Cross-platform development is the process of creating software applications that can run on multiple platforms or operating systems, such as Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and others. This approach allows developers to create a single codebase that can be deployed on multiple platforms, thus reaching a wider audience without having to write separate code for each platform.
Benefits of cross-platform development include faster development time, lower development costs, and the ability to reach a wider audience with a single codebase. However, there are also some tradeoffs to consider, such as potential performance limitations and a lack of access to certain platform-specific features. Overall, cross-platform development is a popular approach for creating software applications that need to run on multiple platforms, particularly for businesses and organizations that want to save time and resources while reaching the widest possible audience.
There are several approaches to cross-platform development, including:
Hybrid app development – using web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, wrapped in a native container, to create apps that run on multiple platforms.
Native app development using cross-platform frameworks – using tools like React Native, Xamarin, or Flutter, which allow developers to write code in a single language (such as JavaScript or C#) and deploy to multiple platforms.
Progressive Web App (PWA) development – creating web applications that can be installed on a user’s device and accessed offline, using modern web technologies like Service Workers and Web App Manifests.