Web vs. PWA vs. Hybrid vs. Native Mobile Apps

Is there a “best” architecture to use when developing apps for mobile devices? The short answer is “No.” The long version of that answer involves considering why an organization wants to create a mobile application, who it’s for, how they’ll use it, and those users’ goals. 

These factors can help determine the type of mobile architecture a development team chooses. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of various architectures can make that choice even easier.

Mobile architecture options

Choosing a mobile app architecture shouldn’t come first in the development process. Just because a particular architecture has worked well in the past doesn’t mean it’s ideal for a new project. 

DevOps teams should consider the features an app requires, research the target audience, discover their needs, and ensure the concept and architectural choice are viable for answering customer pain points.

Because these considerations will produce different results for each project, teams should rotate between architectural approaches to ensure the focus remains on delivering excellent user experiences. Four of the primary approaches include web-based apps, PWAs, native apps, and hybrid apps.

Web-based mobile apps

Mobile web apps utilize JavaScript frameworks, CSS, HTML, and other programming languages to create apps that work within mobile browsers such as Safari, Google Chrome, or Microsoft Edge. 

A web application should be able to work on any mobile device, so web apps are ideal where maximum compatibility is essential. However, web apps rarely can provide native device capabilities and functionality may vary from browser to browser.

Pros:

• Development costs are relatively low.
• Development time is fast.
• Mobile HTML5 allows some data to be stored on the device, making a limited offline mode possible.

Cons: 

• App functions may be limited.
• Load times will vary depending on local internet traffic.
• HTML5 carries some security risks.

PWA: Progressive web apps

PWA is an evolution of browser-based application building that allows developers to create web-based interfaces that appear much more like mobile apps. An app “shell” allows some device features to integrate with the app, including the ability to access it directly from a phone or tablet’s home screen.

Pros:

• Supports the capability for push notifications and home screen icons without having to deploy containers.
• Service workers can utilize hooks on Windows 10 devices to create even more “app-like” software.
• Quick and cost-effective to develop.

Cons: 

• Not all devices support PWA architecture.
• Developers can’t position PWA apps within an app store.

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Native apps

Native apps are programmed in the code of a particular operating system, for example, Java for Android or Objective-C or SWIFT for Apple iOS devices. Native architecture has the potential to provide excellent functionality and performance.

A native application can integrate with specific device features. However, without a developer who is well-versed in multiple operating systems, native apps are tricky to port to other environments.

Pros:

• High-performance apps that highlight native device features.
• Apps can have an offline mode.
• App Store availability provides more brand exposure and instant marketing.
• Potential for excellent user interface (UI) and improved user experiences (UX).
• Apps can interact with connected devices such as sensors and smartwatches.

Cons: 

• Potentially expensive in terms of hiring skilled developers or retraining existing team members.
• Longer time to market.
• No portability: when reworking a native app for an alternative OS, most of the code must get rewritten from scratch.

Hybrid mobile apps

Hybrid app development involves combining web and native app capabilities. This is possible by creating a “wrapper” that takes a web app and puts it in a shell that allows it to function in the native environment. Ionic is one example of a platform that promotes hybrid mobile app development. Other options include Apache Cordova, Apache Flex, and Adobe PhoneGap CLI.

Pros:

• Allows promotion of apps within an app store.
• Combines the functionality of native apps with the speed-to-market of web-based apps.
• Potential for providing previously web-based apps with better user interfaces.

Cons: 

• Developers with the relevant skills can be expensive.
• Consistent UX isn’t guaranteed between devices.
• Requires investment in a mobile UI framework for best results.

Primary strengths and weaknesses of each architecture

This table highlights a few attributes developers may consider during the architectural choice process. 

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No single architecture is strong in every area, making it vital for DevOps teams to share information and collaborate to highlight the absolute “must-have” features of apps.

Consider user needs before defining application architecture

You can see that there are many challenges when it comes to picking the right architecture for mobile app development. Native app development provides the exposure of an official app store like Google Play, but finding developers who can code apps for multiple operating systems could be costly. 

Web-based apps are highly accessible, but security and performance issues could be a problem. Hybrid apps might seem like a great compromise, yet focusing on delivering a rich omnichannel experience could come at the cost of a user-friendly interface.

The key to finding the right mobile app architecture is collaboration between all areas of an organization. A DevSecOps approach can consider multiple facets of user requirements and organizational standards while maintaining the ultimate goals of the application. 

Conclusion

The use case will always define the architectural choice, but the deeper a company dives into that use case, the better the result will be. There are at least 3.8 billion mobile device users on the planet, so getting development choices right opens up multiple opportunities for boosted profits.

Adservio is passionate about digital quality and helps companies make difficult choices about the right approach to creating excellent software and IT services. In addition to weighing the many architectural choices against your user needs, we utilize AI and ML in combination with your business data to help improve your software’s capabilities. Contact us to find out more.