Cross-platform mobile development refers to the development of mobile apps that can be used on multiple mobile platforms. In the business world, a growing trend called BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is rising.
A cross-platform application may run on Microsoft Windows on the x86 architecture, Linux on the x86 architecture and macOS on either the PowerPC or x86-based Apple Macintosh systems. Cross-platform programs may run on as many as all existing platforms, or on as few as two platforms. It has become necessary for businesses to develop their corporate mobile apps and be able to send them to many different mobile devices that operate on various networks and use different operating systems.
Important Aspects of Crossplatform Application
Requirements should be documented & related to identified needs or opportunities, and defined to a level of detail sufficient for app design.
Application design involves problem solving and planning a solution. This includes low-level component and algorithm design and high-level, architecture design.
Implementation is a process that leads from an original formulation of a computing problem to executable computer programs and finaly it is tested
Cross-platform mobile development can either involve a company developing the original app on a native platform (which could be iOS, Android, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry/RIM, etc.) or developing the original app in a singular environment for development that will then allow the app to be sent to many different native platforms. There are both pros and cons to cross-platform mobile app development. These tools are useful because they decrease costs and increase the speed at which apps are developed. In addition, cross-platform mobile development tools are generally quite simple to use as they are based off of the common languages for scripting, including CSS, HTML, and JavaScript.
However, cross-platform mobile development does have a few drawbacks. First, mobile operating systems are frequently updated. Whenever a mobile operating system receives a new update, the applications must also be updated to be compatible with the new system. In addition, rendering times with cross-platform mobile development may be longer as each operating system needs a separate set of code.