Imagine now we need to create an application that can be run on all different platforms, will you choose the native-based or web-based way to develop it? That’s a complicated question. Also, the more different types of platforms, the more aspects that we need to take into account.

As the major languages of web-based development, HTML5 and JavaScript ES6 have increased their features to fit different types of platforms such as mobiles, tablets, TV, and even foldable mobiles. On the other hand, native-based languages like Swift and Android also play important roles in current mobile app development. If all of them are popular, how to choose the right one when we need to develop a new application or modify the current-existed application?

There are some things we need to consider first. Let’s begin with web-based development. When talking about web-based, the most important thing is the centralized code. Even though many different platforms might be used to link to your application, they always use the same source of code, which is a huge advantage because there is no need to maintain different code on different platforms. In addition, if we do web-based development, we can update our website anytime without any approval of other platforms such as the Apple store or Android store, we don’t need to ask our users to update the websites because they can always access the latest version of the websites. The third advantage of web-based development is the freedom of doing layouts, positions, and functions you want without those clauses and conditions set by those app store companies.

So far it sounds like web-based development is the best choice. However, there are still some drawbacks that might have significant impacts on its performance. First is the compatibility of mobile built-in hardware features. Compared to native-based development ways, web-based development can’t access mobile hardware directly and easily, whereas native-based ways can easily access features like GPS, NFC, camera, etc. The second drawback is the speed. Because native-based development is specially focused on a certain type of devices, which can make the app faster and more responsive, plus native app can access local storage of the device, which allows mobile save data temporarily and asynchronously. The third disadvantage is web-based development has no design guidelines. Even though we said that we can do what we want because we needn’t follow those requirements from app store companies, which also means web-based development needs to consider everything including promotion or support provided by those app companies. Just like the SEO of websites, app stores have their way to promote those native apps. There will have high competition between native-based and web-based apps.

Next, let’s discuss native-based development. When talking about the pros and cons of native apps, exactly the advantages are those drawback features of the web-based app and vice versa. Native-based development is faster, more responsive, and coding which can access mobile hardware and features directly. Furthermore, native apps can get support from their mobile platforms. On the contrary, the biggest drawback is to access the app from different platforms, there might have many different sources code which is quite hard to maintain.

In summary:

The advantages of web-based development –

• Centralized source code.
• Can update anytime and there is no need to ask users to update the app by themselves.
• Free to design the layout, features, and functions without constraining by app stores’ clauses and conditions.

The disadvantages of web-based development –

• Slower.
• Can’t access mobile built-in hardware and features easily.
• No extra support and promotion from app stores.

The advantages of native-based development –

• Faster and more responsive.
• Can access mobile built-in hardware and features easily.
• extra support and promotion from app stores.

The disadvantages of native-based development –

• Might have different sources code to fit different platforms.
• Need to wait for approval from the app store and have to ask users to update the app.
• Need to comply with those clauses and conditions set by app stores.

In conclusion, both native-based and web-based development ways have their strengths and shorts, before we start to develop the app, we have to realize what functions do we want, and what kinds of features we need to add to the app, then we can choose the better way based on most of those features that we want to implement.

Reference resource: %[uxmag.com/articles/native-or-web-based-sele..