If you work in web development, there is one thing constantly on your mind: mobile. Would it be smarter to develop a mobile website or a mobile app? The truth is, forward-thinking companies linked up with the right partners know the answer to this question. Web development trends of yesteryear relied purely on web-based, non-mobile solutions. Those days are gone.
It’s not just web development facing a shift. The paradigms are even shifting in the mobile app development world. Programming in native mobile languages has been a no-brainer proposition for a long time, yet some are questioning that long-standing principle. Sure, there are certain benefits to programming as hugged up against the hardware layer as possible. But recent advancements, with changes in cloud computing and Facebook-backed ReactJS as two examples, have blurred the line between native and non-native.
The expanding world of web development
Is it just us, or are web pages starting to look and feel a bit more like native apps on a mobile device? At the minimum to stay relevant, you at least need to have a mobile-friendly website. The new trends in web development transcend “websites” themselves. A mobile revolution is upon us.
“Hold up!” some yell. “Not so fast!” These are the people that have notions that websites could one day replace apps. Could it be true?
Could websites actually replace apps?
If there is one aspect that gives website-promoters hope, it is the fact that agencies are looking to free up bandwidth. There are many factors causing this new dynamic when developers choose to build a mobile app or build out their user experience through a website.
They argue that native apps require more time, work, and money. There may have even been a bit of a decline in app downloads, if you look at comScore’s 2017 numbers. Some are actually singing the death-knell of apps. But how would that even work in today’s mobile-dependent world?
It could happen
Take server-less computing as one of the examples of the native app swan song. How? The cloud advance has continued unabated. Devices are now powerful enough to render a page client-side.
Imagine things like server-less CMS tools. The web development world will be taken over with big thoughts about solving scaling and availability issues. What else happens when a server goes bye-bye? So does patching. The code is in the browser!
Hello, browser
The new elephant in the room is ReactJS, which is often simply referred to as React. Websites built on React “react” like an app, yet they aren’t. With the programming stored locally, you don’t need to rely on external servers to transfer the data.
Google, Apple and other large players have embraced the browser as the place to lead this revolution. The web development world has moved on from rendering test to heavy pages lacking any dynamic structure. Whether it be for video, chat, or even virtual reality, the code built behind the browser can now handle it all.
Does the native app still have a place?
Absolutely, we say! Remember, at Clever Coding we’ve built both websites and apps. We know what is coming before it gets here.
For those who are developing complex, highly-interactive games or graphics-laden location services, native apps are still worth the time and investment. Those working in the high-end video producing or photo editing worlds still need to rely on solid native performance to ensure their users have the best possible experience.
So, what’s on your mind when it comes to the website versus app debate? Whether it be cutting-edge web development or the one native app to rule them all, you have come to the right place.