The differences between native, web, and hybrid can matter a great deal when an app is being used daily. There are many questions you have to ask yourself when deciding on what type of app you want. Who’s using it? How’s it being used? What devices? The questions are endless, so let’s take a look at the benefits of each kind of application.
What’s the Difference?
Native Apps
Native apps are installed directly onto the device they are developed for. On mobile devices, the data is stored locally to the device or remotely on a cloud service. If you have a team in the field with iPads, then there’s no point developing an Android app.
Web Apps
Web applications run on a web server. Instead of being run on a device utilizing its own operating system, web apps are accessed via a browser and require an active internet connection. They are usually contained in a central point where the application and the data are stored together.
Hybrid Apps
Hybrid apps are a combination of the two above. They are mostly a form of web app that is then wrapped in a native app shell. They provide flexibility for different work environments.
What Are They Good for?
Native Apps
Native apps are written in a programming language specifically for the device they are to be run on. This provides numerous benefits, one being that the reliability is high and they can even be developed to be operable offline too. Due to being written in a native language, they provide fast performance and can utilize the device’s other features to increase usability.
Web Apps
Do not confuse websites and web apps. Web apps provide an interface that allows the user to manipulate data on the screen and even change the content. Their main benefit is they can run heavy calculations and perform complex tasks effectively and efficiently. This is because the server background provides a more powerful backend compared to a mobile device. But be aware, web apps do rely on an internet connection.
Hybrid Apps
Hybrid apps combine the best of both, but rely heavily on connectivity. As stated, they are web apps wrapped in a native app package. They offer the power of server computations, connectivity and storage, but can utilize the devices’ functionality as well. Some examples of hybrid apps are Facebook, Uber, Evernote and even the Apple App Store!
What’s Right for Your Business Type?
Native apps offer the benefits of being able to utilize the devices functionality and reliability whilst also offering the option to work completely offline. This can be beneficial for teams out in the field which might not always have internet connection.
Web apps often have the lowest development costs, and they have an advantage of being able to be used cross-platform. They don’t require updates on the devices that are using them since the latest version is always updated on the server being accessed. These are good for businesses that have different devices, and in-office/field team combinations.
Hybrid apps can have a single code base, enabling the ability to work across iOS and Android. Hybrid apps access device features which can be useful such as the camera or GPS location for example. They have great scalability allowing them to be easily run on new platforms or operating systems.
If you are having trouble deciding what’s right for your business or have an idea of what you want, get in touch with us at Axis Software Dynamics. We offer full service development for all business needs, and we have the experience to get your business exactly what you need.
