Open source mobile app development software. What is it and how to find the best one?

According to a recent study, people in the USA spend around 87% of their daytime checking smartphones. So it’s no wonder that mobile application development has become one of the leading directions in the IT industry. Thanks to open-source mobile app development software, nowadays, businesses can create solutions without significant investments. 

Even though numerous frameworks for creating apps keep popping up day after day, finding the most efficient ones takes time. In this post, we are going to cover the most reliable open-source mobile application development instruments that require no prior experience in coding. But first, let’s dwell on choosing app development solutions, and assisting in building a platform for satisfying your business needs. 

How to pick the best app development software solution?

Here are the main points you should consider to understand better the uniqueness of the app and the mechanism by which your future solution will work. 

1. Apps Privacy and Security. If you really need to implement advanced privacy and security options, clarify that question with app providers. 
2. Push notifications. Generally, all application creation services imply this feature. Push notifications help to notify your customers about sales, new items and services which come to market. 
3. Customer Discounts and Loyalty Programs. The majority of application creation solutions presuppose integration of tracking clients’ engagement in discount and loyalty programmes. As a result, your customers also better learn how to take advantage of those opportunities.
4. Instant Messaging feature. That’s the one you should discuss with service providers, as not all companies adopt instant messaging capability. While for some industries, real-time chatting with audio/video sharing can be a critical function. 
5. Geo-targeting. If your clients reside in different regions, geo-targeting is a valuable feature for tailoring your notifications to various segments. 
6. Social Media Integration. It’s widespread nowadays to integrate applications to Instagram and Facebook. It will help to connect with your potential customers as well as market offerings. 
7. Third-Party App Integration. Often, custom platforms for private businesses need to have an integration facility. So you should speak about getting this opportunity in future or implementing Google services in your application. 
8. Analytics and Reporting. That’s exactly what allows you to get to know the client base and interact with it more efficiently.
9. Customer Service. It’s crucial to think over the desired level of customer service before selecting a particular application development software. For instance, some vendors can provide you with phone support services, email and 24/7 chat. 
10. Admin Control. In an ideal world, it would imply permission-based access. 

Top free and open-source mobile app development software: functions’ review

1. PhoneGap

This application enables users to develop hybrid apps. You don’t need previous experience with mobile programming languages. However, in this case, it is essential to know HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Thanks to the app, you may create a solution that operates on a single database. 

Features:

• allows you to view and trace changes in your application
• works on Android, iPhone and Windows
• can be tested and deployed rapidly
• lacks UI widgets

2. Flutter

This one is based on C, C++, Dart and utilises Skia Graphics 2D rendering engine to create visuals similar to native Cupertino style and Material Design widgets. In Flutter, you can develop plugins with channels that new developers will be using in future. 

Features:

• contains fully-customizable widgets for fast native apps development
• includes navigation, scrolling, fonts and icons

3. Xamarin

The software uses a shared codebase that helps to build applications for all operating systems. Xamarin contains data access across various platforms and layers of business logic. There, you can also find cross-platform and third-party libraries and UI controls. 

Features:

• operates on macOS, iOS, Android and Windows
• can be easily integrated with native APIs and modern backend services
• includes a testing module to identify errors in real-time

4. Appcelerator

This solution is suitable for creating apps for all supported operating systems with few lines of code. As the name implies, it significantly accelerates the development period and has a cloud that helps access any data source. 

Features:

• supports HTML5 applications for Android, iOS, browsers and Windows
• enables users to get direct access to Android/iOS APIs by utilising JavaScript
• has a live view where clients can see all the changes they made previously

Low code app development solutions by PNN Soft

PNN Soft provides clients with reliable web products. We have delivered more than 1000 stable projects for different industries, including low-code app development. The company has 20 years of experience in creating highly efficient solutions, but we continually hone our skills to deliver advanced technologies. Security is our primary concern when it comes to your digital transformation. 

We aim to seek innovative solutions that meet individual companies’ needs. That is why we know which technologies will be most suitable for your business. 

PNN Soft takes full advantage of RAD, Scrum, and Agile methodologies to ensure constant communication with customers and build a flexible manufacturing process. Our Agile teams of professionals include software developers, testers, GUI designers, technical writers, and managers.

If you are interested in mobile application development, fill in the form below.