You might have heard about the web apps and native apps but sometimes it can be confusing that actually what are the differences between both. This article will help distinguish between respective apps and will explain the pros and cons of each of them.

What Is a Web App?

To me, a web app is basically a website that is specifically optimized for use on a smartphone. The site content can be anything from a standard small business brochure site to a simple calculator to a daily calorie tracker—the content is irrelevant. The defining characteristics of a web app are that the user interface (UI) is built with web standard technologies, it is available at a URL (public, private, or perhaps behind a login), and it is optimized for the characteristics of a mobile device. A web app is not
installed on the phone, it is not available in the Android Market, and it is not written with Java.

What Is a Native App?

In contrast, native apps are installed on the Android phone, they have access to the hardware (speakers, accelerometer, camera,  etc.), and they are written in Java.

Different applications have different requirements. Some apps are a better fit with web technologies than others. Knowing the pros and cons of each approach will help you make a better decision about which path is appropriate for your situation.

 

Pros of native app development

• Millions of registered credit card owners are one click away

• You can access all the cool hardware features of the device

Cons of native app development

• You have to pay to become an Android developer

• Your app will run only on Android phones

• You have to develop using Java

• The development cycle is slow (develop, compile, deploy, repeat)

Pros of web app development

• Web developers can use their current authoring tools

• You can use your current web design and development skills

• Your app will run on any device that has a web browser

• You can fix bugs in real time

• The development cycle is fast

Cons of web app development

• You cannot access the all cool hardware features of the phone

• You have to roll your own payment system if you want to charge for the app

• It can be difficult to achieve sophisticated UI effects