Programming Languages for Mobile Apps

22 August 2022

If you’re interested in learning how to code to create mobile apps, then it’s necessary to choose a programming language. In the past, programming languages were rather limited. Today, however, you’ll find many languages, SDKs and frameworks for mobile app development.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the most popular programming languages and frameworks. We’ll just go over the basics here, but at least you’ll have a better idea of what’s available. We hope the article will make it easier for you to choose a programming language too.

Types of Mobile Apps

Before we jump in, it’s important to review the different types of mobile apps. These include:

Hybrid apps: developed for use cross-platform, these are coded in one language, which works on multiple platforms.
Native apps: coded in a language that only works on a specific platform such as Android or iOS.
Progressive web applications: these are lightweight apps that run in the URL of a device’s browser. They look and feel like an app but do not operate natively on a device.

Programming Languages for Android App Development

Android is an open-source software development platform, which is operated by Google. To develop an Android app, it’s necessary to get the Android development toolkit, which contains emulators, debuggers, and the SDK. The most popular integrated development environment (IDE) is Android Studio. You’ll find others available, but most developers find Android Studio the best option.

Android programming languages include:

Java: this has been the default development language for Android apps since 2008. However, the object-oriented language was created in 1995. Java has plenty of faults but is still the most popular language used to develop Android applications. Other Android languages are a version of Java or are “Java-flavoured.”
Kotlin: this is an alternative language to Java, which Google began to support in 2017. It’s extremely popular and is interoperable with Java. For example, all Java libraries are accessible with Kotlin. Kotlin is considered to be a neater and cleaner version of Java.

Programming Languages for iOS App Development

The iOS platform has been developed by Apple. As a developer for iOS apps, you’ll need to first create an account with Apple and install the Xcode IDE on a Mac computer. Xcode includes everything needed to create apps for all Apple devices, including a code editor, SDKs, and a debugger.

There are two native programming languages for iOS:

Objective-C: this was the first programming language developed by Apple to support mobile applications on the iOS platform. This is an Object-Oriented language, which uses syntax from C and certain aspects of Smalltalk. The downside of this language is that it’s not very easy for developers.
Swift: Apple brought this programming language out in 2014. This is the preferred language for those who develop iOS applications. Swift is much easier and more compact than Objective-C. And those developers who are already familiar with Objective-C should have no trouble learning Swift.

Native Development Programming Languages Pros & Cons

When it comes to using native programming languages, there are pros and cons to be aware of:

Pros:

Low-level coding for cutting edge technologies are added to the device
Fastest access to the latest features through the native language
Most control over the device
Fastest to execute

Cons:

Slow to develop applications
Makes development more expensive
Takes skilled and specialised app developers to build the native apps
Difficult to enter for new developers

Programming Languages for Hybrid Apps

Hybrid apps are only developed once; however, they are written in a language that works across multiple platforms. Here are the most common hybrid languages for app development:

Xamarin & C#: this is an interesting combination, as Microsoft developed C#, which is an object-oriented programming language. Later, Microsoft acquired the Xamarin Framework. This framework enables app developers to program using C# in other frameworks.
JavaScript Languages: the hybrid languages that use JavaScript frameworks are very popular. These include React Native, Appcelerator, Cordova/PhoneGap.

Pros & Cons of Hybrid App Programming Languages

Hybrid app programming languages come with pros and cons, including the following:

Pros:

Any web developer can easily use these programming languages
The learning curve is easy
There’s a low barrier to entry

Cons:

Give up a bit of frame rate (for instance, with the development of a gaming app or AR)

MBaaS (Mobile Backend as a Service)

All hybrid frameworks and native languages are built from scratch and are missing a major component. That missing component is the massive mobile backend as a service (MBaaS).

MBaas does the following:

Hosts user profiles
Compiles analytics
Hosts your data
Sends push notifications
And more

MBaaS is available on cloud servers and is needed to develop and support applications.

BuildFire JS

BuildFire JS enters at this point. This is a framework that enables developers to build as they would in a Cordova Hybrid platform. This means they can use web technology such as CSS, HTML, and JavaScript. What’s more, with this framework, developers don’t have to build from scratch.

This means analytics servers, databases, push notification servers, and more are part of MBaaS through BuildFire. The end result is that it’s easy for developers to add new features to the platform. Then other developers can integrate these features into their own apps without worrying about licensing or security.

BuildFire also includes a backend control panel, which makes it easy to administer the app over the air without publishing or upgrades.

Because the apps have been built with MBaaS, there’s no need to be concerned about new policies, regulations, compliance issues, and features with iOS and Android. BuildFire keeps the app compliant.

Summing It Up

Is there a programming language that’s best for app development? In the end, there is no right or wrong answer. Each programming language has its pros and cons and is a valid option to consider.

Which programming language is best for you? It depends on your business and your goals. Ask yourself these questions:

What type of application am I building?
What does the application require?
Where do I want to put the most effort?
Do I want to develop the app once or multiple times?

Your answer to these questions will determine which programming language is best for you. The main goal is to ensure you can get the app to market quickly and efficiently.

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