The past decade has definitely been dominated by the smartphone, with more and more businesses investing in mobile application development. Crafting a mobile application for business involves a great deal of time and money as it has to be made according to specific requirements. Also, it has to undergo numerous developmental phases to come out as desired. While native and hybrid apps are the most-talked about, web apps is another form that is gaining pace. The need to create complex, data-intensive business apps has given rise to the concept of web apps.
Mobile applications are usually talked about as native ones, which are device specific and are directly installed on to the device they are made for. Web apps, on the other hand, are the internet-enabled ones that can be accessed via the device’s browser. Over the years, mobile developers have seen the true potential of the latter and are even ditching native apps in their favor. Here are some reasons that web apps are gaining momentum and leaving native apps behind, particularly for developing data-driven business solutions:
Availability Across Platforms
Web applications are empowered with the cross-platform advantage as these work well across a variety of devices (mobiles, tablets, and desktops) and platforms (Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, MacOS, and more). The experience with the native may be better but the convenience of the web is unmatched. A progressive web app even offers a comparable experience as it can be added to the home screen. It gives the user an opportunity to avail the best of both.
Consistency of UX
The cross-platform ability of web applications not only enhances their accessibility but ensure that they deliver consistent user experiences as well. They have the ability to deliver exceptional UX, irrespective of the devices these are run on.
Easy Onboarding
The simplicity (or complexity) of the onboarding process is a parameter that has a far-reaching impact on the native app’s success. This is no issue in case of the other type of application as it does not require downloading and installation to be on-boarded. This makes them completely effortless for the users so that they prefer them over the native counterparts.
Optimal Use Of Device Screens
Web applications have the capability to run on various screen sizes, from mobile to tablets and desktops. As a result, they can provide data-centric functionality to the app users. Developers can build applications that can effectively use the on-screen real estate to deliver the best user experiences.
Always Updated
Unlike native apps, those made for the web are always updated with the user having access to the latest version with every single access action on any device. The updates happen at the server rather than the user needing to make them on their devices. This feature is particularly important for data-intensive applications as these are meant to give the users the latest data and information for quicker and better decision making.
Reusability of Code
Another amazing feature of web applications is that it supports reusability and shareability of code. Native applications require separate codes to be written for separate platforms but this is not the case with the web counterpart as they use technologies that are common across platforms and devices. Moreover, reusability extends beyond code and includes architecture and design too.
Offline Functionality
Both these apps can deliver offline functionality. These applications can store and manage data on the device. They have complete control over storage and deletion of data, with the ability to trigger data wipe remotely. This ensures the security of the business data.
Cost-Effective
Web development services are cost-effective as compared to native app development services. They require less maintenance too. Moreover, the business can avail rich features and functionalities in a single app instead of having to invest in multiple apps for different native platforms.
With such a comprehensive list of benefits, web applications definitely have an edge over the native ones. Expert developers are also making efforts to improve the areas where these are lacking. For instance, advanced technologies are being applied to enhance them with features such as offline caching, push notifications, and integration of device features such as camera and GPS.
At Orange Mantra, our expert developer team creates exceptional applications with features that bring the gap between the web and mobile to deliver great user experiences.