7 Best Hybrid Mobile App Development Frameworks for 2022

Hybrid mobile app development frameworks allow developers to build mobile apps using standard web technologies, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This process is sometimes referred to as cross-platform development or writing once run anywhere. 

Because of their simple interface and similar features across multiple operating systems, hybrid mobile app development frameworks became widely popular quickly. 

Albert Einstein once said- ‘New frameworks are like climbing a mountain - the larger view encompasses rather than rejects, the more restricted view.’ While the words are not dedicatedly focused on the technology but resonate with the literal meaning of the term framework. 

With tons of frameworks available, it becomes challenging to analyze which ones are the real winners in the IT world. However, with the right research, you can easily find the top hybrid app frameworks available out there. 

The infographic below offers insights into what the programmers & developers- the dictators of the programming world consider as the top hybrid app frameworks. 

Source- Statista

This article has tried to provide the best list of hybrid mobile application development frameworks with their pros and cons. The list includes:

• Flutter- Holds a Market Share of 42%
• React Native- Lets you Reuse Code up to 90%
• Cordova- Ensures Faster Development with Simplified Coding Practices
• Ionic- Experience Quicker Prototyping of the App
• Xamarin- Provides Low & Affordable Maintenance 
• Unity- Eases Development of Immersive Animations
• Native Script- Offers Native Look & Feel to the Developed App 

Let’s explore them in detail:

1. Flutter- Holds a Market Share of 42%

Google has developed Flutter, a platform designed to help developers create user interfaces that run on Android and iOS devices. The new cross-platform toolkit is currently in beta and allows developers to share up to 90 percent of their code across two platforms.

Combined with its short learning curve, that could make it a popular development framework over the coming years. According to Google’s test results, native applications created using Flutter boast an impressive 60fps with rich animations when tested on both iOS and Android platforms.

Given Google’s investment in Flutter and its push toward open-source software, it would not be surprising if the trend caught on among other app creators as well.

Pros of using Flutter Development Framework

• Growing Popularity
• High Performance 
• Mild Learning Curve 
• Facilitates Fantastic UI designs 
• Saves Money and Time 
• Powerful Community support

Cons of using Flutter Development Framework

• The number of tools available with Flutter is limited.
• The iOs support needs improvement.

2. React Native- Let's you Reuse Code up to 90%

React Native has been gaining popularity, especially among hybrid app developers. The framework allows you to build iOS, Android, and web apps with a single codebase, making it easier than ever to share elements across platforms. Look no further if you’re looking to develop cross-platform mobile apps with a great user experience. 

Performance is one of React Native’s most vital points. It renders at 60fps by default and can reach up to 120fps. With native APIs and a JavaScript-based interface, developers can write code similar to its original form in Swift or Java.

In addition, all of your project’s code gets stored in a single file. Hence, it’s easier to collaborate with other developers who might not be familiar with Objective-C or Java. However, you won’t access any native features on Android devices such as push notifications and Google Maps services unless you shell out some cash.

Pros of using React Native Development Framework

• Faster to Build 
• Advanced Framework
• Multiple Platforms 
• Smaller Teams 
• Fast Applications 
• Simplified UI

Cons of using React Native Development Framework

• Requires a longer time in debugging the app.
• The framework still needs improvement in the number of libraries.

3. Cordova- Ensures Faster Development with Simplified Coding Practices

Apps built with Cordova (formerly PhoneGap) run natively and do not require a browser. Developers can use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create mobile apps that take advantage of features such as accelerometer access and camera access. 

The downside is that developers are limited by what is possible with web technologies compared to native development, giving you more device-specific features.

However, Cordova is much more manageable, including one-click deployment through various app stores. Notably, Cordova is an excellent choice for building Android mobile apps as well. You can always hire an android app development company in india for building mobile apps via Cordova.

Also, if you want to work on multiple mobile platforms at once using a single codebase, Cordova is a proven good option.

Pros of using Cordova Development Framework

• Ideal for creating Android apps
• Provides tons of plugins
• It offers multiple options for tabs, toggle buttons, reorderable lists, etc.
• Familiar command-line syntax.
• It comes with native-like widgets
• Faster development cycles

Cons of using Cordova Development Framework

• The developed app suffers from speed performance
• Fails to offer native UX to the users.

4. Ionic- Experience Quicker Prototyping of the App

Ionic is a renowned open-source mobile development framework that uses HTML5 and CSS3 to create cross-platform apps. Because Ionic allows you to use standard web technologies, they have a massive community of open source developers with access to many plugins and building blocks. 

It makes developing much easier since there’s no need to reinvent something from scratch or scour for solutions. However, your resulting apps will feel more like mobile web apps than native because some features and functions aren’t available yet on all platforms (but are on others). 

That said, using Cordova or React Native as a bridge can provide cross-platform capabilities to bring these features into your app.

Pros of using Ionic Development Framework

• Quick Development 
• Faster Time To Market 
• Multi-browser support 
• A Plethora of UI Components
• Developer-friendly 

Cons of using Ionic Development Framework

• Not suitable for apps with heavy graphics.
• Unfriendly live-reloading feature.

5. Xamarin- Provides Low & Affordable Maintenance 

Xamarin is undoubtedly one of the best frameworks to be used by mobile app developers. The UI design that it provides will give a seamless feeling to your users. With the help of highly efficient plugins, developers can drastically reduce your development time.

This framework is preferred by those mobile app developers who like to work in 3D environments and graphics rather than 2D ones. C# script, JSX, and WebGL make it very attractive among its users. It also allows you to create app prototypes quickly and easily.

Pros of using Xamarin Development Framework

•  Write Once, Use Everywhere 
• Support and full technical backing by Microsoft 
• The flexibility of C#
• Simplified maintenance
• Provides a lot of components
• Developer-friendly 

Cons of using Xamarin Development Framework

• Not ideal for implementing complex UIs.
• It creates heavy applications.

6. Unity- Eases Development of Immersive Animations

If your app is complex, then use Unity. It has a robust ecosystem of different add-ons and plugins available to developers, as well as a vast store to get what you need. From the user interface to AR/VR development. If you build a high-quality game or something like that, go with Unity.

Then hire app developers with over five years of experience using Unity and having completed 15+ games in different genres like action-adventure, fighting, arcade, etc. without any complications. 

Pros of using Unity Development Framework

• Build once, deploy whenever and wherever
• Flexible deployment 
• Advanced graphics
• Ideal for rendering 2D and 3D scenes
• Amazing built-in analytics

Cons of using Unity Development Framework

• Out-dated documentation
• Complex interface

7. Native Script- Offers Native Look & Feel to the Developed App 

NativeScript is an open-source framework for creating native mobile apps with JavaScript and CSS. Developers can create Android, iOS, and Windows apps using nothing but these three popular programming languages. The CLI offers a rapid start to developing applications. It includes various built-in plugins which allow you to access the native APIs of each platform.

If you already have experience with JavaScript, CSS, or any other front-end language, NativeScript should be one of your first considerations when building mobile apps.

Being fully featured and cross-platform without any restrictions, NativeScript provides tons of flexibility in development while still being easy enough to get started with even if you are new to app development (as long as you have some knowledge of JS).

Pros of using Native Script Development Framework

• Lightweight framework
• Utilizes object-oriented language
• Leverages Visual Studio Code
• Accesses native components
• Good community support 

Cons of using Native Script Development Framework

• It lacks a high number of plugins.
• The DOM support needs improvement.

Final Words

These top 7 hybrid mobile app development frameworks will be compelling and dominant in five years. It is tough to choose between Flutter, React Native, Cordova, Ionic, Xamarin, and Unity for native app development.

What’s your opinion about hybrid mobile app development frameworks? We recommend you analyze all of them and choose one based on your requirements.

Alternatively, you can also connect with an offshore hybrid mobile app development team for more valuable insights.