CROSS PLATFORM

DEVELOPMENT:
PROS AND CONS
OF USING
FLUTTER, REACT
NATIVE, AND
XAMARIN FOR
ANDROID AND IOS
 OUR TEAM

SARA FATIHAH ZULAIKHA EVE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FLUTTER
01 PROS AND CONS

REACT NATIVE
02 PROS AND CONS

XAMARIN
03 PROS AND CONS
Introduction
What is Cross-Platform Development?
What is
Cross-Platform
Development?
● Cross-platform development is
a software development
approach that allows you to
create apps that can run on
multiple platforms with a
single codebase.
● This means you write the code
once and then deploy it to
different operating systems,
such as Android, iOS, Windows,
or macOS.
 Benefits of Cross-Platform
Development

Reaches a
Saves Time & Wider Easier
Money Audience Maintenance
Eliminate the need to Reach a wider market Maintain a single
build and maintain with a single app that codebase for bug fixes
separate codebases for works on various and future updates.
each platform. devices.
 FLUTTER
01 Flutter is an open-source UI software
development kit created by Google. It
allows developers to write code once and
deploy it across multiple platforms,
including IOS, Android, macOS, Windows,
and Linux
 PROS & CONS FOR ANDROID
PROS:
1. Single Codebase
● developers can write once in a Dart programming language and deploy it to
various platforms including android. This will save development time and
effort.

2. High Performance
● Flutter uses a high performance rendering engine called Skia, which results
in smooth animations and fast performances on android devices. This
ensures excellent user experience for Android users.

3. Customizable UI (user interface)

● flutter provides a wide range of customizable widgets that enable
developers to create visually appealing and responsive user interfaces for
android applications.

4. Access to native features

● Flutter offers platform-specific features and APIs through platform
channels, allowing users to integrate native functionalities into their android
applications
CONS:
1. Large app size
● Flutter apps tend to have bigger file sizes than native android apps because
they integrate the Flutter framework and engine.

2. Limited access to platform-specific features

● Although Flutter delivers platform-specific features through platform
channels, the access to some complex android features may be limited. To gain
access to particular capabilities, developers may need to use third-party
plugins or bespoke platform-specific codes.

3. Performance overhead
● In some cases, especially with complicated UI animations or graphic-intensive
applications, developers may need to optimize their code in order to attain the
necessary degree of performance.

4. Dependency on Flutter Framework Updates

● flutter is a dynamically expanding framework with frequent updates and
releases. This means that developers may need to regularly update their
codebase to stay compatible with the newer versions of Flutter.
 PROS & CONS FOR IOS
PROS:
1. Hot reload
● Flutter's hot reload functionality enables developers to see the results of
code changes in real time without restarting the app. This will accelerate
the development process, allowing for quick iteration and experimentation.

2. High Performance Graphics

● Flutter's Skia-based rendering engine allows developers to generate
high-performance visuals and animations at smooth frame rates, even on
older iOS devices. This ensures a uniform and smooth user experience
across a diverse set of iOS devices.

3. Flexible UI Customization
● Flutter supports significant UI customisation, allowing developers to easily
construct complex UI designs and animations.

4. Consistent UI across Platforms

● Flutter's widget-based architecture allows developers to create uniform
user experiences across platforms, including iOS. This maintains a cohesive
branding and user experience across all devices.
CONS:

1. Integration with Native Code

● While Flutter enables developers to access native capabilities through
platform channels, integrating it with existing native iOS codebases can be
difficult. This is especially true for complex or large-scale apps that rely
significantly on native iOS features.

2. App Store approval process

● Due to their non-native features, Flutter apps may face stricter review criteria
or require additional documentation to demonstrate compliance with Apple’s
guidelines.

3. Performance overhead
● While flutter offers high performance for most applications, certain workloads
may experience overhead due to the additional abstraction layers and runtime
environment produced by Flutter.

4. Lack of Native UI Components

● Flutter’s UI components are not native IOS components. Therefore they may
not exactly match the appearance and feel of iOS applications. Fully aligning
with iOS design principles and user expectations may necessitate further effort
and customisation.
WHAT IS REACT NATIVE ?
React Native is an open-source
framework developed by Facebook
that allows developers to build
mobile applications using JavaScript
and React. It enables developers to
create cross-platform mobile apps
that can run on both Android and iOS
devices while sharing a single
codebase.
 Easier Debugging Greater Flexibility
with APIs
Android Studio and the Android
Developer Tools offer robust
debugging and profiling PROS Android provides more openness
and flexibility with its APIs

-ANDROID-
capabilities for Android apps compared to iOS, allowing
developed with React Native. developers to integrate with a
Developers can use these tools to wide range of platform-specific
identify performance bottlenecks, features and functionalities
optimize code, and troubleshoot seamlessly. React Native
issues more effectively, enhancing developers may find it easier to
the overall development access Android-specific APIs and
experience on Android. leverage platform capabilities
effectively.

Faster Iteration and

Deployment Wider Device Reach
Android apps typically have shorter review Android has a larger market share
and approval times on the Google Play globally compared to iOS, and React
Store compared to the Apple App Store. Native allows developers to target this
With React Native, developers can iterate broader audience effectively. This
and deploy updates more quickly for advantage is particularly beneficial for
Android apps, enabling faster release apps with a global or diverse user
cycles and better responsiveness to user base.
feedback.
 Higher Revenue Uniformity in
Device Ecosystem
Potential
Despite having a smaller market
share, iOS users tend to spend PROS iOS devices have a more
standardized hardware and

-IOS-
more money on apps compared to software ecosystem compared to
Android users. React Native Android, with fewer device
developers targeting iOS may variations and fragmentation
benefit from higher revenue issues. This uniformity simplifies
potential and better monetization development and testing for iOS
opportunities through the Apple apps, leading to fewer
App Store. compatibility issues and a more
consistent user experience.

Unified Development Optimized

Environment Performance
React Native allows developers to use a
iOS is known for its optimized
single codebase and development
performance and smooth user
environment for building cross-platform
experience. React Native apps developed
applications. This unified approach
for iOS benefit from fast rendering,
streamlines development efforts, reduces
smooth animations, and responsive
code duplication, and ensures consistent
touch gestures, contributing to a
behavior across different platforms,
high-quality user experience on iOS
including iOS.
devices.
 FRAGMENTATION CONS FOR Device-specific
Android has a wide range of
devices with varying screen
ANDROID Features
sizes, resolutions, and Android devices may have
hardware capabilities, leading unique features or hardware
to fragmentation issues. capabilities (e.g., fingerprint
Developers may need to sensors, NFC, etc.) that
spend more time testing and require specific handling in
optimizing their React Native React Native apps. Ensuring
apps for different Android compatibility with a wide
devices. range of Android devices can
Performance be complex.
Performance Platform-specific
Variability Bugs
Due to the diversity of Android Android has its set of
devices, performance may vary platform-specific bugs and
significantly between low-end and issues that may not exist in
high-end Android devices. Ensuring iOS. Debugging and
consistent performance across all troubleshooting these issues
devices can be challenging. can be time-consuming.
 Strict App Store Hardware
Guidelines CONS FOR Limitations
Apple enforces strict guidelines
for apps submitted to the App
IOS Unlike Android, iOS has a
limited range of devices with
Store, which may restrict certain standardized hardware
functionalities or require configurations. While this
additional scrutiny during the can simplify development in
review process. React Native some aspects, it also means
apps need to adhere to these that developers have less
guidelines, which can flexibility to optimize their
sometimes limit the flexibility of apps for specific hardware
development. configurations.
Performance Limited Access
Platform Lock-in to Certain APIs
Developing for iOS requires using iOS may restrict access to certain
macOS and Xcode, which may not be APIs or functionalities for security
as accessible or familiar to or privacy reasons. React Native
developers coming from non-Apple developers may encounter
backgrounds. This platform lock-in limitations when trying to
can be a barrier for developers who integrate certain platform-specific
prefer other development features or access sensitive user
environments. data.
03 XAMARIN
 PROS AND CONS FOR ANDROID
Pros:
1. Single Codebase:
● Xamarin enables developers to share a substantial portion of
code between Android and iOS platforms, promoting code
reusability and reducing development effort.
2.Access to Native APIs:
● Xamarin provides seamless access to native Android APIs,
allowing developers to leverage platform-specific features within
the Xamarin framework.
3.Visual Studio Integration:
● Xamarin integrates well with Microsoft Visual Studio, providing a
robust and efficient development environment for Android
applications.
4.Native Performance:
● Xamarin applications for Android achieve near-native
performance as the code is compiled into native ARM code,
ensuring optimal performance on Android devices.
PROS AND CONS FOR ANDROID
Cons:
1. Learning Curve:
● Developers who are not familiar with C# or the Xamarin framework
may experience a learning curve when starting Android app
development with Xamarin.
2. File Size:
● Xamarin apps may have larger file sizes compared to fully native
Android apps due to the inclusion of the Mono runtime.
3. Update Delays:
● Xamarin updates may not be as immediate as Android updates.
Developers might have to wait for Xamarin updates to adopt the latest
features introduced in Android.
4. Platform-Specific Design Challenges:
● Achieving platform-specific design and user experience might require
additional effort, as Xamarin.Forms may not cover all design nuances
specific to Android.
PROS AND CONS FOR IOS APPS

Pros:
1. Enterprise Integration:
• Xamarin is well-suited for enterprise-level applications,

offering seamless integration with Microsoft technologies,

cloud services, and enterprise systems.

2. Rapid Prototyping:
• Xamarin facilitates rapid prototyping and development
cycles, thanks to features like hot reload, enabling quick
iterations and testing.

3. Consistent User Experience:

• Xamarin allows developers to maintain a consistent user
experience across platforms, reducing the risk of
discrepancies in app behavior between iOS and Android.
 PROS AND CONS FOR IOS APPS

Cons:
1. Limited Access to Beta Features:
• Xamarin might not provide immediate access to beta features
introduced by Apple in iOS updates, potentially causing
delays in adopting cutting-edge functionalities.

2. Community Size (Relative to Native iOS):

• While Xamarin has a robust community, it may not be as large
as the native iOS development community. This can impact
the availability of specific platform-related resources.

3. Advanced Ul Customization Challenges:

• Achieving highly customized and platform-specific Uls may
require more effort than developing with native iOS
technologies, especially when using Xamarin.Forms.
THANKS!