Advantages and Disadvantages of Native apps and Hybrid apps

By: infotechalive May 4, 2018

Mobile phones have become the oxygen to this ever-changing techno friendly world. Global communication is possible with mobile phone applications, without which the company or person seems to be incomplete. It’s like having the globe at your fingertips. There are two ways to access this: Native apps and Hybrid apps . Let’s have a look at each of them, their advantages and disadvantages.

Native mobile applications

As per the name, it comprises of native programming language for the platforms such as Java is for Android. However, breaking down of code language, certain framework and technology exist here. Native app is a smartphone application developed specifically for a mobile operating system.

Advantages

• User experience – Functioning becomes easier as it is same as the one prevailing since years, it ensures supporting better experience for users.
• Speed and performance – It is faster and keeps an eye on memory. It has better battery backup and thus it improves the overall speed and performance.
• Data protection – Hardware resources are efficient and everything is connected to mathematics in Native thus it ensures full protection of data.
• Flexibility – The app gets full access to camera, databases and various other functions of the smartphone.
• Support from App Store – Google play and app store provides complete support to the users and they can download their product online easily.

Disadvantages

• Costing – As there is a need of development at every platform, this involves more staff as well as funding.
• Speed of app development – Since thereare unique features at every stage, there are certain substantial changes which are involved. These changes reduce the overall speed due to unique and specific working at every stage.
• Support – There exist a number of bugs and errors due to different platforms. It is not easy to control and fix them. This reduces the efficiency of app.

Hybrid mobile applications

They are more web apps rather than native apps. They just use the display of native app. These are web apps wrapped in native web view. This follows the reason of the name hybrid apps. Such apps are built on a specific framework. This allows them easy access to use native functions of each mobile platform with cross platforms using APIs. Cordova is one such framework.

Advantages

• Unified development – There is a requirement of developing and maintaining separate code bases for various mobile platforms. Hybrid apps can develop alternative and provides this service unified. This decreases the total costing that is highly beneficial.
• Fast development – It helps achieve faster development which it does with the help of Minimum Viable Product (MVP).This is a major revolution in app stores of mobile phones.
• Offline support – High speed internet is not available for rural customers, causing cut off. Offline support is a major plus point to such customers.

Disadvantages

• Performance – Due to the addition of an extra layer between source code and target, there is a possible loss of performance. However, the extent can vary.
• Debugging – It is required to stick to the framework and not introduce new bugs. Due to inadequate knowledge, it becomes a complicated process.
• Features – The industry of mobiles, tablets and laptops has never seen a pause. It’s just growing day by day. They have become need of the people. The leaders are expected to come up with latest features each time. This becomes quite difficult in hybrid apps due to specific framework.

Native apps have the ability to work with in-built features. Even though they are expensive but it helps users use it in a faster as well as easier way and thus it is preferably used. As they get complete support with app store, security and performance of app is guaranteed. However, this process involves a number of bugs and success isn’t assured. Hybrid apps are on other hand rich in features, feel and animation. They portray the new world. Being able to perform at multiple devices at the same time, they are becoming more popular. Copying from previous websites even without redesigning is however its major drawback. Each has some advantages and disadvantages but budget, speed, performance and efficiency are major factors that affect the choice of Native apps and Hybrid apps .