits offered by PhoneGap. And the best part is that you can develop apps within a few minutes.
2. Appcelerator-
The Appcelerator platform comprises of every tool required by today’s developer to build, test and deploy highly customized apps for their end users. Being able to run on multiple platforms by reusing somewhere around 60%-90% of existing code, the framework can help you to design an excellent native app. Writing in JavaScript, able to run on any device, mobile-optimized access, check usage & adoption, detect crashes, tune performance are some of its core benefits. The cross-platform framework can also be used to power mobile test automation, mobile backend as a service (MBaaS), and crash detection.
3. Corona SDK-
Created in 2009, Corona SDK is another framework used to build apps for iOS, Android, MacOS, tvOS, Android TV, and Kindle Fire. When compared with other frameworks, this one, in particular, speeds up the development process real fast. In addition to this, you can also update your code, save the changes, and instantly see the results in our instant-update Simulator. Numerous plugins, Lua-base framework, is lightweight and fast, develop apps for multiple platforms with just one code base are key benefits of Corona SDK. And the most important of all the apps are automatically compiled at build time, streamlined for performance and stability because of its competency to perform at every core level.
4. JQuery Mobile-
This one is my favorite. The touch-optimized framework was initially developed to create a framework that gels well with a myriad of smartphones and tablet computers. As a result, it turns out that apart from smartphones and tablets the framework is compatible with other frameworks such as PhoneGap and Worklight. It features a lightweight code which is built with progressive enhancement, coupled with easily themeable design empowering professional to create custom theme based applications for Android, iOS, Blackberry, WebOS, and Symbian operating systems. Built on the rock-solid jQuery and jQuery UI foundation, Jquery offers Ajax navigation with page transitions, touch events, and various widgets.
5. Ionic-
The free and open-source framework is licensed under the MIT license. Right from the whole library of components to gestures, and tools, Iconic offers everything. It allows you to develop progressive web and native apps for every major app store — all with a single codebase. Due to LiveDeploy, the developer can deliver code updates, A/B test, content changes, and space to fix bugs before and after the app is developed. Performance and optimization are what Iconic is all about. So are you ready to build high-fidelity apps in no time?
6. NativeScript-
This has been my go-to framework for the past few years. The platform with the help of JavaScript, TypeScript, or a variety of frameworks such as Angular and Vue.js allows you to create native Android and native iOS applications.
Leveraging the V8 JavaScript engine for Android and JavaScriptCore for iOS means the majority of device APIs can be directly accessible from JavaScript code. As a result, there is no point in understanding the necessity of plugins as well as the need to know Java, Objective-C, and Swift. No WebView is involved when running NativeScript applications unless of course, you decide to include one. By using native components, the applications can run with maximum performance.
7. AppsBuilder-
The cross-platform app creator allows its users to create apps for Android, iPhone, iPad and HTML Web apps with no coding knowledge or need. The framework, under the label of White label apps development, might seem more comfortable and effective to use but has various limitations when it comes to beat the present day Native apps.
Conclusion
Irrespective of which framework you choose, I am betting on no particular order. Cross-platform frameworks are extremely volatile, agree? Their fundamental purpose is to help you rapidly turn a vague idea into a well- functioning app, a polished product. At the end of the day, all that matters is how you accomplish this goal whether its by using the latest state-of-the-art framework that everyone talks about or by using an established framework that is starting to collect dust.
Rooney Reeves is a content strategist and a technical blogger associated with well-known firm for eTatvaSoft – Web, e-Commerce & Mobile App Development Company in India. An old hand writer by day and an avid reader by night, she has a vast experience in writing about new products, software design and test-driven methodology. Her write-ups mainly features anything and everything related to the web!
With the true passion for creating compelling content for online and offline media, Rooney has donned multiple hats over the past several years.