Top Cross Platform Frameworks for 2024: The Ultimate Guide

Mastering top Cross Platform App Development Frameworks for 2024 and Beyond

Navigating the top Cross Platform Frameworks in 2024

Embarking on the dynamic journey to develop cross platform apps in 2024 opens doors to a realm where strategic decisions are keystones to digital evolution. Just as transformative trends reshape our digital landscape, the choices made today set the course for the future of application development. Moreover, as mobile apps have become a vital cog that defines business success, choosing wisely from the top cross platform frameworks is essential.

Besides being cost-effective, cross platform apps also help reduce the time taken to build the app without compromising on the app quality. There are some excellent options of cross platform frameworks in 2024 that support WORA (Write Once, Run Anytime) technique across all the leading platforms.

There are certain nuances and intrinsic aspects in cross platform that developers come to know with experience and time. As an expert Cross platform app development company, we have the expertise to consult, understand, and build the solution as per the client’s requirements.

In this guide, we dissect the top cross platform frameworks in 2024 — Flutter, React Native, Kotlin Multiplatform, Xamarin/.NET MAUI, Ionic, and NativeScript — unveiling the strategic benefits they offer. Whether you’re a seasoned developer, entrepreneur, or tech enthusiast, this exploration is a roadmap into the heart of cross platform development, providing nuanced insights to drive your digital ventures forward.

Let’s first understand the dynamics of cross platform app development frameworks in 2023.

What has changed in 2023 for cross platform development?

The year 2023 was a ground-breaking year in many aspects. Businesses worldwide have undergone unprecedented changes with technology advancements, evolving users’ needs, and accelerated app usage. Developing an app using cross platform helps businesses succeed and prepare for the future by accelerating intelligent solutions delivery.

In the fast-evolving realm of cross platform applications development, 2023 marked a significant milestone, ushering in transformative changes that reverberated across the industry. As businesses increasingly recognize the importance of versatile solutions that cater to diverse platforms, let’s explore the key trends that shaped the landscape of developing cross platform apps in 2023:

  • Surge in Cross Platform Adoption Rates: Witnessed a notable surge in the adoption rates of cross platform for development, with an estimated increase of 3% CAGR from 2018 to 2022, which totaled US $101.7 billion and increased to US $120 billion in 2023.
  • Integration of AI and Machine Learning (ML): Notable integration of AI and ML technologies into cross platform development, enables developers to create smarter and more intuitive applications.
  • Focus on Enhanced User Experience (UX): Heightened focus on delivering exceptional user experiences leads to an increase in the prioritization of UX/UI design in cross platform app development projects.
  • Optimization for 5G Technology: Strategic optimization of apps for 5G technology, driven by the global transition towards faster and more reliable network infrastructures, with developers prioritizing 5G compatibility in their projects.
  • Increased Collaboration among Frameworks: Witnessed increased collaboration and compatibility among leading cross platform frameworks, developers leverage multiple frameworks simultaneously to optimize app development processes.
  • Shift Towards Low-Code Development: A noteworthy shift towards low-code development methodologies in cross platform development results in the increase of adoption rates for low-code platforms and tools.

These cross platform trends in 2023 have set the stage for an era of innovation and growth in 2024. As we delve deeper into understanding these changes, it becomes evident that the strategic adoption of cross platform frameworks is essential for businesses aiming to stay ahead in the competitive digital landscape. Now, let’s look at the market’s top cross platform app frameworks in 2024.

Evolution of Cross Platform Development

Evolution of Cross Platform Development

Today cross platform frameworks can be a vital entity to the success of most trending startup ideas. The emerging need for a solution beyond the boundaries of native app creation and continuous technological advancements brought cross platform development to the table. In the nascent stage, the vision of writing one codebase and deploying apps on multiple platforms comes true with several challenges.

The experimentation journey started with the PhoneGap framework and continues to date, resulting in stable and mature frameworks like Flutter, React Native, and others.

Let’s rewind a bit and walk through the historical context of cross platform development.

Many cross platform application frameworks have hit the mark through immaculate functioning and continuous evolution. Consider the top cross platform development frameworks vital in escalating your business in 2024.

Flutter Framework

Google first released Flutter, built on top of Dart language, is one of the leading cross platform development frameworks. Hire Flutter developers to build apps for six platforms- mobile platforms (Android, iOS), desktop platforms (Windows, Linux, MacOS), web platforms, and TV using a single codebase.

With Dart 2.5, writing program codes in a structured manner for complex applications becomes possible. Going through features lets you know why Flutter makes sense for startups.

Features of Flutter Framework

  • Working with the Skia- graphics engine helps optimize the app for native-like performance.
  • The hot reloading feature allows viewing the changes in code as they are made.
  • Has its rendering engine containing a set of widgets for both OSs.
  • The support for null safety at the syntax level improves the app’s security.
  • Support for Material Design and Cupertino widget sets ensures UI looks native on both platforms.

Did you know Flutter web apps perform comparatively better?
Thus, using flutter for web apps development can be a wise choice.

Pros & Cons of Flutter Framework

Pros of using Flutter Cons of using Flutter
Allow viewing changes made in the code in real-time that accelerates modification. Limited support for TV restricts apps that cannot built for Android and Apple TV.
Easy-to-learn Dart language makes hiring flutter developers easy. Dart’s low popularity makes it challenging to find Flutter developers.
A complete set of widgets enables native-like UI development The app’s size gets bigger due to built-in widget usage
Ensure app development for different platforms in reduced time and cost. Check out the Flutter app development cost. The large-sized toolkit of Flutter makes working with large files difficult.
Readymade solution’s availability for native OSs allows for working with continuous integration platforms. Building 100% native-like apps is implausible.

An Expert’s Guide to Estimate Cost of Flutter App Development the Right Way.

Top Mobile Apps Built Using Flutter Cross Platform

  • InKino
  • Google Ads
  • PUBG Mobile
  • Hamilton
  • Google Pay
  • Xianyu

React Native Framework

React Native has earned its place as one of the leading cross platform app frameworks since its inception in 2015. Facebook created the Java-based framework with components that include JSX and CSS-like polyfills instead of HTML and CSS. So many features make React Native a good fit for most startups .

The expert React Native developers build perfect and highly responsive designs with a significant focus on the UI. There is no DOM API in React Native, and it combines the best features of React.JS and Java and allows using other supported programming languages as well for some parts.

Features of React Native Framework

  • Hot reloading allows changes to the app’s code when it’s live.
  • Component reusability enables amending a single instance and its rollout across all the components.
  • The modular architecture makes development in parts and switching between functionalities easy.
  • A variety of native-like UI components that run in a native environment allow for building a fluid, adaptable interface.

Pros & Cons of React Native Framework

Pros of using React Native Cons of using React Native
Using the same codebase for building apps for different platforms saves time and effort. Limited access to native modules that restricts advanced feature development.
Help achieve native-like performance. Debugging is difficult with a complex codebase.
Speed up the app development process and shorten time-to-market Limited libraries and tools that impact productivity.
Large communities help troubleshoot problems and access plenty of resources. Documentation is comparatively better. It’s not a good option for a complex interface.
Enable code reusability Updating issues for comprehensive applications.

Top Mobile Apps Built Using React Native Cross Platform

  • Instagram
  • Walmart
  • Skypes
  • Wix
  • Tesla
  • Discord

Kotlin Multiplatform Framework

Kotlin language was released by the JetBrains team in 2016 which was the first official stable version. The Kotlin Multiplatform framework was released in 2020 and the beta version was release in 2022 to simplify cross platform development projects. Popularly known multiplatform mobile framework is written entirely in the Kotlin language. The mobile technology (SDK), packed with powerful tools, enables the sharing of business logic across platforms with multiple compilers for a shared module.

Features of Kotlin Multiplatform Framework

  • Provide the tool support for compiler, IDE plugins, and a debugger that enables faster development and debugging.
  • Code compilation to native code for every platform ensures native equivalent performance.
  • Facilitate complete access to platform SDKs.
  • Kotlin mechanism is used for accessing platform-specific APIs.
  • Enable code sharing while retaining the benefits of native programming.

Pros Cons of Kotlin Multiplatform Framework

Pros of using Kotlin Multiplatform Cons of using Kotlin Multiplatform
Ensure 100% native-like app development with UI and logic code sharing. It’s in a beta phase, which may cause potential issues during development.
Code sharing makes it easily expandable and scalable. It has a small community, which means limited online resources to learn and solve problems.
Underlying Kotlin language offers more compile-time safety. Translation of Kotlin to Objective C is time-consuming and slows down development.
Android developers know Kotlin well, which makes it easy for developers to get started. With no architectural guidelines, developers need to establish them during coding.

Interested in Kotlin Multiplatform mobile development?
Here’s a guide on how to hire Kotlin Developers effectively

Top Mobile Apps Built Using Kotlin Cross Platform

  • Careem
  • Xapo bank
  • Baidu
  • Memrise
  • Netflix
  • Philips

Xamarin/.NET MAUI Framework

Xamarin is an open-source, cross platform app development framework built in 2011. During its initial period, it was independent but was later acquired by Microsoft in 2016. After that in 2020, the Xamarin cross platform framework merged with the open-source implementation of the .NET Multiplatform App UI known as .Net MAUI.

The components of the implementation process include core .NET libraries, C# compiler, and own runtime. Xamarin app development experts can assist in business expansion as the Xamarin developers have a large community of contributors and developers.

Features of Xamarin Framework

  • Uses C# for creating apps for all mobile platforms that look and feel native.
  • forms enable 90% of code sharing across operating systems, simplifying development.
  • Leverages platform-specific code binding to build specific native functions.
  • Xamarin app development ecosystem supports wearable.
  • Enable accessing platform-specific SDKs.

Pros Cons of Xamarin Framework

Pros of using Xamarin Cons of using Xamarin
The single tech stack usage enables faster development. The premium version of Xamarin for enterprise is expensive.
Platform-specific UI ensures close to native-performance. Not suitable for apps that require heavy graphics or involve a lot of user interactions.
Simplified app maintenance and updating. Larger app size as opposed to native apps.
Open-source technology renders solid corporate support. Compatibility issues with third-party libraries exist.
The ecosystem of Xamarin provides massive libraries, tools, etc, making development a breeze. Limited access to open-source libraries requires developers to build them from scratch.

Top Mobile Apps Built Using Xamarin Cross Platform

  • Storyo
  • Just giving
  • The World Bank
  • FreshDirect
  • MRW courier

Ionic Framework

Developed by Drifty Co. in 2013, Ionic is an ‘iconic’ framework used for many reasons. Based on Apache Cordova principles, the mobile applications built through the Ionic framework are hybrid HTML applications. The applications built through Ionic run in unique shells of smartphones, allows to execute JavaScript and display HTML. This process makes it easy for the professional Ionic developers to build the cutting-edge apps that works across multiples devices and operating systems.

Features of Ionic Framework

  • Enable creating web pages that run in a browser or WebView.
  • Provides platform-specific APIs as plugins that help access the device’s built-in functionalities.
  • Features Ionic native to support integrations and standard APIs.
  • Simplified form control syntax reduces boilerplate code and improves compatibility with other technologies such as Angular, React, Vue, etc.
  • Ionic excels in building high-performance applications.

Pros Cons of Ionic Framework

Pros of using Ionic Cons of using Ionic
The JS-powered framework provides a lot of resources that make it developer-friendly. Not a good choice for graphics-heavy applications.
HTML and CSS modifications enable customizing the look and feel of the app. Live reloading slows down the development process.
One codebase allows the development of multiple apps. Limited debugging tools for native features.
Provide a library of components and plugins with native compatibility. Customization of native components is required as they do not match standard UI components.
The extensive choice of readymade UI elements enables quick prototyping. A steep learning curve makes hiring Ionic developers difficult.

Top Mobile Apps Built Using Ionic Cross Platform

  • Untappd
  • Sworkit
  • Shipt
  • MarketWatch
  • Sanvello
  • InstantPot

NativeScript Framework

NativeScript is a cross platform application development framework preferred for new-age developers to build iOS and Android apps using JS. As it transpiles one language to another, developers don’t need to know native development languages through React Native; they can access iOS and Android APIs. Moreover, NativeScript uses TypeScript and Angular for programming-related things.

Features of NativeScript Framework

  • Offers JS modules for specific functions that make complex app development more accessible.
  • Native APIs enable using existing plugins directly with NPM.
  • The bundle workflow process facilitates high-performance app development using a tree-shaking mechanism.
  • Hot module replacement replaces, updates, and upgrades modules in real time.
  • Code sharing enables building apps faster with fewer lines of code.

Pros Cons of NativeScript Framework

Pros of using NativeScript Cons of using NativeScript
Enable native rendering using the host platform without HTML markup or CSS. Not all UI components are available for free. Requires businesses to pay.
Accessibility to debugging tools and error reporting ensures flawless development. Accessing platform-specific features requires knowledge of Android and iOS.
Automatically re-render app appearance for every state change. Finding developers with TypeScript and Angular expertise is arduous.
The ability to offload long-running processes ensures high performance. Building a complex app requires additional UI and XML support to ensure optimal performance.
Code maintenance is more straightforward and allows making changes in apps across all devices conveniently. Don’t allow developers to use jQuery-like libraries.

Top Mobile Apps Built Using NativeScript Cross Platform

  • PUMA
  • Airbnb design
  • Sennheiser
  • SAP
  • MDBootstrap
  • Portable north pole

Confused about which cross platform framework is best for your business requirements?

Benefits of Cross Platform Frameworks for app development

Besides its versatility, cross platform technology can be a catalyst that would increase the ROI of your business. So, it is not something to debate on how cross platform development benefits businesses. Some of the significant benefits of using cross platform frameworks for your business app are:

  • Ensure faster time-to-market by creating apps for multiple platforms just in the duration of building an app for one platform.
  • Reduce development costs by re-using 80-90% of the codebase for building apps for different platforms.
  • Speed up the development with code sharing, code reusability, plugin integration, and component usage.
  • Updating a single codebase automatically reflects changes in the apps deployed across all platforms.
  • Support for various platforms widens the market reach and increases the popularity.
  • Rapid MVP development helps in knowing how an app idea is perceived in the market, which minimizes upfront expenses.
  • It guarantees design consistency as one codebase compiles to multiple platforms, ensuring the same look and feel across all devices.

Closing thoughts on Cross Platform App Frameworks

In an era where versatility and efficiency are paramount, the importance of choosing the right cross platform framework cannot be overstated. These frameworks empower developers to create robust, high-performance applications that seamlessly span across multiple platforms, delivering exceptional user experiences and driving business growth.

Furthermore, the evolution of cross platform development continues to be fueled by innovation, with frameworks adapting to the changing needs and preferences of developers and businesses alike. As we look towards the future, it’s clear that cross platform development will remain a cornerstone of digital innovation, offering unparalleled opportunities for businesses to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

As you embark on your own cross platform development journey, remember that success lies not only in choosing the right framework but also in leveraging the expertise and insights gained from industry professionals. And hiring dedicated developers can help businesses to discover new horizons and make their process cost effective.

With a strategic approach and a commitment to excellence, the possibilities with cross platform frameworks are limitless. May your future endeavors be guided by innovation, collaboration, and a passion for pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the ever-evolving landscape of digital technology.

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