9 Best Cross-Platform frameworks for Mobile App Development

A smartphone is one of the most common devices in the world now. It is mainly because it has become cheaper and more affordable. These smartphones run primarily to different applications that have several functions. It is the platform that is responsible for facilitating the implementation of these apps. These mobile platforms include Android, iOS, and Windows, generally.

Earlier, each platform had some specific applications running on them. However, many users have recently noticed that many users have different phones with different platforms these days. This led to the development of cross-platform apps that will be discussed in detail here.

What is a cross-platform application?

To put it in simple words, it is developing an application that can run on different platforms like Android, iOS, and Windows on a Smartphone. It is a system that has mainly developed out of necessity but has become quite a norm these days. Experts are capable of creating diverse applications deals with the development of these applications. Moreover, they know a different kind of coding languages necessary for other platforms.

How is it different from the native platform application?

The native applications are the ones that run smoothly and without any hindrance on a single platform. Hiring a developer for native applications is more comfortable as the pool of talent is small. Some might even argue that developing a native application requires being in closer touch with the platform, which makes the final work more refined. However, cross-platform applications are the need of the hour, and most of the developers prefer it.

Top 9 Cross-Platform frameworks for Mobile App Development

 Here is a list of the nine best cross-platform frameworks used for the development of mobile applications.

1. Flutter

The first in the list is one framework that is one of the most famous as well. The fact that Google maintains it since Flutter first came in 2017, adds to its credibility. Even though it primarily used Dart, other languages like C and Java are also aptly supported. The interface of flutter is pretty self-explanatory, and developers find it to be very user friendly. Flutter's high responsiveness is one of the main reasons that application development takes place at a blistering pace in it. All of these features make it one of the top choices for developers.

2. React Native

If you ask any famous developers about one framework that they think will be a roaring success, the chances are high that they will name the React Native platform. Some consider it as an asset for the future due to the advanced features that it sports. The compilation of the components takes place in JavaScript, which accumulates a different fan base of developers in itself. React Native is compatible with a third-party plug-in; this is why the developers well appreciate the framework.

3. Sencha Touch

If you are looking to develop a mobile application for an enterprise, Sencha Touch should be your go-to framework, and rightly so. Despite being a cross-platform entity, the built-in themes are native-based and function on multiple platforms. The user interface includes lists, menus, toolbars, and carousels, which makes it extremely esthetic in nature. It also supports integration with Cordova, which is an additional feature that works to its advantage.

4. Node.js

Suppose your application has several concurrent connections then the framework that you should prefer to use for its development in Node.js. The V8 JavaScript using Chrome is an open-source coding system that is available to all. The modules available in its library are also very vast, and many developers can benefit from the knowledge stored inside it. The fact that it is so huge in dimension and has high responsiveness and is very efficient is one of the main reasons it is a part of the list of best cross-platform frameworks for developing applications.

5. PhoneGap

Adobe is one of the most trustworthy organizations in the application development work, and PhoneGap has been developed. It is also known as Cordova by some as Apache Cordova distributes it. The different technologies that it works on include HTML 5, CSS, and JavaScript. A single code can help in its functioning in other platforms is one of the primary reasons it is preferred by many. Some features that come in-built in Smartphones like the camera, GPS etcetera are also supported by it. That is why it is considered to be one of the best for cross-platform mobile app development.

6. Ionic

One of the best aspects that can be associated with the framework of Ionic is that it is open source. What this means is that anyone and everyone can gain access to this platform to develop their application. It supports several famous and easy-to-use languages like Java, HTML5, and CSS. This framework's user interfaces are called SASS, which is again a favorite for the developers. It boasts of supporting close to 120 features from the native application development as well.

7. Xamarin

Xamarin boasts a huge fan base of 1.5 million users. It is one of the widely used cross-platform application development platforms. One primary reason behind it is that the developers can share their designed code over multiple platforms, enabling testing and execution to become much more simplified. It does not use HTML or JS Libraries and concentrates on .Net and C# mainly. There are many platforms on which Xamarin can work without any hindrance to the user interface development. Thus, this makes it highly responsive and fast to execute.

8. Corona SDK

This framework's uniqueness is determined by the fact that it uses LUA language for programming, unlike its more conventional counterparts. This helps in the development of an application for Android, Windows, and iOS alike. The advantage of LUA is that it is lightweight and has multiple functionalities. One of the best features of Corona SDK is the fact that an application that is developed by it is considered to be way faster than the ones developed by other platforms. One can perform testing on the application in real-time. Moreover, the application supports APIs and plug-in adding to its important features.

9. Appcelerator titanium

Even though it is the last in the list, it is in no way any less than capable of being able to develop cross-platform applications of the highest standards. If you are looking to develop a hybrid application, the Appcelerator titanium should be your first choice. Thus, the APIs created by it is unparalleled.

Conclusion 

The list mentioned above includes the best cross-platform frameworks that are available in the development of the application. If you are an enthusiast in this particular field and would like to try your hand at application development, you can make an informed choice from the list mentioned above.