7 Most Widely Used Cross-Platform App Development Frameworks

• By Raza Noorani
• 26-01-2023
• Mobile App Development

Cross-platform app development has many advantages, which play the biggest role in its
popularity. Considering the growth in its reach, many cross-platform app development frameworks and other tools have been entering the market. At the same time, every other app development company tries to keep its projects on top.

With that said, we have a plethora of frameworks and tools that a developer might find interesting. In pursuit of finding the most suitable and perfect cross-platform framework, here we are providing a list of some of the top app development frameworks that you can choose from.

Although the below-provided list of tools is not limited, there are many other options available in the industry today. The main thing to understand is that there is no one ideal option that goes with everything. And the choice of framework mostly depends on specific project goals and other factors.

Nonetheless, have a look at some of these best frameworks for cross-platform mobile development so that you can initiate things to reach the final decision.

React Native

React native comes under the top cross-platform mobile development frameworks. To add on, the framework is based on React, which is one of the best JavaScript libraries for user interface, targeting mobile platforms.

The thing about React Native is that it can be used as a universal Javascript language as well as Swift, C or Java. Therefore, this framework can convert the source code into native elements that contribute to the user experience.

React native app development is comparatively simple as the web can use the technology to build mobile applications without obtaining new programming skills.

Xamarin

An open-source and free platform, Xamarin is leading the industry in building hybrid mobile applications. Solutions with Xamarin are compatible with most mobile platforms with the same user experience and performance as the native solutions.

Being a popular Microsoft cross-platform mobile app framework, the toolset includes Xamarin SDKs, Studio/Visual Studio, Test Cloud, and Xamarin.Mac for native Mac applications.

Corona SDK

Corona SDK allows programmers to develop 2D mobile applications for all the big platforms, including Windows and Kindle.

Mobile and game app development is a lot faster with Corona SDK. The framework delivers excellent results with the help of Lua, a multiparadigm and lightweight programming language. Additionally, the language focuses on portability, scalability, speed, extensibility, and ease of usage.

And this is not the end; with thousands of APIs, the developers can use sprite audio, music, object tweening, native elements, texture management, and a lot more. Also, it instantly responds to code changes along with a real-time preview of the app’s performance.

Ionic

Ionic is another top hybrid application framework as it connects all the in-demand properties. It is open-source, scalable, easily readable, and can be easily maintained. Moreover, Ionic offers a library with HTML, CSS, and JS as its components that can be optimized for mobile developers to build interactive applications.

Moreover, it has a rich set of tools and features, including support for native style, material design layouts, and elements. Also, it offers customers timely resources and updates from the development community.

Node.js

Node.js is considered to be an incredible framework for developing cross-platform applications. Basically, this is a JavaScript runtime framework built on the Chrome V8 JS engine. Being an open-source environment, the framework supports server-side development and scalable networking applications. Node.js cross-platform applications can be highly efficient and responsive.

Furthermore, the framework is capable of handling many connections together. Also, it has libraries rich in numerous JavaScript modules that help simplify the web development of web applications.

Other features of the framework include the impressively speedy code execution process considering that it is built on the V8 engine. The applications output the data in blocks resulting in no buffer. Delivering smooth and precisely working application, considering its single-threaded model and event looping. The server is made scalable with the event mechanism.

Adobe PhoneGap

PhoneGap is backed by Adobe and is considered a distribution of the Cordova framework. Being open-source, this framework is considered the best and the most famous hybrid app development, and its ease of use.

Along with that, the tools enable the applications to be written in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Also, it provides native containers and plugins for every mobile platform allowing the developers to build more features. Furthermore, to access device functionality like file system, microphone, camera, accelerometer, and more. After it has been created, applications run in a WebView browser into a native container on any related platform.

Appcelerator Titanium

Appcelerator is a cross-platform app development tool designed to assist in order to achieve easier and smoother mobile application development. Moreover, this is a great way to build applications for multiple platforms using just a single code base. The main focus is on streamlining the process of app development with JavaScript’s native components. With ArrowDB, the developers can deploy data models with zero additional effort for the setup.

Sencha

For enterprise-grade application development, this comprehensive platform can help the team focus on building applications and not on constructing the framework. Moreover, the tool is based on modern web technologies, including JavaScript, ES6, HTML5, and CSS, so that the developers can build cross-platform, data-intensive mobile and web applications.

Named Sencha Touch in the first place, has now been merged with Ext JS for Sencha Ext JS. With a set of tools and themes that increase productivity and ease the optimization, design, deployment, debugging, and theming.

CONCLUSION:

Once you have considered all the best options of a potential cross-platform app development company, next, you would have to see how these frameworks take up the competition in the market and perform there. An experienced and reliable mobile application development can provide world-class applications that could create milestones.

All in all, without considering these factors, it would be difficult to select the one perfect framework for cross-platform mobile development to meet the particular requirements. Try to properly analyze the project needs as per the capabilities of different frameworks. This will definitely help you get the right cross-platform solution to help you deliver high-quality applications.