A software application that combines the elements of both web applications and native apps can be termed a Hybrid application. A hybrid app is essentially a web app but it is given a lightweight native application container to leverage the features of a native application that a web application cannot access. Hybrid applications are built with commonly used frontend languages and technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Hybrid applications are popular because they allow the developers to write the code of a mobile application and still be platform-independent. However, hybrid apps are slightly slower when compared to native and web apps because they add an extra layer between the source code and the target platform. To create a seamless user experience, hybrid apps have specific features and they are:
The main difference between a native application and a hybrid one is that native apps are built from the ground up for a specific operating system while hybrid applications support cross-platform compatibility. Other differences can be defined as follows:
Native application | Hybrid application | |
---|---|---|
Time and Cost | To develop a native application compatible with multiple platforms like Android and iOS, a large amount of budget is required. | The cost incurred while developing a hybrid application is comparatively very low as they require less development time. |
User Experience | Native applications are best used when you wish to provide the best user experience. | Hybrid applications aren’t the best choice when you wish to provide the best user experience. |
Languages Used | Swift, Java, and Kotlin are the languages used to develop native applications. | HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are the languages to develop hybrid applications. |
Codebase | Multiple codebases are available in a native application. | The single codebase is available in a hybrid application. |
Installation | Native applications require installation which gives them more performance and security. | These applications do not require installation. |
Maintenance | These are high-maintenance applications. | They require very low maintenance. |
Regular Updates | To update a native mobile application, you need to make use of the Play Store or App Store. | On the other hand, these applications ‘updates are fully centralized. |
Platform Dependent | Native Applications are very OS specific. They are either developed for iOS or Android. | Hybrid applications are functional on various platforms. It means they can be operated on any OS be it iOS or Android. |
During the inception of hybrid applications, they were pretty slow. But, with the advancement in web technologies and frameworks, the performance gap has shrunk between a native and a hybrid application. The best examples high performing hybrid applications are:
There is no denying that these applications are gaining popularity with every passing day. It is the best idea for app developers to familiarise themselves with the deployment of hybrid applications while weighing their advantages and disadvantages.