Native app development encompasses the tools and tactics app developers use to build applications for specific operating systems. In the mobile app development world, developers will build native apps for iOS, Android, or Windows. A native app is different from a hybrid app or web app in that it’s built for that specific OS, utilizing all of the features and capabilities of the system to ensure top performance.
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But performance is just the tip of the iceberg, because there are numerous other benefits of native app development in the modern business world. But the big question is – do you need native app development services? Will a native app deliver results and take your company forward in the competitive market? The short answer is yes.
With the right development team on your side and the right budget capabilities, you can roll out a native app that’s purpose built to maximize the user experience on a specific operating platform. You can also build different OS-compatible iterations of your app to expand its serviceability and reach.
With all of that in mind, here are the key benefits of native app development and why you should consider building a native app for your brand.
Built for performance
First and foremost, native apps are defined by their stellar performance across the board. This should come as no surprise, of course, because developers build these apps for a specific operating system. The OS allows them to utilize the native framework and API (application programming interface) to create an application that uses all the resources of the device and the OS itself.
This results in an app that is snappy and fast, loads quickly and transitions between features and modes without any delay. That said, the performance of the app will also depend on the type of device the user has, because older devices with limited RAM and processing capabilities might struggle with performance. While you might not be able to control which devices use your app, you can definitely optimize your native app for the best performance possible on all supported devices and models.
Using the best security solutions
Native apps are often regarded as the most secure mobile applications of the bunch, with hybrid apps being less secure, and web apps being the least secure of them all. This is because web apps rely on external security protocols and web browsers like JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS. If a browser gets compromised and experiences a data leak, many applications and the accounts they hold may get leaked as a result.
On the other hand, native apps boast a unique code which the developers can encrypt and protect in many different ways against nefarious activity. Everything that the developers code into the very infrastructure of the app is secure and encrypted, thus elevating the security and data protection features that the app brings to the user.
A hybrid app, which is built for several operating systems, is less secure than a native app (but more secure than a web app) because the app resides in a hybrid container which hackers can exploit to uncover the features of the platform. All of this makes a native app more capable to safeguard business data and your users’ information.
Utilizing UX and UI best practices
Stellar user experience is at the forefront of native app development. By utilizing the operating system’s features and infrastructure, the development team can create an easy-to-use, intuitive app that they can learn quickly and leverage to its full potential.
Some of the examples of good native app development with stellar user experience include Twitter, Google Maps, and even games like Pokémon Go. These apps use the built-in system functionalities to function or provide a better user experience, and they do so organically and without causing delays or lag. The app can also store data on the device or on a cloud storage platform, and can leverage features like push notifications to keep the user engaged.
Accessing full device features and capabilities
Developers love creating native apps because they know that they can access all the features of the operating system and the device to maximize performance and user experience. A native app can instantly access the device’s hardware and system features like the camera, the GPS, the microphone, and more, ensuring snappy performance all around.
Another great feature that a native app can access is push notifications, which go through the operating system’s server. If you want to maximize the potential of your app to engage the users and give people a reason to use the app regularly, then this is an important feature to have.
Your app development team can program these and many other features with ease to create a seamless user experience without sacrificing performance or app security.
Fewer bugs and better maturity
During the development process and post launch, you want to minimize the occurrence of bugs as much as possible. This is much easier to achieve with native app development, because it relies on a single operating system and a single codebase for each app. This means that you are storing one application in one codebase, which allows for a smooth development process and without using cross-platform, external tools.
What’s more, native apps have much better maturity than other types of mobile applications because they have access to the most sophisticated features of the operating systems. While the user of a hybrid or web app can experience a myriad of new bugs with every system update, a native app user will transition seamlessly to the new versions of their device’s OS, ensuring a great customer experience.
Over to you
Native app development gives you the best bang for your buck, and in many ways it is superior to other app types on the market right now. Consider building your own native app in order to elevate yourself above the competition and provide your users with the functionalities they expect to get from a modern mobile application. s