UNIT 3

What is an Application?
An application is a software that lets you exchange information with customers and
help them complete specific tasks. Different types of applications, or apps, are based on
their development method and internal functionality.
Definition of Web Applications

Web applications are responsive websites that do not require any

installation process or storage space to use the app. They can be
accessed through internet browser windows, such as Safari or
Chrome, either from mobile phones or desktops.Web Apps are
delivered over an internet browser.
Native Apps –Introduction
Native apps are built for a specific platform or device type.Hence they are fast and deliver
superior performance.They can be downloaded from various app stores and are not accessible
through browsers.Therefore,code reusability is minimum in the case of Native Apps.The user
must install the appropriate software version on their device of choice.
What are Hybrid Apps?
Hybrid apps are native applications with a web browser embedded inside them.Techniques
for both web and native apps are adopted to develop Hybrid apps.Such applications can be
downloaded to a mobile device and can also be accessed using browsers.However,they are
not as well-performing as native apps but work better than responsive websites.

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Benefits of Hybrid App Development
There are many positive aspects of hybrid app development. Here are top 9
advantages of building hybrid apps as compared to pure native mobile or web
apps.

1. Low cost with ease of development:

Due to unified development of hybrid mobile apps, businesses will not have to
spend separately for building multiple versions of apps for multiple platforms.
Instead, hybrid frameworks allow developers to build a single version, and write
and maintain individual code bases for various platforms. This approach saves
significant amount of money for small companies that want to save big and attract
more revenue.

Another secret advantage hybrid app development offers is that companies who
want to beat other and hit the market first can release the MVP before
competitors do. This results in introducing viable solutions much faster, resulting
in an absolute competitive advantage.

2. Native experience with simple backend:

Although native app delivers excellent user experience, a hybrid app does
provide the most of what native UX offers along with keeping back-end structure
simple. You can opt for comprehensive development frameworks to build a hybrid
app UX that beautifully connects to device-specific functionalities. This UX
remains seamless even while working on fixes and updates across all platforms.
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Users of hybrid apps experience fluid native feel and no difference as they shift
from one device platform to another.

3. Creative ideas meet target audience:

Ordinary web applications do not stay in touch with device’s OS and built-in
environment. They are not as smart as today’s evolved apps and fail to emulate
much polished native apps. Hybrid applications are spruce and sophisticated as
they cleverly marry device OS with its inherent functionality without much
overhead. This enables app developers to think of more creative ideas to do
more with hybrid development and capture great attention of target audience.

4. High-speed performance:

So far native apps have set mighty standard in terms of speed and performance.
But when it comes to hybrid development, there is no question of speed either.
Practically, when making comparison with other mobile development options,
hybrid apps are quite faster than mobile web apps or responsive websites.

Since they don’t have to rely that much on network communication, a hybrid app
is always expected to run quickly on device screen even when there is an ample
amount of users.

Twitter, a social media app handles overwhelming amount of traffic every

moment, is also an example of how hybrid app development epitomizes
performance.

5. Attractive UI/UX designs:

Consistent experience and attractive design are two core elements that drive
more users to your app. With hybrid app development, you can be sure your
mobile app offers superior UI experience and flawless performance to app users.
Due to its un-compromised operation and look on each platform, hybrid apps are
more welcome to app store than any other mobile apps. Users don’t encounter
the problems of observing low performance or loading time when using it on
multiple operating systems. This makes it a preferable choice for businesses that
seek maximum engagement on both iOS and Android device users.

6. Offline Support:

Offline support of any hybrid app could be one of the most rewarding features for
people who:

 Have limited data consumption plans

 Live in rural or underdeveloped neighbourhood
 Have connections that often get interrupted
 Are always on the go

Pure web applications could be beneficial to only those individuals who reside in
urban areas where high-speed internet access is seamless.

 Offline support keeps the users connected to some of their apps features
even when they lose network connection
 Consumers living in a fast-paced environment immensely depend on
mobile apps that limit number of attempts their apps take to reconnect
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  In hybrid apps, due to device’s API, users can store certain data locally as
offline storage, which is useful to those in transit or who frequently lose
coverage

7. Hassle-free integration with other apps:

As native apps run only on the same OS, it is challenging for users to make it
integrate or work in harmony with other apps. There will be a lack of inter-app
interaction. However, hybrid mobile apps break free from such issues. Hybrid
apps have power to seamlessly integrate with other apps, which is a great
advantage to hybrid mobile app developers who would put little efforts in
integration. Also, since hybrid mobile apps effortlessly connect with device’s
system environment much like native app operations, users won’t experience
slightest of friction while using hybrid type of apps.

8. Multi-platform support:

Usually, hybrid applications have no limit to how much it can expand and support
almost all platforms if they are popular. Its performance across different platforms
depends on the framework used to build the apps. Expert hybrid app
development companies can create great, interactive hybrid apps that work
superiorly across leading mobile platforms. If platform is widely recognized, there
will not be any problem getting expected support for newly introduced operating
system and its successive updates.

9. Qualified for online marketplace:

Google Play and Apple store follow strict guidelines for the kind of app that can
be published in there. App developers must respect these two dominants in the
app market since it has enormous amount of global users (nearly 17 billion
downloads). Google and Apple are austere in their selection of apps and they
tend to welcome apps that are either native or hybrid. You are most likely to
receive great number of downloads if you submit your apps to these stores. Of
course, no competent mobile app developer will risk not considering these giant
stores. This is why it is highly recommended to build hybrid apps that are
qualified to appear in online marketplace.

Comparison between hybrid and native apps

Native Apps:Any software that can be downloaded and installed on your mobile
device is referred to as a native app.Native apps run independently on your
device and frequently use various functions in order to function.Proper mobile
apps are not same as the website even when items or services are run online as
web apps (such as social media platform).

A native app has the advantage of living on your phone,being simple to use,and
not always requiring an online connection.Because native apps can be tailored in
a way that websites cannot,the user experience is frequently superior as well.

Hybrid Apps:This system combines both native and web solutions,hence the
name hybrid.When a native application is used to encase the web technologies
used to create the applications core(HTML,CSS and Javascript).

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These programs can utilize all of the functionality of the mobile device by using
plugins.Let’s dissect how everything works together so that you may comprehend
this strategy better.

The core of hybrid mobile applications is still just a Javascript,CSS and HTML
application.However,the app is launched from within a native application with its
own embedded browser,which is practically invisible to the user,rather than being
displayed within the user’s browser.

For instance,our application would be displayed using the WKWebview in an iOS

application,whereas onAndroid,the webview element would be used.

Difference between Hybrid and Native Apps(Get it from External Source)

Tools for creating hybrid app

Creating hybrid apps involves using vatious tools and frameworks that allows
developers to build applications using web technologies (HTML,CSS,Javascript)
and package them in native containers to run on multiple platforms.Here are
some popular tools for creating hybrod apps.

Apache Cordova

-Cordova is one of the pioneering tools for hybrid app development.

-It allows developers to build apps using web technologies and then wrap
them in a native container for deployment on various platforms.

-Cordova provides access to native device features through plugins,

making it easier to create cross-platform applications.

IONIC

When we talk about the best framework for mobile app development 2023, Ionic
is amongst the most popular frameworks to exist today. The front-end HTML is
built on top of AngularJS and Cordova using the most upbeat APIs including
Shadow DOM and Custom Elements. The official integration with Vue (for
support) is in progress. With Ionic, you’ll find it quite easy to build PWAs or
Progressive Web Apps. Learning Ionic is easy for developers and it makes it
enjoyable to use the framework.

It has a rich library with front-end building along with premier user interface
components that enable a developer to create top-notch PWAs. It also enables
developers to create fantastic designs and graphical representations in the apps.
UI design aspects like image design and placement, typography, innovative
themes, etc. are things that the Ionic mobile hybrid framework will help a
developer achieve.

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The Ionic CLI (Command Line Interface) is a medium/tool which helps you in
developing hybrid apps built with TypeScript and Node.js. It helps you to build a
hybrid mobile app and get regular updates. The Ionic CLI provides you with an
inbuilt development server, debugging tools along catalyze other pits facilities.

Minimum requirements are Android 4.1 and iOS 7. Ionic has helped more than 5
million apps to take genesis.

Thumbs Up
 Apps created are uncomplicated with easy updates
 Won’t need to spend prolonged hours to work on the framework as it uses a lot
of Angular concepts to catalyze the process
 Has native functionalities
 A plethora of UI components
 Pre-generated app setups with creative layouts
 Extremely popular
Thumbs Down
 Testing gets intrinsic at times when the browser doesn’t provide the right
information regarding the smartphone surroundings.
 No hot reloading
 Too much plugin dependent
 Not the best for heavy apps

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React Native
The answer to the, What is hybrid framework?, developed as a web-interface
development platform in 2013, React Native was officially released to develop
hybrid mobile applications in 2015 by Facebook. One of the best hybrid app
development frameworks, React Native earned a pretty good reputation in 2021
which is expected to continue throughout 2023 as well. Many pits React Native
against ionic as they consider them as common alternatives. While experts argue
that Ionic leads to better UI and performances among apps, React Native, on the
other hand, gives the users an almost native-like experience among apps with
more stability. React Native has a huge potential to become one of the best
hybrid mobile app development frameworks in the coming years.

Command over React Native depends purely on its usage. What this means is a
developer may not gain expertise over it in the first few usages. One has to
spend some time with the mobile hybrid framework to comprehend the reactive
pattern. But more than that, it’s the restricted UI features and the native features
which compel developers to code more and more. Of course, given there are a
lot of great things one gets to learn with it as well.

Among application development frameworks, React Native is extensively used to

create iOS and Android apps. With a single JS codebase, it allows developers to
make innovative mobile apps. Developers who are fluent in Java and Swift love
to work on the React Native framework. It comes with Native modules and
components which help in boosting the performance of an app.
Many react-native companies are adopting the framework to build hybrid mobile
apps for tomorrow. Brands like Facebook, Instagram, 2048 Discovery VR,
Gyroscope, etc. are using this best hybrid development framework to develop
world-class apps.

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Thumbs Up
 Expense saving with max code reuse
 Native code rendering
 Node.Js supported
 Easy identification of bugs
 Node Packet Manager (NPM) installation makes it easy to use for budding
developers.
 Live reload with two screens- one for code modification and the second to
preview the changes
 Time taken for the development process to complete is very less
 Lots of plugins to enable compatibility with hardware components of a device
Thumbs Down
 Not the best for apps having numerous screens, UI transitions, heavy special
effects, and lots of interactions
 Needs improvement in accessing hardware components
 Shortcomings in the form of navigation components.
 Insufficient custom modules

Flutter

If you are still wondering, “What is the best framework for mobile development?”,
then keep reading this list further. There has been a lot of hype regarding Flutter
in the last two years. Google’s premier open-source SDK has earned the respect

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of developers worldwide. Flutter uses the powerful language Dart, another
magnum opus of Google’s and the C++ rendering engine. The hybrid mobile app
framework also uses Skia, a 2D rendering engine to make visuals. It is quick and
aids to create superb foundation libraries and widgets.

Flutter enables developers to create apps with high-productive value as it has a

single codebase for Android and iOS. It makes room to create highly creative UIs
with flexible designs and allows compelling interactions that lead to the creation
of brilliant MVPs (prototypes). That’s why big brands want Flutter to develop their
apps.

There is something about Google’s innovations because every new development

of theirs is a hot topic of discussion among tech forums. Big names like Alibaba,
Birch Finance, Hamilton Musical, etc. have adopted Flutter to create powerful,
engaging apps. And since it allows learning the absolute new language (Dart), it’s
created a lot of hype and jobs in the market. More and more app development
companies are adopting Flutter to develop engaging hybrid apps which the user
will love to use. But if you thought, that’s it then let me drop a bigger Fact Bomb.
Flutter and Fuchsia will be working together!
YES, you heard that right. Fuchsia which is Google’s new powerful mobile OS will
have its app developed through Flutter SDK.

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Thumbs Up
 Apex choice for cross-platform development
 Lightning Fast
 Hot reload feature- enabling coders to see the changes in the app right away.
 Smooth UI designs with unorthodox design elements
 The absolute choice for MVP
 Dynamic code writing
 Provides own widgets
 Compatible with Fuchsia
Thumbs Down
 Very new; it still might have a lot of ground to cover
 Lack of profile data completion (iOS)
 Apps created via Flutter are (on average) 40 percent bigger in size than native
apps.
 Developers need to learn Dart before using Flutter
 Some features have minimal support

PhoneGap

With so many great hybrid mobile app development frameworks out there, why
would a developer (still) prefer PhoneGap? First, let us know what it is.

PhoneGap is also known as Apache Cordova as it is supported by the Cordova

framework and Adobe. One of the top hybrid app frameworks, apps can be
written with JavaScript, CSS3, HTML5 by developers. PhoneGap provides
reliable cross-platform compatibility with just one code for all platforms. This
reduces the efforts of a developer and makes it easier for him/her to progress. It’s
quite cost-effective and a great choice if apps need to be developed with budget-
constraints. PhoneGap has some other worthy features as well including greater
access to Native APIs, strong backend support, notable UI libraries that can
upgrade the interface, and a lot more. Above all, it has Adobe’s trust.

An interesting feature of PhoneGap is ‘Build’. Now, what is it? The build is its
cloud compiler that can compile apps even without any SDKs installed. With the
PhoneGap mobile development framework, a developer can mold a feature-
heavy and fully customized hybrid mobile app. These apps have the potential to
reach out to a wider audience in limited ways and function with total efficiency.

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PhoneGap’s best use can be seen when a developer goes on to create mobile
web apps that are not complex rather easy to use and understand. And if there’s
a cash crunch, what better than PhoneGap?

Thumbs Up
 Simple to learn
 It’s compatible with a single codebase for iOS, Android, and Windows 7
platforms
 Rugged backend system
 Extremely flexible as it supports HTML5, JavaScript and CSS3
 Taps into the system's hardware components like Camera, accelerometer,
navigation compass, etc without tampering with the design (UI) features.
 Rapid testing can be performed with ease
 Easily compatible with the plugin architecture
Thumbs Down
 Apps can be tentatively slower
 Popular mostly among smaller businesses
 Doesn’t support every functionality
 Shows signs of efficiency while working with native apps
 Fewer pre-built UI widgets

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Xamarin

Another best framework for mobile app development 2023 acquired by the
software giant Microsoft, Xamarin is one of the most intelligent frameworks used
by developers. It has been written using C# which is more modern and has
improvements over Java and Objective-C. But what makes Xamarin so unique
that it has the means to include libraries for Java, C++, and Objective-C directly.
Xamarin’s assemblage of libraries is huge. The framework reduces explicit cost
and gives minimum budget hassles.
Where it gets interesting that Xamarin is often competing with React Native for
the topmost spot. It’s because developers are looking for creative ways to build
hybrid apps balancing both creativity and budget with equal proportions. Xamarin
will surely answer your question, “What is the best framework for mobile
development?”.

Xamarin can be used to develop hybrid apps for iOS, Android, percent, and
Windows. It’s known to give an equal performance and UX of a native app. With
their native UI controls, Xamarin apps show absolute prowess. The Xamarin Mac
tools is a recurring name among hybrid app development tools. Interestingly, it’s
known to follow the WORA principle which expands to Write Once, Run Anytime.
On Xamarin’s official forum and also third party websites, it has a huge
community and gets substantial support too.

Setting up Xamarin is a piece of cake. Developers need to download the Xamarin

installer and run it. Once the installation is complete, they need to proceed with
the configuration where they have to provide the whereabouts of Android SDK
and Java. Once the procedure is complete, developers need to go to Xamarin
Studio to create their private accounts and follow the rules that are on display.
Once done, this best hybrid mobile app development framework is ready for
usage.

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Thumbs Up
 Native UI features
 More than 95 percent of the code is reusable for different platforms
 Apps connect brilliantly with hardware components via plugins without
hampering the device’s performance
 With Xamarin Studio, Xamarin SDKs, Xamarin Test Cloud, and Xamarin
Insights, it has its own fully developed ecosystem
 Wider learning opportunities
 Continuous performance without being unstable
 Easy API integration
 Spot on for cross-platform development
 Fast GUI prototyping
 Excellent code sharing and maintenance
Thumbs Down
 Highly expensive in comparison to any other mobile web app framework
 Not many developers know how to use Xamarin
 Platform-specific limitations in Android and iOS
 Overhead codes- unable to allow smooth integration
 Lag in API support
 Not ideal for game development

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NativeScript

For those who want their cross-platform apps to be coded in JavaScript,

TypeScript, or Angular, NativeScript is the best hybrid mobile framework. It allows
users to access the APIs for both iOS and Android devices. NativeScript apps are
created using JavaScript or any other programming language that transpile to
javascript like TypeScript and Angular.

The apps created in NativeScript are completely native that use the same APIs
as used in Xcode or Android studio. The apps can be integrated with this party
library from CocoaPods, Maven, and npm.js without the need for the wrapper.
Another notable feature is the use of reflection to handle native API endpoints. In
place of requiring separate binding layers between NativeScript and the mobile
platform API, NativeScript uses reflection to gain information and metadata about
the native platform APIs. All the features added to any native platform API can be
used for ReactNative apps immediately.

The introduction of NativeScript 2.0 has made use of Angular to build cross-
platform mobile applications possible. When you are using Angular with
NativeScript you can share large chunks of code between your mobile and web
apps.

Thumbs up
 Executes fast
 Compiles down as a native code and runs as a native app
 Split custom content
 Support for Vue.js.
Thumbs down
 Bad documentation
 Examples have far too many unrealistic assumptions
 Misleading description of the environment.

Kendo UI

Kendo UI, answer to the popular question, “What is the best framework for mobile
development?”, offers the best collection of JavaScript UI components with the
libraries of Agular, React, jQuery, and Vue. Using Kendo UI allows you to quickly

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build high-performance, eye-catching and responsive applications regardless of
which javascript framework has been opted for by you.

Kendo UI allows you to easily add advanced UI components into your existing
design and take leverage of your existing libraries. It offers a bunch of advanced
features like advanced data grid components, charts, spreadsheets, schedulers,
and much more.

Thumbs up
 Export data to various mime formats
 Present hierarchy of topics that users can navigate
 Great editor control
Thumbs down
 Lack of supports on rare occasions
 Datasource has a learning curve
 Better documentation is needed.
Framework7

Framework7 is an open-source and free top hybrid app framework which is used
for creating desktop, mobile, and web-based applications with a native feel and
appearance. This best hybrid app development platform offers such UI
components that will run seamlessly on any platform.

Framework7 can be paired with advanced tools like NW.js, and Electron. This
best hybrid app development framework allows you to use any tools of your
choice, except HTML, CSS, and Javascript.

Thumbs up
 Easy to learn and implement
 Contain plenty of widgets and components
 Built-in helper libraries.
Thumbs down
 Only supports iOS and Android
 Less online community support.
 Average documentation.
Onsen UI

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Onsen UI is a great choice of the framework which allows you to create
applications and components for various operating systems. It is one of the
fastest ways to develop HTML5 hybrid applications. It offers a native look and
feel to its users and offers a lot of ready to use components and automatic
styling.

Onsen UI has been perfectly optimized for mobile use and is easy to learn. The
apps developed on Onsen UI will have a smooth experience even in lower-end
devices.

Thumbs up
 Easy to use
 Performance optimized for a range of devices
 Fast and efficient
Thumbs down
 Weak documentation
 Still support

Popular Hybrid App Framework

How to choose the best hybrid

mobile app development
framework ?
Are you looking to build a hybrid app, but can’t figure out how to choose
the best hybrid app framework? It’s a tough choice since there are
several different frameworks out there. How do you know which is the
best hybrid mobile app framework for you?

Not to mention, there is a lot of noise in the mobile hybrid framework

space. Most hybrid mobile application development frameworks are
offering a comparable set of features. But, how comprehensive are
they?

Before diving into the list, it is helpful to know what you’re looking for in
the hybrid app framework. Since starting off with the wrong framework
can make it difficult to switch later on.

In order to make the best choice possible, you will have to ask yourself a
bunch of questions such as:
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 What is your level of expertise?: You will find frameworks for different
levels of experience. Are you a beginner, intermediate or advanced
developer in the hybrid application development field? For example, If
you are a beginner you’ll want a framework that is easy to set up and
has a low learning curve.
 What kind of hybrid app do you want to develop?: Here the main
players are cost, speed, performance and compatibility of a framework
that will help you develop the kind of app you want to develop. Also, the
look & feel and user experience you want to provide to users of the app
are important components in the decision making process.
 Does it meet your needs?: Having one that actually meets your hybrid
app development needs is probably the most obvious point to consider.
Knowing what you require from a framework will help you formulate a list
of features that you need.
 Who will be using your hybrid app?: The success of your app will
ultimately depend upon your set of target audience. So, when you’re
choosing a framework, ensure to get a clear picture of the future users of
your app, how you’ll add value to their lives, your purpose for developing
a hybrid app, and who will be your set of target audience.
React Native

React Native was at the top when compared to other hybrid app
frameworks in the Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2021. React
Native is a solution to help you build natively rendered mobile apps on
both Android and iOS.

This framework is tried and trusted by a large developer base to build

apps, even Facebook uses React Native to build all its mobile
applications. React Native is Facebook’s baby with an ability to create

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 robust and complex hybrid apps from scratch. The great thing about
React Native is it is based on React which is a JavaScript library.

Developer: Facebook

Initial Release: 2015

Written in: JavaScript, Java, C++, Objective-C, and Python

Backed Platforms:

 iOS 9+
 Android 4.1+
Popular Apps:

 UberEats – (Android app | iOS app)

 Skype – (Android app | iOS app)
Key Advantages:
 Biggest community due to greater popularity.
 Strong native-like performance.
 Features live and hot reloading that helps to see the result of code
changes.
 Intuitive modular architecture which causes easy updates and upgrades.
 Almost 90% of the code can be reused across iOS and Android
operating systems.
 Quick installation process because of the Node Package Manager
(NPM).
 Reusability of codes can cause saving up to 40% of overall development
costs.
 Takes less time to develop applications.

Flutter

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 Flutter is a Google UI framework to help you easily build and deploy
aesthetically pleasing mobile apps.

Google launched the first version of Flutter by the codename “Sky” in

2015. And, today the Flutter framework is making good progress in
terms of popularity. No other mobile SDK (Software Development Kit)
than Flutter provides reactive styles without any Javascript bridge.

Developer: Google

Initial Release: 2017

Written in: Dart

Backed Platforms:

 iOS 9+
 Android 4.4+
Popular Apps:

 Hamilton – (Android app | iOS app)

 Alibaba – (Android app | iOS app)
Key Advantages:
 Supports hot reload which results in fast code writing.
 Flutter works in a fast way to increase the time-to-market speed.
 Features rich widgets which can be customized or you can also create
your own.
 Testing process can be faster because of a single codebase.
 Apps smoothly adapt to different screens.
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 It has a UI first approach with many ready-to-use widgets to easily create
interactive elements.
 Easy initial setup and apps have good execution performance.

Ionic

Ionic is a hybrid solution to build mobile apps with outstanding front-end

user experience or UI interaction.

With this powerful front-end Software Development Kit (SDK), you can
create visually appealing hybrid apps by using an entire suite of tools. If
you want to enhance the functionality of an app then Ionic allows you to
integrate it with any Javascript framework such as Vue, React, and
Angular.

Developer: Drifty

Initial Release: 2013

Written in: JavaScript

Backed Platforms:

 iOS 8+
 Android 4.1+
Popular Apps:

 Sanvello – (Android app | iOS app)

 JustWatch – (Android app | iOS app)
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 Key Advantages:
 Enables coding once and running that code everywhere.
 Easy to adopt as ionic has a low learning curve.
 Enables high-end integration of many configurable plugins.
 Easy and convenient app testing process.
 Plenty of UI elements.
 Require less app development time due to the use of simple
technologies.
 Huge community support of international developers and contributors.
 Uses well-known technologies which saves the cost of hiring specific
developers.
Xamarin

Xamarin is a framework used for cross-platform app development for

iOS, Android, and Windows Phone in C# with Visual Studio.

Xamarin has been integrated into the .NET platform and lets you access
the .NET ecosystem of packages and libraries. Remarkably, three of the
amazing benefits of using Xamarin are continuous developer support,
wide learning opportunities, and full technical backing by Microsoft.

Developer: Microsoft

Initial Release: 2011

Written in: C#

Backed Platforms:
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 iOS 9+
 Android 4.4+
Popular Apps:

 Alaska Airlines (Android app | iOS app)

 Outback Steakhouse (Android app | iOS app)
Key Advantages:
 Xamarin applications can share up to 90% of their codebase across
major platforms.
 Apps have almost native-like levels of performance to give the decent
feel of native apps.
 Package of complete mobile app development toolset.
 Easy updates, testing and maintenance.
 Support of IoT, TVs and wearables.
 Minimal time to market and cost effective due to the feature of code
reusability.
 Provides testing tools.
Onsen UI

Onsen UI is a UI framework that makes it easy to create HTML5 hybrid

mobile apps while allowing you to use this framework with PhoneGap/
Cordova command line or Monaca tools.

Onsen UI is capable of easily building complex apps in less time with a

wide range of components. And, this framework is compatible with
jQuery and AngularJS.

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 Developer: Monaca, Inc. / Asial Corporation

Initial Release: 2013

Written in: JavaScript

Backed Platforms:

 iOS 9+
 Android 4.4.4+
Popular Apps:

 PopVox (Android | iOS)

 Offcourse Golf (Android | iOS)
Key Advantages:
 Enables developers to create apps with or without any JavaScript
framework as Onsen UI is JavaScript framework agnostic.
 Provides automatic styling and a wide range of UI components
specifically designed for mobile applications.
 Enables easy and quick development of attractive HTML5 hybrid apps.
 Optimized for performance on a large set of devices.
 Easy to learn with many learning resources available.
 Uses well-known technologies like CSS, HTML and JavaScript.
 Supports Monaca which is a powerful tool for development of HTML5
mobile hybrid apps.
 Allows you to build apps with no need for installation of the Android
SDK/ IOS.

NativeScript

NativeScript is a framework to develop well-crafted mobile apps

on iOS and Android platforms with JavaScript or TypeScript.

When it comes to hybrid app development, NativeScript is your go-to

tool which offers a runtime, bridge module along with a JS-based virtual
machine. It is a framework that can deliver a native user experience to
each mobile OS platform.

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 Developer: Progress Software (formerly Telerik)

Initial Release: 2014

Written in: JavaScript, TypeScript

Backed Platforms:

 iOS 9+
 Android 4.2+
Popular Apps:

 Daily Nanny (Android app | iOS app)

 Regelneef (Android app | iOS app)
Key Advantages:
 Allows developers to code once and run that code across several
platforms.
 NativeScript uses developer-friendly CLI (Command Line Interface)
 Native user-experience and fully native performance on all platforms and
devices.
 Allows users to directly access all iOS and Android APIs.
 Uses an XML-Esque-based markup language similar to HTML.
 Based on JavaScript which is a developer-friendly language.
 NativeScript is frame-agnostic means it lets you use JavaScript
frameworks which includes Vue, React, Angular, Svelte or even Vanilla
JavaScript.
 Easy and quick app debugging.

Examples of hybrid apps that enjoy a higher user engagement

1) Evernote
Evernote tops among hybrid apps examples and is one of the
popular productivity apps. The app is known for its rich design and strong
performance, which makes it stand apart from other apps under this
segment.
The multi-device sync capacity of this app makes it seamless and unique.
This app gives a completely fluent and native-like experience, which makes
it the most appealing app among users.
Features:
 Use a camera to scan and capture anything.
 Automatically sync all-important notes, etc.

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  Plan, discuss and share your memos and notes with those that
helped you in performing your work.
 Create a personal to-do list and keep your thoughts fully organized.
2) Amazon App Store
Another example of a hybrid app is the Amazon App Store that is powered
by HTML5 and redefines the experience of users while accessing it.
It has a top-notch user interface that makes it stand out among different
users and also makes the app extremely appealing.
Features:
 Simple and fast: checkout process
 App review to ensure users receive quality products
 Reviews and feedback by users
 Global distribution

3) Instagram
Instagram is another most beneficial and great hybrid app example. This
app observes user engagement every day and is one of the leading social
media apps. It is the best platform for sharing images and videos.
This app is powered by HTML5, the app comes with the capability to
maintain both offline data and additionally rich media – the best example is
its signature quick videos.
Features:
 Get more familiar with things and individuals you love by joining the
vast community.
 Add pictures and videos to create an interesting story with fun
creative tools.
 Message friends instantly.
 Post images and videos to your feed on your profile that you are
interested in.
 Watch longer and an interesting video by accessing IGTV.

4) Uber
Uber is another example of a hybrid app and is the most popular web
application that runs on m.uber.com. It doesn’t require any special
introduction as it’s already famous among users as a taxi-booking
application.
It is a great hybrid app example with a simple and intuitive user interface
amalgamated with easy navigation. The app performs fast on multiple
devices and provides dynamic features to both Android and iOS users.
Features:
 The app uses the user’s location to assist drivers to pick up the
customer’s locations efficiently.
 Riders can view the driver’s image.
 Multiple methods of Payment – credit card, digital wallet, and debit
card.
 You can view vehicle details and additionally track drivers via Google
Maps.
5) Gmail
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While speaking regarding some of the biggest hybrid app examples, it
seems impossible to ignore the Gmail application.
Gmail has given the market for cross-platform applications a fresh
viewpoint. This is a request for a reliable email service. It has millions of
downloads right now from app stores. The development of HTML5 is partly
responsible for Gmail’s success. With a variety of useful, straightforward
features and functionalities, it has improved the user experience.
It offers consumers a similar user experience regardless of the platform
they use to log in, but it also has a number of noticeable features that are
inferior to native apps. For instance, the support for numerous accounts,
automatic spam blocking, message classification, etc.
Features:
 The app includes an organized inbox to characterize promotional and
social messages.
 Gmail app blocks any spam before it gets to your inbox.
 The app has a15 GB of free data storage to save a large number of
messages.
 Provides multiple account support for users.
Also, read: Most Popular Mobile App Development
Frameworks for App Developers
6) Twitter
Twitter is another famous social media app and one of the best hybrid app
examples that only some of us are aware of, it has observed a large
volume of traffic.
It sorted out all setbacks and delays of a hybrid app, which is discussed
majorly for performance issues.
Twitter has transformed users’ perception regarding the hybrid application
and hence raised the demand for these apps among businesses.
Features:
 Automatic email filters and categories.
 Smart Compose and Smart Reply in email.
 Email nudges and high-priority notices.
 Find & manage your trips in Gmail.
 Event details are used to create calendar events.
 Writing and intelligent search suggestions

7) Remote POS
This Remote POS app helps users in controlling and managing an entire
restaurant. This application involves the ability to work offline, while it
requires an internet connection for printing the generated bill.
Remote POS has a larger storage capacity as it has both local and cloud
data storage. The application works excellently and is considerably efficient
for handling staff and managing orders.
Features:
 Cloud-based application
 Customer mobile application

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  Users get notifications associated with promotional offers and deals
regularly.
 It helps businesses build customer loyalty.
 This mobile app facilitates easy and fast transactions.
8) Microsoft Teams
Microsoft software is widely used in both personal and commercial
settings for operations. Teams in particular are utilized across platforms,
including Windows, Apple, and Android, and on anything from phones to
the web as remote work becomes more and more common.
Microsoft decided to design the hybrid app in React Native in order to
support all of these clients, ensuring that logging into a business meeting
would be functional on any device.
Features:
 Conversations within channels and teams
 Direct Access to Email, Skype, OneDrive, and SharePoint
 Access Teams Across All of Your Devices
 Collaborate with Vendors, Suppliers, and Clients
 Quickly Integrate Third-Party Applications

9) BMW app
The BMW mobile team found it simpler to create the iOS version of their
vehicle companion app. After a while, the Android version’s features fell
significantly short of the iOS version, and BMW had to catch up to make
both products comparable. They changed to Google’s cross-platform
framework Flutter.
The development team was able to offer the same functionality to all users
more quickly by concentrating all of their efforts on one app rather than
separately retooling both apps.
Features:
 Always up-to-date with the latest news.
 Real-time notifications of charging and vehicle status.
 Discover new charging features in the My BMW App.
 Direct access to your BMW Service.
 Always up-to-date with the latest news from the world of the BMW.

10) Travelstart
The top-ranked travel website throughout many counties is Travelstart.
The company reduced its codebase by 90% by switching from various
codebases to a hybrid app because of the size of its user base.
The app became quicker and more effective as a result. The cross-platform
language also made it possible for the website and app versions to share
the same code, resulting in a smooth and seamless user experience.
Features:
 Offers airfare, hotel reservations, rental cars, and vacation packages
 Web platform to help hundreds of thousands of customers searches
 Easy and smooth interface

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