Native Apps or Web AppsComparison between native apps and web apps is all over the Internet and there are hundreds of articles which tell you why one are better than the other. This ongoing debate about trying to decide which one of the technology is better and will rule the roost is something that doesn’t have a clear winner and both the sides have their own set of pros and cons.

Native applications are the most popular ones with the prediction of around 44 billion downloads by 2016 and this is something indisputable. At the same time, web apps are jeweled the future and it is being predicted that very soon, they will be able to solve the problems faced by native apps and reach their pedestal of quality and speed. This clearly means that both the sides are strong contenders and there is no one simple decision to this. In such a case, it’s better to be accommodating and to know what works the best for different platforms. This article will spell out who should choose native apps and which developers should go for web apps – and why.

Native Apps: Faster, Reliable, But a Bit Expensive

Just to go back a little and to refresh, here is some information on what native apps are. Native apps are the apps that are coded with specific programming languages to work on a mobile platform. There are different languages for various mobile platforms and these apps have to be coded differently everywhere. These apps are known to ensure a great user experience by being fast and reliable, though they’re a little expensive. The web is filled with native apps and they can easily work offline without the need of constant updates and changes. The most common example of native apps is gaming apps, which work online as well as offline and function at a great speed.

Who Should Make Use of Native Apps?

This is something very relative and completely depends on what kind of an app you are aiming to create and the users you are targeting. If the app you are planning on creating is something that doesn’t need an Internet connection to function and the requirement of constant updating is low, then native apps technology is for you. There are different apps which target users who like to work offline and an app which functions smoothly without using Internet as a source is what is needed.

Also, native apps are a better option for developers who are planning to create apps which need to access the phone’s hardware like camera and accelerometer. A few examples of such kind of apps are gaming apps, dictionaries, Instagram and photo editing apps, data management apps, and others. If your venture falls in this category, native apps are the best option for you. Let us now shift our attention to what web apps are and who will be benefited the most by them.

Web Apps: Build Once, Deploy Anywhere

“The web’s true power is its ubiquity. No native platform or proprietary solution can claim the web’s level of reach, and with more devices emerging all the time that intrinsic inclusiveness is becoming more important than ever.” – Brad Frost

Web apps are the being considered as the ultimate future of applications. Standard-based technologies like HTML5 and CSS3 are used in making these apps and because of the advancement, web apps can run on any platform without the requirement of changes in the coding and programming. What differentiates the web apps from the native apps is that in native app you need a separate program for every different device; however, web apps can be run on different devices like Android phones, iPhone and iPads, Kindle, Windows phones and others through a single program. Web apps are automatic in their up gradation and users do not need to make changes to update the app. This is why, apps that function on online content are a good example of web apps.

Who Should Make Use of Web Apps?

As you read above, if you are planning to create apps which depend more on online content and involve a lot of online interaction, then using the technology of a web app is a good idea.

Web apps will also be a good bet for you if you feel that you need to constantly update the content in your app and make it better according to the changing standards of the Internet. This is because you do not want to put the work of constantly updating the app on the user, and an automatic online updated version which opens the moment the user starts using the app are a better idea to make things much easier. Also, as you do not need to develop a different program for different devices, it makes web apps much reasonable compared to native apps. This means that if your developmental budget isn’t very high, then this technology is definitely a better way to make your app reach thousands of people without spending much as web apps function on an open platform in a link economy.

Another reason which might intrigue you about using web apps is their future-friendliness. It’s being predicted that with a few changes here and few advances there, web apps will be able to provide an equally rich experience as native apps do. Thus, if you are a person who would rather wait for new technological advancements than investing in native apps now, then this is a good option for you.

So, what did you decide and why? We’d love to have a discussion!

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