A Comprehensive Guide to Cross-Platform Applications

by Seven Peaks on Dec 28, 2023 3:00:00 PM

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In recent years, cross-platform application development has been a prominent trend in the app industry. It involves creating software applications that can support multiple platforms, such as IOS, Android and Apple. Because developers can build software for apps for multiple platforms with a single codebase, cross-platform application development offers significant advantages in terms of investments and development time.

Today's app development landscape comprises two primary approaches: Native and Cross-platform. This article delves into the advantages and disadvantages of each method, highlighting why cross-platform development is a trend that all developers should be actively involved in.

What Is Cross-Platform Applications? A Quick Overview

A cross-platform application is an application, program, or software designed to run on multiple operating systems or platforms, such as different operating systems (e.g., Windows, macOS, Linux) or various mobile devices (e.g., iOS, Android). This type of app is developed to work on different devices and operating systems without needing to be modified or rebuilt separately for each platform.

Well-known examples of cross-platform applications include Instagram, which originally relied on React Native to ensure consistent performance on both iOS and Android, and Alibaba, which uses Flutter to deliver a smooth shopping experience across platforms. Other big names like Microsoft Teams, and the Google Ads app also leverage cross-platform frameworks to reach a global audience without developing separate native apps. These cases show how companies can save time, reduce costs, and still deliver high-quality user experiences by choosing a cross-platform development approach.

How Many Types Of Cross-Platform App Development Tools Are There?

A diverse array of tools and frameworks exist today for crafting cross-platform applications, each catering to different programming languages and development goals. Here's a glimpse into some of the most widely used cross-platform development tools and frameworks among developers:

1. React Native

React Native An open-source JavaScript framework by Facebook in 2015 for building iOS and Android apps from one codebase. Known for strong community support and integration with native components. Developers familiar with JavaScript and React can pick up React Native relatively quickly.

2. Flutter

In 2015, Google introduced Flutter, an open-source software development framework that transformed the landscape of mobile UI creation. The groundbreaking framework empowers developers to effortlessly construct cross-platform applications using a unified codebase, enabling seamless deployment across mobile apps, websites, and desktop software.

Flutter's widespread adoption stems from its unparalleled ability to generate visually captivating and high-performance applications that provide a uniform user experience across diverse platforms. Flutter's own Dart programming language and UI framework (Flutter) offer exceptional UI customization and animation capabilities, leading to visually stunning apps.

3. NET MAUI

NET Multi-platform App UI (MAUI) stands as a pivotal framework for developing native cross-platform applications by harnessing the robust capabilities of the .NET ecosystem. This innovative framework marks a substantial advancement over the Xamarin.Forms framework and serves as a key component of the expansive .NET 6 platform.

Microsoft’s evolution of Xamarin.Forms, part of the .NET ecosystem. It allows developers to create apps for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows using one project structure.

4. Kotlin Multiplatform

Kotlin Multiplatform, also known as Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile (KMM), emerged as a definitive technology developed by JetBrains, the visionary creators of the Kotlin programming language. This cutting-edge technology empowers developers to create code that seamlessly flows across a multitude of platforms, including Android, iOS, websites, and even server-side applications, all while utilizing comprehensive features like Compose Multiplatform, Arrow etc.

5. Tauri & WebAssembly Frameworks

Tauri is a modern framework built with Rust that lets developers create lightweight desktop and web apps using web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It’s known for producing apps that are fast, secure, and have impressively small file sizes compared to heavier frameworks like Electron. Combined with WebAssembly (WASM), Tauri allows you to run high-performance code directly in the browser or desktop environment, giving a native-like experience without bloated builds. It’s a practical choice for developers who want efficient, cross-platform apps without sacrificing speed or simplicity.

Why Switch Over to Cross-Platform App Development?

Developing a cross-platform application allows for a faster time-to-market for digital products, as developers can create and deploy applications for multiple platforms simultaneously.

This trend will continue to be popular from 2025 onward because many businesses are choosing cross-platform development to improve their application development processes. Here are some of the key advantages of developing digital products with a cross-platform approach:

Cost Savings: Cross-platform app development emerges as a cost-effective solution for businesses seeking to expand their platform’s reach. By leveraging a single codebase, developers can effortlessly craft applications that seamlessly function across multiple platforms. This approach streamlines the development process, reduces resource requirements, and significantly lowers development costs, eliminating the need to maintain separate codebases for each platform.
Time Efficiency: Cross-platform development revolutionizes the development cycle, enabling developers to build applications for multiple platforms concurrently, significantly reducing development time and accelerating time to market. In fact, 42% of developers prefer cross-platform tools for their speed and efficiency.
Reusable Code: By reusing most of the same code across platforms, developers can maintain consistency, improve stability, and reduce the number of bugs that arise from platform-specific differences. This approach speeds up delivery while keeping the codebase cleaner and easier to maintain.
Expanded Audience Reach: Applications built with cross-platform frameworks can seamlessly run on both Android and iOS devices, allowing businesses to reach a much larger and more diverse audience with a single product release—maximizing exposure and potential user growth.

Research conducted by App Annie corroborates this advantage, revealing that cross-platform apps often boast larger user bases due to their cross-platform compatibility.

Easier Maintenance: With one unified codebase, updates, patches, and new features only need to be implemented once to apply across all platforms simultaneously. This ensures a consistent user experience and significantly simplifies long-term app maintenance.
Native Feature Access: Modern cross-platform frameworks give developers access to native APIs and performance optimizations. As a result, apps deliver a smooth and responsive user experience that closely matches the performance of fully native applications.
Accelerated Prototyping:
Cross-platform tools enable teams to quickly build and test prototypes for multiple platforms without creating separate versions. This accelerates experimentation, feedback cycles, and early-stage product validation, leading to smarter decisions before launch.
AI Integration:
Many modern frameworks now integrate AI-powered tools and automation pipelines that optimize testing, debugging, and deployment. This intelligent integration speeds up workflows and enhances the overall quality of the final product.
Hybrid Development:
A growing number of companies combine native and cross-platform approaches, using shared code for core functionality and native code for performance-critical features. This hybrid model strikes the perfect balance between flexibility, scalability, and performance.

Develop a Cross-Platform App for Your Business

The surge in global demand for digital products has fueled the rise of cross-platform application development. This trend, also prevalent in Thailand, caters to businesses aspiring to create apps seamlessly accessible on Android, iOS, and the web simultaneously, without compromising on performance. If you wish to turn your innovative ideas into reality, consult with an expert at Seven Peaks to start your journey today.

Topics: Product Design Product Development Quality Assurance

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