Which programming languages are used to develop a mobile application?

Developing a mobile application raises legitimate questions. The programming language is a conventional way to formulate algorithms. These are then used to create a computer program.

A native application is written in the native language of the operating system. Each OS has its language. Web apps and hybrid applications can use several of them. But the type of your project determines which language to use. So which language to use to create a mobile application?

Android application

Choosing an Android mobile development allows you to expand your audience. 80% of smartphones in use are equipped with it. To create an Android app that mobilizes the camera and other features of the smartphone, you need to code natively. The most common programming languages are Java, Kotlin, C, and C++.

Java is the official native language of Android. It is also the most popular mobile application. However, it is a rather tricky development tool to master. Who should know this better than beginners? They often take a very long time to complete the simplest coding tasks. However, using a programming assignment helper, any problematic task can be solved very quickly.

Kotlin was recently introduced as an “official” secondary language by Google. It is similar to Java in many ways, but it is easier to use. This language can be combined with Java. With it, you need fewer lines of code to get the same functionality.

C/C++ are languages compatible with Android Studio software development. It can be used with the Android NDK. It allows the implementation of native code with C/C++. The C language is often the basis of 3D games. Indeed, it pushes to the maximum the optimization of the potentialities of Android smartphones.

C# is another language that can be used. It is easier to use for beginners than C/C++. It also offers the possibility to create mobile applications.

The iOS application

Mobile development for iOS is more manageable. The first is Objective-C, which runs OS X, iOS, and their programming interfaces. It can be used to create a native iPhone application. However, it is no longer sufficient to meet today’s development needs. Objective-C is complex and very prolix. Apple launched Swift in 2014 (Swift means fast). It has become the primary language of the iOS environment. Swift allows for proper integration with Objective-C and C/C++. Since 2018, it has surpassed Objective-C in recurrence of use. It is also the language of Mac OS, watch OS, tv OS, Linux, and z/OS. It is also possible to use the C# language. It is a simple, modern, flexible, object-oriented, secure, and open-source language. It combines principles of C and C++ and is inspired by Java. C# is one of the most versatile programming languages in the world.

The web application

The Progressive Web App (PWA) is now established as the future of web applications. The developer uses classic web technologies to design it. HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is one of the essential tools. It is designed to build and represent web pages. CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) is part of web software development. It specifies how the HTML elements of a page should be presented. It allows you to choose the font, the characters, and the background color. Finally, JavaScript is the web programming language par excellence. It will enable you to create dynamically updated content. It is also used to control multimedia content to animate pages. It is a derivative of C. It is used today in the back end with Node JS servers.

The web app can be created in a development environment like Angular or Ionic. A PWA, although non-native, can mobilize the camera. It has other native features (offline operation, speed).

React native is used to build specific web apps and hybrid apps. This development tool offers the possibility to go further in the native. It is possible to integrate native components into the app architecture. It is a way to use the native features of devices. It is more and more used to create cross-platform apps. Far ahead of React native, the stars of the moment remain Cordova and Unity.

Android and iOS-compatible web applications

The native application represents the majority of mobile applications published in the Stores. The mobile user spends 90% of his time connected to an app. 92% of these applications are native apps. How to create a smartphone app without coding with native languages? It is possible today to create powerful web applications (PWA). They are made from web languages and run on several operating systems.

How to create native applications by yourself?

Knowing the native programming languages (Android and iOS) is essential to create an app yourself. These are Objective-C and Swift for any application published on the Apple Store. Google applications must be coded in Java or Kotlin. It is essential to mobilize the native features. The application talks to the operating systems in the correct language. However, it is necessary to use other tools to create an Android application.

Conclusion

The development of mobile applications requires mastery of programming languages. Java, Kotlin, and C (C++) are the preferred languages for apps. If you want to create an application compatible with multiple operating systems, think about the web application which runs on browsers. Web apps will work with Android and iOS equally. And an interesting last fact – developing a mobile application with Python is impossible and not recommended by the big players (Apple and Google).

Author: Dyka Smith

Dyka Smith is a content marketing professional at Inosocial, an inbound marketing and sales platform that helps companies attract visitors, convert leads, and close customers. Previously, Dyka worked as a marketing manager for a tech software startup. She graduated with honors from Columbia University with a dual degree in Business Administration and Creative Writing.

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