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The Best Tools For Mobile App Development for 2018

Creating an application is something that most developers have to deal with at one point. Apps need to work properly on different platforms, and this can be quite tricky to realise. Luckily for you, there are plenty of tools that that help you with mobile app development.

Making the app work on multiple platforms is no longer a problem, thanks to the WORA concept (write once, run anywhere). This means that the piece of code only has to be written once, for one platform, and it then runs on many platforms. This reduces the amount of work needed from the developer.

Monocross

This tool is ideal if you want to develop apps for bot smartphones and tablets. One thing that you should know about this platform is that the developer is able to access the native device APIs while coding in C#.

Nonetheless, it can be difficult to learn about Monocross, as there are not many resources online. There are few documents and support for this platform, so you might need to discuss with other developers if you need some help. Monocross supports the Mono framework, as well as .NET, Microsoft and C#.

Xamarin

You can use the C# code base in order to develop apps with this tool. It is possible to use the same APIs, language and IDE in all places. You should know that Xamarin development is tied with important companies such as IBM, Microsoft, Foursquare and Dow Jones. For those who use C# or Ruby, Xamarin is the best choice.

Xamarin offers a free version, as well as a paid one. If you choose the free version, you will have features that are limited and you won’t be able to use open-source libraries, which can be a major disadvantage. Sharing code is also possible for a developer.

PhoneGap

PhoneGap can be used to create apps that do not rely on the device. This platform was created by Adobe and it can be used to translate code from JavaScript, as well as CSS and HTML5. Apps can be developed for Android, Windows, iOS and BlackBerry.

A possible disadvantage could be that you can’t really use it for apps that are graphics-intensive. We should also add that this platform is available for free and it comes with great support for the developers.

NativeScript

This is another tool that can be used to develop cross-platform apps. There aren’t too many resources for its features. NativeScript comes with support for TypeScript, as well as Angular.js 2. Native APIs are also provided in JavaScript.

Appcelerator

Developing cross-platform applications with this tool is simple. A JavaScript codebase is used for it, and Appcelerator is open. Apps can be created for Android, iOS AND BlackBerry, but it also comes with support for HTML5.

More than 5000 devices can be supported by Accelerator, as well as OS APIs. The only con for this tool is the fact that the support team can be a bit slow with its responses.

Kony Mobile Platform

The Kony Mobile Platform comes with numerous impressive features such as API connection, automatic coding and app preview. One great thing about the Kony Mobile Platform is that it also has its own pre-built apps that can be used in order to develop a new app.

Once again, there are not many resources available for Kony Mobile Platform, which means that if you want to use it to develop an app, you are on your own. However, if its community continues to expand, there should be more documentation in the future.

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The Best Programming Languages for Mobile App Development

Mobile applications have created an industry that has evolved more and more in the past years. Many developers have shifted towards this field, which is truly a rewarding one. However, the task is more challenging as well. Innovation defines this industry and mobile apps are expected to be as productive as possible.

If you are interested in mobile app development, you should know that an essential first step is choosing the right programming language. There are various factors that you need to take into account before you choose one. We are going to discuss about the pros and cons of some of these languages.

Objective-C

This is the main programming language for iOS. Apple itself chose it to build apps. It comes with some features that are able to handle the graphics, display functions. We should also add that Objective-C is integrated into all MacOS and iOS frameworks.

C++

If you are going to develop a mobile app for Windows and Android, C++ can handle the job. However, keep in mind that this language is fit for low-level programming. Back in the day C++ used to be one of the dominating programming languages, and it can help you create an app, no matter what its purpose is.

Swift

This programming language is newer, and it is perfect for iOS applications. It was used for the latest APIs from Apple, Cocoa Touch and Cocoa. This language was originally written to work Objective-C, but it shortly became the ideal choice for iOS developers. All the flaws that existed with Objective-C are removed, and Swift developers have become more and more popular.

Swift

If you are looking for a programming language that merges well with iOS apps, Swift is a great option. In fact, Swift was used by Apple to write the code for two APIs, Cocoa Touch and Cocoa. iOS developers are encouraged to take a look at Swift, as this language comes to fix all the vulnerabilities that were possible with Objective-C.

It is also a known fact that Swift developers are wanted by many businesses, so learning this programming language might offer you various job opportunities.

Java

Java remains one of the most popular options for developers who are working on an Android app. This language was developed at Sun Microsystems, which now belongs to Oracle. There are two ways in which Java can run, either in the window of a browser, or in a machine that does not need a browser.

The only drawback for Java is that it does not represent a good choice if you are looking for iOS development. Otherwise, there are plenty of reasons why you should choose this one.

HTML5

This programming language is one of the most well-known. If you want to build a Web-fronted app, HTML5 is ideal. However, you should remember that it remains a proposed standard. The good thing is that numerous browsers support it.

This programming language comes with plenty of benefits. HTML5 makes it fairly easy to insert different data types, the input parameters are rationalized and it also manages to account for various screen sizes. It is also easier to learn this language as it builds on HTML, and it would be a lot more difficult to learn a brand new language.

C#

This programming language is just what you need, if your goal is Windows development. Developers who want to build Windows Phone apps should take a look at C. While it does not represent a good alternative for other platform, it is the perfect match for Windows.

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