Responsive Web Design vs Native App Dev

In the last episode, we talked about Native mobile app development and the needs to learn it. In this episode, let's explore the differences between Native app development and Responsive web design and the importance of UI/UX in Mobile app development.

Responsive Web Design

• It lowers the cost of production. If you’re building a product from scratch, a responsive website will be much less expensive than a mobile app.
• You have cross-platform accessibility. Responsive websites use HTML and CSS to display pages, and these can be accessed with any browser. As a result, responsive websites work equally well on various platforms and devices.
• There’s no need to install anything on your device. To start using the app, you only need to type your website URL into the browser address field.
• There’s limited support of native device features. Responsive websites have limited support of mobile device features such as access to a camera, microphone, and push notifications.

Native Apps

• It offers more personalization. Personalization is about offering a tailored experience to users based on their interests, location, and behaviour. Mobile apps let users set up preferences from the start. This makes it easier for you to track users’ interactions so you can customise their experiences according to their needs.
• It can work offline. Once the app has been downloaded, its data can be stored directly on a device. The product team can decide which content it wants to make available for offline use.
• It can’t run on a device with a different operating system. For example, you’re not able to run an iOS app on an Android. If you want your app to run on both, you need to develop two versions of your app—one for iOS and another for Android.
• It’s expensive to build. The biggest downside of building native apps is the type of coding necessary. If you want to build an iOS app, you will need to learn or hire a developer who can code in Swift. If you want to build an Android app, you will need a person who knows Java or Kotlin. If your product team wants to release an app for iOS and Android, then they will have to write a code for each operating system.

Now that we have understood the difference between Native app development and Responsive web design, let's talk about the importance of UI/UX in App development.

It is crucial to know the significance of UI/UX in Mobile app development. Many developers create their application in a way that it performs functionally very well, but lacks in terms of UI or UX.

So, what makes UI / UX that important ? What are its benefits ?

• Attracts users

The designs grab the attention of the users and ensure they spend as much time on the app as possible. However, the users should be able to understand the designs and navigation well enough to stick around for the long term.

• Creates a good impression

When users visit your app, they should be hooked to it immediately so that they come back for it again and again. A good app has higher usage time and this can be done with the app’s UI / UX design.

• Builds brand

Putting resources into a productive Ul/UX design helps in rising consumer satisfaction subsequently ending up with cheerful customers. Individuals like working with brands that make them happy. They will be willing to take up features that can be upgraded, and thus, put resources into improving your application.

In the next episode, let's talk about best languages/tools and resources for Mobile application development.

See you in the next one.