There are literally hundreds of different frameworks on the market today, all promising users and developers benefits and resources to help aid in developing mobile applications.
Some of these frameworks are created for UI designers, with a focus on CSS, HTML, and JS – While others are created for developers, focusing on PHP, ASP, Java, Python, C#, and other programming languages. There are also hybrid frameworks that allow the developers to write in one type of coding language, and move on to “translate” that output into other languages for other systems as well.
No matter if you’re a designer, developer, or something else entirely, there’s a framework out there that you can use and get great results with. The trouble is finding the perfect combination that works for you.
Below is a list of some of the most popular ones:
- Xamarin
- Ionic
- Vapor
- jQT
- Cordova
- Mobile Angular UI
The Perfect Framework Combination for Your Next Development Project.
Xamarin
This framework is developed and maintained by Microsoft and is one of the largest frameworks of its type. Intended for programmers and developers familiar with C or C#, this is not an easy system to get started with, but Xamarin offers its users some awesome benefits, modules, and packages that will help make any app better optimized and more streamlined. The license is commercial, however, but there are plenty of resources on GitHub for open-source fans to take advantage of.
One of the key features of Xamarin is that it allows for cross-platform development, meaning you can develop apps for Android OS, iOS, Windows, and other operating systems, and it supports many devices such as computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones to name a few.
Ionic
As an open-source framework freely available on GitHub, there are plenty of positive things to say about Ionic. You can develop apps with SASS and Angular, meaning an enhanced workflow compared to developing in JavaScript and CSS, although still possible, allowing for quick and easy deployment as well.
The community behind Ionic has a great track record, and with a populated and friendly Slack channel available around the clock, the chances of getting stuck are minimized somewhat. The documentation is very well polished and extensive, and the API features are up-to-date and among some of the best in any of the frameworks currently on the market.
Vapor
Built using Apple’s Swift language, Vapor is a new but already successful framework for developing web applications with macOS, Ubuntu, and a whole array of other operating systems. Once compiled, Vapor applications work just like other web apps, meaning most devices and systems can use the resulting views.
Having attracted lots of positive attention on GitHub, Vapor has risen to become one of the best-starred projects when compared with the time it’s been online, and since partnering with a leading European app agency; Nodes Agency, things are looking bright for the future of Vapor.
jQT
Originally known as jQTouch, this framework is intended for UI/UX designers and users with a focus on the graphical aspect of app development. Using the latest HTML5 and CSS3 features, along with options for SASS compiling, jQT has become the preferred choice of many designers the world over, enabling fast and efficient development for native webkit applications.
Cordova
Adobe has taken over Cordova, previously known as PhoneGap, and since the merger, Cordova has been the leading framework for developing applications for multiple platforms, including Windows, Android, and iOS-based devices. Many other frameworks out there integrate some if not all of Cordova’s API features, wrappers, and other modules, but depending on the need there is often no reason to use a 3rd party framework when Cordova already works so well.
Mobile Angular UI
Using Bootstrap 3 and Angular JS, this is a relatively modern framework for designing and developing beautiful responsive web and mobile applications. Because of the Bootstrap integration, switching from large screen views to smaller ones, such as going from a full-screen desktop to a narrow phone screen is quick and painless, resulting in near-instant responsiveness.
The framework is open-source, licensed under the MIT license, and has a great community supporting newcomers and veterans alike.
Conclusion
No matter what type of programming language, or whichever target devices you aim to program with or for, there’s always a perfect app development framework out there to suit your every need. We hope you have found the information above useful, and encourage you to check out the frameworks in detail before jumping in and starting your next app development project.
Leave a Reply