Today, we will be talking about the top five programming languages for mobile apps. First of all, it’s essential to know that there is no universal top language since it mainly depends on what your goals are. For example, are you looking for a job? Are you trying to build an app for a specific platform? Both of these questions are factors to consider, and in this blog, we will break it down with various angels.
Dart
Dart is used for building cross-platform native applications using Flutter. If you’re not sure what cross-platform is, it means that you’re able to write a single codebase and deploy your apps on multiple platforms such as iOS and Android. Dart serves as a client optimized language for building fast apps. You can build apps on mobile, desktop, and the backend of your site.
Pros of Dart
Versatile
– There are numerous ways to use Dart. For example, Dart comes with a Dart virtual machine that allows computers to execute Dart code. It also allows you to convert your Dart code to JavaScript and use it wherever you can. You can also compile your Dart code to native code for running Android and iOS.
Speed
– Dart was designed to be fast. The Dart code is converted to JavaScript can run faster than handwritten JavaScript. If you’re wondering how this can be, it’s because handwriting or hand typing JavaScript follows common patterns and structure of the language. Whereas, when the code is being converted from Dart to JavaScript, the dart2js compiler can make numerous optimizations and shortcuts.
Cons of Dart
Although Dart seems like an exciting language, Dart isn’t the first language a lot of developers would choose to learn. If you’re short on time and you have to choose only one language to invest your time into learning than there are more popular languages out there that will give you more return on investment.
PhoneGap, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
For someone who is non-technical or someone who wants to get into the coding world for the first time, HTML and CSS are great gateway languages to learn. The reason for this is that learning HTML typically leads to learning CSS and JavaScript. This is because they work so well together. Then, before you realize it, you will be fully engulfed in the web development world.
PhoneGap, now owned by Adobe, allows you to build cross-platform apps using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The apps are essentially rendered in a web view. Therefore, it may not look like or perform as well as apps that are written natively for the specific platform they are targeting—for example, using Swift for iOS or Kotlin for Android. Anything web-related like websites or web applications, you will come across HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Pros of PhoneGap, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
Widely accepted
– These programming languages are so widely used that these skills will be applicable for other uses as well.
Easy to learn
– HTML and CSS are simple languages to learn for someone who isn’t technical or hasn’t coded before. It’s also fun and engaging, and you can start to see results right away. Even if you only know a few HTML tags.
Cons of PhoneGap, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
Not great for mobile apps
– If your goal is to build a mobile app, then these skills might not be the best solution for you. If you’re starting fresh and your goal is to build mobile apps than other programming languages would be better for you.
React Native
With React Native, you use JavaScript and Dart, respectively, to code once. Then, that code gets translated into code that is native to the platform itself. This ensures that the app is fast and performs like an app written as the native language would.
Pros of React Native
Working with JavaScript
– One significant benefit of React Native is that you get to work with JavaScript. JavaScript is one of the most heavily used programming languages on the market today. Even if you decided not to build mobile apps anymore, you could still use JavaScript for web apps and server-side code.
Support
– Working with such a popular programming language means you have a lot of support and a massive library of reusable code modules and packages.
Cons of React Native
Cons of React NativeBuilding cross-platform apps with React Native may still not be as good as native apps written with Swift, Kotlin, or Java.
In Summary
If your goal is to build cross-platform apps, then React Native would be the best solution for you. It has a broader community and more support compared to Dart and Flutter. However, learning JavaScript opens doors for you that are beyond mobile apps. If your goal is to provide the best experience, then go with the first-class programming language that you’re building for, such as Swift for iOS or Kotlin for Android. If you decide to explore other platforms, then JavaScript or Java would be the best choice for you. When you need mobile app development services, contact Ecodelogic today.
