In today’s technology-driven world, digitalization and digital innovation have brought huge transformation. With the ever-expanding digital world, every business feels the need to establish its digital presence through a website, mobile app, social media, or other digital platforms.
One of the major platforms gaining a quick pace is mobile applications. The desktop users have drastically dropped over the last few years since each pocket has a smartphone. Attracting the target audience effectively towards the individual business is the need of the hour.
The existence of mobile devices with different operating systems pose a challenge to mobile app developers. Cross-platform mobile app development tools help a mobile application to run on multiple mobile-based OS like Android, iOS, BlackberryOS, and Windows. There are multiple frameworks available which support cross-platform app development. One such framework used for effective cross-platform development is Xamarin.
Xamarin brings in C# language and .NET framework together to build cross-platform apps. Listed below are the key features of Xamarin which gives it an edge over other cross-platform development frameworks:
1. Easy to adapt for the developers
Xamarin requires the use of only one language i.e. C#. It needs experience in .NET framework which is quite familiar to the developers. Most of the other cross-platforms require the use of multiple languages and frameworks, making it tedious for the developers. Also, the core set of classes used in other platforms have different ways in which similar commands can be executed.
Xamarin has a single set of core class that can be used for programming effectively for any operating system like android, iOS, etc.
2. Lesser limitations, more adaptability
With the help of Xamarin, one can harness the unique features of android and iOS platforms. Xamarin comprises of iOS-specific .NET classes and Android-specific .NET classes along with the standard classes that are available in .NET
Combining the core classes of .NET with the classes specific to android and iOS makes it easier to share the logic across both the platforms and at the same time make the best use of each platform’s unique features.
3. Agile time-to-market
Cross-platforms require coding in Java for Android and coding the same logic in Objective C for iOS. Xamarin requires one-time coding logic development and allows the developers to use the same logic across both Android and iOS. This saves a lot of time and helps release quick updates or create an MVP.
The overall time and cost of the development is reduced, making the application dynamic for the users.
4. Easy to maintain
Apps developed in Xamarin are easy to maintain as the platform allows the sharing of code. Any updates, changes or fixes can be made in the source code as it automatically applies to all the operating systems. This again saves time of development and reduces cost.
Xamarin has a good community that provides customer support along with proper documentation and opportunities for training.
5. Exhaustive testing solution
Xamarin also offers aid to test and screen the performance of the apps. It has two tools: Xamarin Test Cloud and Xamarin Test Recorder. These tools run automated tests on the application in the cloud and report issues if any.
Xamarin is one of the game-changing tools in the mobile app development industry. It has major advantages over other existing app development platforms, especially the cross-platform or hybrid development technologies. We at Vatsa Solutions have worked on various projects based on Xamarin. To know more about how we can help you develop a cross-platform mobile app, write to us at www.vsplc.com.
We would love to know what’s your take on Xamarin.
