In 2021, the major aspects that a consumer looks for in mobile applications are problem solving, a core feature focus, be simple and deliver value, provide offline functionality while maintaining high performance, in app analytics, and a personalized experience. Here, we discuss 5 most efficient languages for iOS app development that caters to all these consumer requirements.
MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT LANGUAGES
Mobile application development can be done using languages such as JavaScript, Kotlin, Python, C#,C++, HTML5, Ruby, Lua, Action Script, SQL, Objective C, and PHP among a lot of others. Here we have carefully studied and chiseled away the magnitude of offerings to come up with the 5 most useful and efficient languages for iOS development. Simply put, these are:
- SWIFT
- IONIC
- OBJECTIVE C
- FLUTTER
- REACT NATIVE
Let us look at why the above mentioned languages are the best for iOS app development in 2021.
BEST LANGUAGES FOR iOS DEVELOPMENT
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SWIFT
Swift is used to develop solutions for macOS, iOS, watschOS, iPadOS, and tv)S. It was created by Apple. Swift works with frameworks such as Cocoa, Cocoa Touch and all the codebase developed using Objective C. To create applications swiftly and to scale it later, Swift is the way to go.
Pros
- Open source
- Scalable
- Easy
- Interoperability
- Regular updates
- Fast process
- ARC
- Stable and safe with high performance
Cons
- Limited talent pool
- Still in infancy
Swift enjoys a 2.35% market share and is used by 5.9% of the developers globally (according to Stack Overflow). It is the 17th most popular language on a global scale. Swift enjoys 52% market share on App Store. Applications like Facebook, Uber and Slack are built using Swift.
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IONIC
Ionic is a hybrid framework. It is developer friendly and front-end agnostic. It has native capacity with an entire array of built in tools. The plug ins can connect to native phone APIs such as GPS and Bluetooth without any custom integrations.
Pros
- Lesser time to market
- Browser centric development
- Vast array of UI components
- Extensive plug in support
Cons
- Slight stability issues with native plug ins.
- Debugging can be challenging
According to STXNext, 3% of all apps use Ionic framework. Ionic’s market share on iOS is 8%. According to Statista, 18% of developers use Ionic as of 2020. MarketWatch, Pacifica, JustWatch and McLaren among others are built using Ionic.
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OBJECTIVE C
Objective C is an extension of C language. It sports object oriented programming. It is essentially an Apple centric language used to program systems like the OS X and iOS as well as APIs like Cocoa and Cocoa Touch. Objective C can be used to create an app that can run on all the versions of iOS (including the older ones).
Pros
- Dynamic
- Stable and mature
- Easier use of private APIs
- Easily compatible with C++
Cons
- Comparatively low security
- Smaller talent pool
- Not open source
- Lack of updates
- Limited functionality
Objecive C currently has 1% market share according to Insights Dice and is the 20th most popular iOS development language. About 4.1% of global developers currently use it.
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FLUTTER
Flutter is a comprehensive SDK launched by Google. It is a hybrid framework with built in widgets and tools. Flutter allows developers to take an aesthetically pleasing and natively compiled approach to iOS development.
Pros
- Faster development
- Cost efficient
- Better customization
- Faster rendering
- Widgets
- One codebase for two apps
- Good looking UI
Cons
- Small community
- Limited number of libraries
- Bigger app size.
- No standard development guidelines.
Flutter has a 39% market share according to Medium. Only Flutter has shown a growth from 2019 to 2020. It was at 30% in 2019. Google Ads, Alibaba, Reflectly, Hookle, and Birch Finance among others are built using Fllutter.
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REACT NATIVE
React Native is the brainchild of Facebook. It is one of the most popular framework with many industry giants employing it. It uses JavaScript for native apps. React promises optimum performance and code reusability. It is a cost effective solution for mobile app development with a simple UI and third party plug in support.
Pros
- Cost efficient
- Quicker turnaround time
- Fast refresh
- Simple UI
- Large community
- Modular architecture
- Stable and reliable
Cons
- Difficult to learn
- Low security
- Memory management issues
- Compatibility and debugging issues
According to Statista, React Native has a 42% market share. 4.05% of all apps installed are of the React native framework. Apps like AirBnB, Discord, Pinterst, and Instagram among others use React Native.
Now that we have gone through the pros and cons of the 5 languages depends completely on your needs and expectations from the app. The comparison tells a story of how each language is unique in its own way. So what can we conclude from here?
CONCLUSION
As of 2020, Apple’s iOS enjoyed 23.4% market share. According to Buildfire, Apple’s AppStore has 1.96 Million apps available for downloading. Statista projects that mobile apps are expected to generate over $935 Billion in revenue by 2023.
Mobile apps are a personalized experience for the consumers. In order to develop the right app, one must understand its necessity within the market and the target audience for who it is meant. Choosing the language is just as important. At Orion, we understand your needs better than anyone else and help select the best IDE for your customized application development.
