Native Development

What is native code?
Native code (in terms of app development) means the app is built in the same language as the phone's operating system. So for Apple (iOS) this is Swift and for Android this is Java or Kotlin.

OK, but what does that mean?
Because the app and the phone are speaking the same language, they work better together. There is no delay for translation (lag) or chance for mis-understanding (instability) and mis-translation (security flaws). And when a new version of the operating system is released (e.g. iOS12) there are not normally any compatibility issues. And because Apple and Google like you using their languages you've got a better chance to get your app approved and ranked highly in their stores.

Sounds good. What's the catch?
Because the iOS (Apple) and Android apps are built in totally different languages, the code needs to be built, tested and maintained twice. And because native apps typically have most of their code base within the app, rather than online, changes are likely to require app version updates.

What some examples of native apps?
Pretty much all of the big hitting apps are native - Facebook, Instagram, Uber etc. This is because the performance and security advantages outweigh the costs for them.

Do we build native apps?
Absoutely. Native is where we started and most of our apps today are still built natively.

How will I know if it's the right option?
We will recommend the right approach and platform based on your requirements and the relative strengths of the different platforms. Get a free quote now.