The term “hybrid development” speaks for itself:
The approach which combines native code with independent code that is suitable for multiple platforms and allows creating cross-platform mobile apps.
These applications fit any platform and function identically across different ones.
Hybrid software is coded in intermediate programming languages — HTML, JavaScript and CSS — those that are not native to devices and OSs. Then, apps are packaged into native containers and integrated into platforms. They have a native look and feel. however, there are typically certain restrictions that concern control and navigational elements.
The main advantages of the hybrid approach over the native one are as follows:
- Hybrid solutions require fewer efforts and provide more accurate results
- Basic knowledge of standard languages is enough — development tools will do the rest of the work
- Costs are reduced, since only one team of programmers is required to develop and maintain an app
- Hybrid frameworks provide near-native functionality
- A single code base saves time and enables fast launching
Hybrid Mobile App Development Tools
Depending on the tool, the process and deliverables of native software development can vary.
- Ionic is definitely the best hybrid app framework 2018 as it bridges the properties that are in the greatest demand: open source, maintainability, scalability, and it is easy to read. Ionic provides a library of HTML, CSS and JS components optimized for mobile development, which allows building interactive apps. The tool has a rich set of features and tools, including out-of-the-box support for material design, native-styled mobile UI elements and layouts. Also, it provides its customers with regular updates and resources from the development community. Ionic-based hybrid applications posses native functionalities, exhaustive gestures and customizable tools to enhance user-friendliness. However, they rely on wrappers such as Cordova or Phone Gap to run as native.
- PhoneGap is a distribution of Cordova framework. This open-source mobile application development framework is usually regarded as the top and the most popular tool for hybrid solutions not least because of its ease of use. The tool allows writing apps in HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript. For each mobile platform, it provides native plugins and containers, enabling developers to create more features and to access device functionality, such as camera, microphone, accelerometer, compass, file system and more. After their creation, apps run in a Web View browser inside a native container on the appropriate platform.
- Framework7 (F7) is a mobile app development framework that allows building web and hybrid mobile apps with native look and feel. With F7, developers can easily create prototypes and then build simple and user-friendly mobile apps that provide a seamless user experience. Framework7 is a simple open-source tool that requires a developer to have only a simple HTML layout and attached CSS and JS files. However, F7 is not compatible with all platforms, as it is focused only on iOS and Google Material design.