App development presently holds prime importance in any software field, because we know, the best way to promote product and service among customers is done via apps. The two major platforms Android and iOS have a huge collection of apps for its users. App development, on Android and on iOS, as a profession, has grown significantly and reached new heights. There is a common comparison of app development, that is Android vs iOS, leaving the novice aspiring developers perplexed which might be a better platform to work with. In this article, we will not analyze and compare app development for these two platforms. Rather I shall write about the various
Android development paths in Windows platform
There are several app development paths of Android for Windows operating system, depending on their purpose, utility and expansion. Android development paths can be categorized into three main categories. These are Native Android development, cross-platform development and finally Android game development.
Native Android Development
Native Android development means that your app will be available only for Android devices and you do not have any plan to launch the app in any other platform, such as iOS. If your target app is meant for Android platform, then you can choose native Android app development for Windows operating system. For that you can use Visual Studio or Android Studio to create an ecosystem for Android operating system. Native apps can deploy the various features of the handset, such as, camera, contacts, microphone, etc. But native apps are not capable to run on web browsers. You have to install the Native Android apps from play Store, and use the app. There are several benefits of native Android development. Native Android apps are developed using the native software development kits for Android. Therefore, their apps always adorn a consistent user interface for a better experience. Another important benefit of using Native Android app, is the immediate access to the new Android features. This is an advantage over cross-platform apps, as the hybrid or cross-platform apps cannot access the new features that roll out, until there is a plugin developed to join the missing link. In addition, these apps have better compatibility with the app store requirements and guidelines.
Cross-Platform Android Development
As the name suggests, cross-platform Android development implies that a single codebase will be developed to run in both Android and iOS platforms. A codebase comprises of UI code and logic code. The UI code is responsible for creating the pages, tabs, labels, etc. The logic code is responsible for calling the web services, accessing database, management of hardware and state. Usually 90% of code-base can be re-used, although the percentage cannot be defined exactly. It depends on the type of the app you are developing. It can also run on web browsers for mobile devices. Previously, I wrote about the advantages of native Android app development. Now, let’s check out what cross-platform apps have to offer. One of the most appealing aspects, is that, you do not need to know different codes for different platforms. All you need is a single codebase and it can be shared between both Android and iOS. Cross platform apps look similar to native apps in terms of look and feel. Cross-Platforms get automatic updates, bug fixes, etc.
Android Game Development
This development path is a bit different from the other two paths and it needs a different approach for app development. Games deploy custom rendering logic and are written in OpenGL, Vulkan, etc. Developers use Android Native Development Kit (NDK) and C/C++ with Visual Studio. The game development path also uses game engine and there are a plethora of open-source game engines available. These are Unity with Visual Studio, MonoGame with Xamarin, UrhoSharp with Xamarin, SkiaSharp, Unreal Engine, Unity with Visual Studio, CocoonJS, Fusion, Corona SDK, App Game Kit, cocos 2d, etc.
Must Read: How To Develop iOS Apps Using Xcode In Windows 10?
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