In today’s digitally savvy market, business mobile applications are a must-have for reaching varied audiences and making a fortune. Enterprise mobile apps allow you to accomplish more than you could with a standard website or antiquated desktop software. A mobile app developed on the correct technological stack boosts your competitive advantage and increases your ROI.
Mobile apps are transforming the corporate and consumer worlds in unprecedented ways. More individuals are abandoning their desktop computers in favour of smartphones to obtain product data, evaluate competitors, and make online purchases. If the internet increased your brand’s global visibility, mobile apps take it a step further by revolutionising the way you do business. Mobile apps are now a platform for sharing information, collaborating with vendors and partners, and interacting with customers all over the world. Mobile apps have gone a long way, from simple productivity tools like calendar, email, and contacts to trendy AI-powered ecommerce apps and healthcare wearables.
According to eMarketer, US consumers spend more than 88% of their mobile time on apps, with the vast majority preferring in-app experiences. This is exciting news for mobile app developers, publishers, and companies. You can create world-class mobile apps that users will download and use if you have a good understanding of the leading mobile programming languages, frameworks, and app development platforms.
Table of Content:
Five Major Programming Languages Used To Develop Mobile Apps Today
Here are five of the most popular programming languages for mobile app development:
#1 Swift
According to Statcounter, iOS accounts for 55.45% of the mobile OS market share in the United States. The unwavering devotion of Americans to Apple products makes iOS mobile app development more important than ever. All you have to do is select the appropriate technology stack for your mobile application. Swift should be on your radar if you intend to create a native iOS app. Swift is a game-changing, open-source language built for iOS application development that is secure, quick, powerful, and intuitive. It is widely viewed as the language that will succeed both C and Objective-C. Swift code is interactive, enjoyable, and easy to maintain and comprehend, thanks to a lightweight, yet expressive grammar that allows complicated ideas to be represented in a clear and straightforward manner.
#2 C++
C++ is the most basic foundation for most web development languages today. It is commonly seen in the most recent graphical user interfaces (GUIs), operating systems, and embedded systems. You can utilise C++ to create high-performance, complicated, and user-friendly mobile apps and software applications with enhanced capabilities. It is a platform-agnostic language. You can create C++ code once and have it run on several platforms (Android, iOS, and Windows) without losing the app’s performance or security. Because of its simple and successful compiler-based approach, it is a versatile tool that can be utilised on a variety of platforms. C++ is an object-oriented programming language that promotes code reusability and provides a clear structure to programmes.
#3 Java
Java is one of the most successful and dependable programming languages in history. Along with Kotlin, BASIC, and C++, Java is a vital component in Android app development. It is a general-purpose, platform-independent, object-oriented programming language with few implementation dependencies. It allows programmers to create code once and run it anywhere, eliminating the need to recompile code for each platform that supports Java. Java, an incredibly adaptable language, contributes to the flexibility, modularity, and extensibility of your app. Java is simple to use, and there are numerous open source libraries from which to pick. Java’s rich feature set enables developers to create the best cross-platform apps, native Android apps, server apps, games, websites, and more.
#4 HTML5
HTML5 is the most recent version of HTML, the standard markup language for organising and displaying web content. Those that find cross-platform android mobile app development difficult can use HTML5 to create multi-platform capabilities and an amazing user experience. HTML5 promotes responsive design and assures consistency across browsers. HTML5’s “write once, run anywhere” feature reduces time to market, increases app visibility, reduces development costs, and supports offline surfing. HTML5 contains more elements and features than previous versions, allowing the building of dynamic mobile webpages.
#5 PHP
PHP is an excellent programming language for creating online and mobile applications that require database access and integration. It’s a popular server-scripting language that’s object-oriented, free and open-source, and one of the best alternatives to Microsoft’s ASP. While PHP was designed primarily to produce websites and web applications, its versatility has made it an excellent choice for developing hybrid mobile apps. Popular PHP frameworks such as Laravel, Lumen, CodeIgniter, and Symfony are often utilised for developing mobile apps with complicated backends and heavy data migration. This open-source language is popular among large-scale app development since it simplifies caching, authentication, and even routing.
Top Tools That Can Help You Get Started With Building Your Own Mobile App
These developer tools are ideal for creating mobile apps from the ground up, and they even support multi-platform distribution to reach a broader audience.
#1 Apache Cordova
Apache Cordova (previously PhoneGap) is a mobile app development framework that allows you to create hybrid mobile apps using conventional web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It enables cross-platform development, which eliminates the need to create native apps for each mobile platform and operating system. Wrappers are used by Apache Cordova applications to execute the native functions of the targeted platform. APIs that adhere to standards are utilised to gain access to each device’s data, sensor, and network status. This framework enables for the blending of native and hybrid code snippets, resulting in apps that are neither entirely native mobile nor purely web-based. Cordova also contributes to the creation of a plugin interface between native and WebView components.
#2 Appcelerator
Appcelerator is a popular open-source, cross-platform development framework that enables businesses to create native apps for platforms such as Android, iOS, and Windows using a single codebase. Appcelerator was bought in 2016 by Axway, a publicly traded French-American firm that provides enterprise data management software and services. Because the Appcelerator framework is cloud-based, developers may access it from anywhere. It includes various built-in UI components as well as an Apache-licensed MVC app framework called “Alloy” for separating mobile app user interface, business logic, and data models. With real-time mobile analytics, an open extensible development environment, scalable cloud service, API Builder, and API Runtime, the Appcelerator framework propels your mobile app to success.
#3 RhoMobile
RhoMobile Suite (formerly Rhodes Framework) is an open source framework that comprises a suite of development tools for building cross-platform, data-centric, business and consumer grade native mobile apps. To create native mobile apps, it employs standard web technologies such as HTML5, JavaScript, CSS3, and Ruby. RhoMobile allows developers to design an app once and execute it across several platforms, including the most popular operating systems (iOS, Android, and Windows). Rhodes, RhoElements, RhoStudio, RhoConnect, RhoHub, and RhoGallery are all part of the RhoMobile Suite. According to Tau Technologies Inc., the company that currently maintains and develops RhoMobile, the framework can reduce the cost and development time of mobile apps by up to three times.
#4 WidgetPad
WidgetPad is one of the greatest open-source frameworks for developing cross-platform mobile applications for the iOS, Android, and WebOS mobile operating systems. WidgetPad provides a secure and open development environment by utilising popular web technologies like as CSS3, JavaScript, and HTML5. To build strong apps, the framework provides developers with a plethora of capabilities such as source code editing, versioning, collaboration, debugging, project management, and distribution. WidgetPad simplifies the process of developing native applications. With a few clicks, you can simply add and customise standard widgets such as maps, social media feeds, forms, video players, and much more.
#5 Solar2D
Solar2D (previously Corona SDK) is a free and open-source, cross-platform SDK developed by Corona Labs Inc. and now maintained by Vlad Shcherban. Developers utilise this software development kit to create two-dimensional (2D) mobile applications for Kindle, Android, and iOS, as well as connected TV applications for Android TV, Apple TV, and Fire TV, all with a single code base. The framework also aids in the development of desktop apps for Linux, macOS, and Windows platforms. Solar2D kit includes plugins for all important business requirements, including in-app advertising, analytics, media, and much more. Solar2D is built on Lua, a lightweight, quick, and powerful open-source programming language.
Types of Mobile App Development Frameworks
A mobile development framework is a software library or framework that provides a foundation for the creation of mobile applications for a certain environment. In general, three broad frameworks exist:
#1 Native Apps
Platform-specific programming is possible with native mobile app frameworks. A native framework is intended for the development of programmes for a certain operating system, such as iOS, Android, or Windows. Java and Kotlin, for example, are used to create native Android apps, whereas Objective-C and Swift are used to create native iOS apps. Native apps use device-specific hardware and software to provide highly optimised performance and results.
#2 Web-Native Mobile Apps
This framework is a method for encouraging cross-platform mobile development. Most cross-platform frameworks enable developers to create mobile apps using web languages they are already familiar with, lowering the learning curve and development cycle. Organisations may use frameworks like Ionic, Xamarin, React Native, and Flutter to create genuinely native mobile apps for iOS and Android, as well as mobile-optimized Progressive Web Apps (PWAs).
#3 Hybrid Framework
This framework is a method for encouraging cross-platform mobile development. Most cross-platform frameworks enable developers to create mobile apps using web languages they are already familiar with, lowering the learning curve and development cycle. Organisations may use frameworks like Ionic, Xamarin, React Native, and Flutter to create genuinely native mobile apps for iOS and Android, as well as mobile-optimized Progressive Web Apps (PWAs).
Top Trends in Mobile App Development
Mobile app development will become faster and smarter in the next years. Here are some of the mobile development trends that will be dominant in the coming decade:
#1 Artificial Intelligence
Incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) into mobile app development services providers can dramatically reduce faults that human programmers frequently overlook. McDonald’s uses AI and big data to personalise their drive-thru menus for each customer. The application of artificial intelligence in telemedicine apps minimises the amount of time spent on administrative activities.
Some of the top use cases for AI in mobile apps include automated warehouses, smart logistics apps, chatbots, voice assistants, voice recognition apps, predictive analytics for personalised recommendations in e-commerce, and security apps with facial recognition for fraud protection. AI integration will increase user engagement while saving organisations a significant amount of money.
#2 Mobile Commerce
According to Statista, the total value of mobile e-commerce sales in the United States will exceed 430 billion USD by the end of 2022. Users are increasingly reliant on mobile payment and shopping apps to buy and sell goods and services, pay bills, book flights and hotels, and conduct a variety of other day-to-day financial operations.
By 2021, approximately one-third of US customers will have purchased something online using their mobile phones every week. Contactless payments provided by in-app mobile payment systems such as Apple Pay and Google Pay are more popular among Generation Z and millennials. Following the mobile commerce trend is essential for your business to remain competitive and replicate the success model of ecommerce behemoths such as Amazon.
#3 AR and VR Apps
In 2022, the use cases for AR in mobile apps will continue to grow. The number of mobile AR users will reach 1.73 billion by the end of 2024. Retailers, educational institutions, healthcare providers, labour management teams, ecommerce organisations, industrial manufacturing units, and other industries are all using augmented reality to develop strong mobile user experiences that help them achieve a competitive advantage.
VR, like AR, is currently revolutionising mobile app development. To improve the user experience and content perception of fully working mobile apps, VR can link with phones, apps, and wearables. According to Design News, 29% of firms have seen a boost in production and efficiency since incorporating AR/VR technology into their operations.
#4 5G Technology
5G, or fifth generation mobile network, is the most recent global wireless broadband cellular network standard that virtually connects machines, devices, and objects to provide users with a consistent user experience that includes higher data speeds, improved reliability and availability, massive network capacity, and ultra low latency. 5G will change the way mobile applications are developed and deployed.
According to Cisco, more than 10% of worldwide mobile devices and connections will be 5G-enabled by 2023. 5G will vastly increase the speed and efficiency of mobile apps, allowing developers to incorporate new features without jeopardising the app’s performance. 5G is intended to improve network efficiency and traffic capacity while reducing latency by a factor of ten.
#5 Low-Code Apps
The increasing containerization and microservices adoption of web and mobile apps is popularising the use of low-code apps nowadays. Low-code app development platforms like as Mendix, Appian, Microsoft Power Apps, and Zoho Creator offer a visual development environment with pre-built connectors, smart services, drag-and-drop modellers, and components to help developers quickly construct apps.
According to Forrester, over 75% of apps launched in 2021 will be built utilising low-code platforms to reduce time to market and address a developer shortage. Low-code mobile development enables organisations to quickly launch apps, reduce development complexity, quickly respond to market changes, cut staffing expenses, and maintain a consistent user experience.
#6 Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
The loading time of your mobile app affects your bottom line. An e-commerce site that earns $100,000 per day will lose $2.5 million in sales if its loading time is delayed by one second. Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) plugin is quickly becoming an essential feature in determining your mobile site’s ranking. AMP-optimized web/mobile pages rank faster and better, and have a higher probability of turning visitors into buyers.
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