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Imagine starting a business that requires building mobile applications for end users. If you invest in native development to build separate apps for Android and iOS users, the development time and budget will skyrocket, let alone the project complexity, workflow management, etc.
What do you do to solve this problem? Well, cross-platform development is the best choice for handling such situations where you build just one app instead of two. This app will run seamlessly on both mobile platforms and provide end users with a similar experience. Before you start cross-platform development, choosing the right languages or frameworks is crucial.
You might ask, what is the most powerful cross-platform framework? Xamarin is currently one of the most powerful cross-platform frameworks for mobile app development. According to Statista, about 12% of global developers use Xamarin cross-platform development framework to build cross-platform apps.
This framework is owned by Microsoft and uses C# programming language to build apps for multiple platforms. It also uses the .NET framework to provide superior native development environments. Xamarin comes with the necessary SDKs to make cross-platform development more convenient.
Let’s dive deep into Xamarin to explore its benefits, challenges, and why you should choose Xamarin over other frameworks for cross-platform development.
The term ‘cross-platform’ is used to express a development process where a single application is built to run on multiple operating systems. Take Android and iOS, for example. If you build an app that can run on Android and iOS, the development process will be called cross-platform.
Multi-platform compatibility has become a necessity in this era as many users are now constantly switching between platforms. Businesses need to bridge this gap by building cross-platform apps.
Let us give you some solid reasons behind the popularity of cross-platform development.
Each platform has its guidelines for developing an app. When building native apps, two different codebases are required for different versions of the same app. But cross-platform development lets developers use the same codebase for different platforms.
They can reuse various portions of the codebase, so the development and maintenance become less complex.
Similar businesses are always in a hurry to release their top products before everyone else. So, every second of the development process matters. Using cross-platform frameworks allows developers to work more efficiently and roll out products faster.
Consider hiring two different teams of developers with skillsets in native development for two platforms. It will demand a lot more resources than having a single team of cross-platform developers. Down the lane, you will save a lot of resources in the testing, deployment, bug fixing, and maintenance phases.
Building a loyal customer base is much easier when you provide them with a consistent app experience regardless of the platform they use. As cross-platform apps have a similar appearance on all platforms, customers find them easier to use. It results in a higher customer retention rate. The feedback from customers also helps you lower the customer acquisition cost.
What if the market share of one of the major platforms collapses the next day? Well, you will still have apps ready to run on other platforms if you choose cross-platform development. So, cross-platform helps you future-proof your apps.
You can also read Should I Choose Cross-Platform Mobile App Development Over Native Apps?
Like all other development approaches, cross-platform development has its downsides. So, what is the disadvantage of cross-platform applications? Find out below.
Tons of best cross-platform frameworks are available in the industry, but only a few among them have gained much more popularity than others. Xamarin, Flutter, React Native, Ionic, etc., are some of the top cross-platform frameworks. Get a detailed overview of these frameworks to find out the best option for you.
Xamarin is a Microsoft-owned cross-platform framework that provides a native-like experience. It uses C# programming language and the .NET framework from Microsoft to develop cross-platform apps. Microsoft acquired Xamarin in 2016. You might be curious and ask, how much did Microsoft pay for Xamarin?
Even though the terms aren’t disclosed, Microsoft is assumed to pay about $400 million to acquire Xamarin. This framework is popular for the following features.
Google owns this cross-platform framework that allows developers to build dynamic cross-platform apps. The following features make Flutter one of the top cross-platform frameworks.
React Native is based on JavaScript and ReactJS where developers can write codes using different languages. Developers prefer React Native to build performance-oriented cross-platform apps. Here are the features that make React Native stand out.
Ionic is an open-source cross-platform framework focused on mobile app or progressive web app development. Here are some notable features of Ionic.
Recourse fragmentation is one of the major challenges of cross-platform development. Xamarin comes as a solution to this problem with its large community as a trusted backup.
Let us share some of the benefits of Xamarin for cross-platform development. These benefits might make you lean toward Xamarin heavily.
To use most frameworks, developers need to master multiple languages or use different technology stacks. As Xamarin uses C# programming language, developers of a single stack can easily utilize the framework to develop cross-platform apps.
This might induce a question regarding the preferable platform, which is better, .NET or Flutter? Well, if you want to conclude the development project faster choose Flutter. It also provides higher device support. But if your project demands more compatibility, .NET is a better choice.
Ensuring access to all the native features is a challenge for cross-platform developers. Xamarin solves that problem with its native capabilities and helps developers deliver native-like apps for all platforms.
You might think, why use cross-platform development when it has limitations in terms of native features? The benefits of cross-platform development outweigh the challenges like the lack of native features. So, cross-platform development is still a worthy choice.
As codes written on Xamarin are sharable across platforms, developers can manage projects much more easily. Also, the app remains more consistent across platforms.
Developers or businesses often get confused about which framework to choose for the cross-platform development project at hand. The following comparison will help you make more informed decisions with Xamarin advantages for cross-platform apps.
The above comparison may lead you to think, is Flutter better than Xamarin? It depends on the app design, feature requirements, platform compatibility, and other factors.
As these frameworks deliver almost similar benefits in terms of performance and UI, why is Xamarin better than React Native? This is because Xamarin helps developers build native-like apps with platform-specific UI components. Also, Xamarin is more compatible with the existing .NET ecosystem for enterprise applications.
If you want to get an in-depth comparison, read React Native vs. Xamarin: What to Choose for Cross-Platform App Development?
Even though Xamarin has a lot of unique features, why do developers choose MAUI over Xamarin? This is because MAUI provides better responsiveness than Xamarin. Also, MAUI can leverage platform-specific features better.
The existing codebase in Xamarin can be fully transitioned into MAUI without any compatibility issues. So, MAUI is getting popular day by day. It leads us to the next question, is .NET MAUI replacing Xamarin? According to Microsoft, the official support for Xamarin will terminate on May 1, 2024.
All of the Xamarin software development kits will stop receiving official support and updates and .NET MAUI is expected to take over. You might wonder, should I still use Xamarin? Well, you can still use Xamarin to build cross-platform apps.
Doing simplified cross-platform development with Xamarin is still profitable. As .NET MAUI is fully compatible with the Xamarin codebase, there will be no issues in using Xamarin.
As many competitors emerge in the scenario, the future of Xamarin seems to be full of threats. Does that draw the curtain on Xamarin’s performance? No, at least not yet. While .NET MAUI is growing as a reliable cross-platform app development framework, Xamarin will retain relevance in the foreseeable future.
So, does Xamarin have a future? The official support might end soon, but the community support of Xamarin will still be a great resource for developers using Xamarin. The ease of the development process, faster development cycles, shareable codebases, and Xamarin app performance optimization will keep developers using Xamarin over other frameworks.
Besides, superior integration, enhanced performance, and higher efficiency will attract people to Xamarin as the go-to choice for cross-platform development.
Those looking for better alternatives may ask, what is replacing Xamarin? A newer framework called the .NET MAUI is getting more attention from Microsoft. Over time, it will grow as a mature framework for cross-platform development and be used as a good alternative to Xamarin.
However, making the best use of this framework requires experienced development teams that have the necessary expertise and experience to develop highly functional cross-platform apps. Learn How to Choose the Best Cross-Platform App Development Company.
Xamarin is a highly flexible cross-platform development framework based on C# programming language. It stands out because of its developer-friendly nature, rich libraries, great community support, and the use of native APIs. Xamarin provides a native-like appearance and performance, so it is one of the top choices for developers to build cross-platform apps.
There are several other frameworks commonly used for cross-platform development. The landscape is so crowded with cross-platform frameworks that you start thinking, is cross-platform app development the future?
Yes, cross-platform app development is getting more popular because of its faster output, lower budget, less maintenance, and less complexity. Xamarin is still a bright star in the sky of cross-platform development with its excellent benefits for businesses, developers, and end users.
We covered some of the most frequently asked questions regarding cross-platform development here. Check them out.
Well, of course. Xamarin, React Native, etc. provide competitive advantages for cross-platform development.
You need to be familiar with cross-platform frameworks and languages and weigh them to pick the right one for your needs.
Cross-platform development is popular because of code reusability, less resource requirements, higher customer retention rate, future-proofing, etc. Also, cross-platform development lets businesses reach a broader audience.
Yes, Kotlin and Java can be used in the same project as the Java code can be migrated to Kotlin seamlessly.
In native development, the same code can’t be used for different platforms. But Xamarin can do that for multiple platforms.
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