What Exactly Are Cross-Platform Tools?

In short, cross-platform or multi-platform tools are software that lets developers write code once and then run the app on multiple devices like tablets, smartphones, computers, and even TVs. It means that companies don’t have to create a separate version for each type of device and that saves time, effort, and money because traditionally, making apps for different systems like Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android needed a lot of work and attention. Specifically, it meant having experts for each independent system and making sure each app version was regularly updated and kept consistent. Some common examples include but are not limited to are Electron, Xamarin, Flutter, Kotlin Multiplatform, and React native.

The main benefit of these tools and software is that they make it easier and more affordable for businesses to reach more customers across various devices at scale, which is because they allow for creating and managing apps from a single location with a standardized system. The end result is businesses expanding their presence in the market and reaching users on their preferred devices faster than before.

How Cross-Platform Can Be Used

Flexible Compatibility

If a company wanted to update its iPhone and Android app and wanted to work on both simultaneously while carefully migrating they could use Kotlin Multiplatform to ensure everything remains functional and keep the appropriate look and feel of their app for each phone type. This technology stands out because it allows developers to use tools and libraries they’re already comfortable with while they transition over, meaning they get to remain productive and efficient.

By choosing Kotlin Multiplatform, the company won’t be forced to start their development from scratch and they will have the freedom to keep their development methods the same or explore new ones based on what is best for their and the users’ needs. This approach offers the advantage of using the same code for different purposes across different platforms, meaning they can add new features without having to rewrite or abandon existing technologies. Simplifying where the developers work removes complexities from managing business logic and processing data, leading to timely app completion, straightforward updates and fixes, and enhanced reliable testing.

Summarized, the company can enhance their app without compromising on current functionality or quality by making the switch to Kotlin Multiplatform.

Pivoting With Existing Familiarity

If it happens that a company already has a web service and wants to expand into TV and mobile devices using their familiarity with JavaScript/TypeScript, an approach using React Native for cross-platform would make sense. It would allow them to quickly adapt to new platforms without diving into entirely new coding languages or abstracting into multiple different places for code to exist.

React Native is particularly appealing for teams accustomed to web and component-based development because it allows them to apply their existing skills to build cross-platform apps. In addition, it gives them the freedom to repurpose web code for the app’s development with minimal adjustments by using React Native’s style of development for different platforms.

Using this software, the company can accelerate the development of its expansion into new devices without needing to master new languages for each device. In doing so the teams can concentrate on app quality and user experience to quickly deliver well-functioning apps across TVs, smartphones, and computers with the same language and development tools.

Building For The Long Run

In the event that an organization had a legacy service and just updated it to support more features and expand their offerings to both desktop and mobile users with long-term support in mind, a smart pick could then be Flutter. In the spirit of working hard to simplify their existing systems and wanting to avoid multiple code bases for each platform, Flutter would give them the long-term support they need and ensure that the app looks and feels the same everywhere, whether it's on an old or new device. It gives developers a wide range of widgets out of the box so that everything keeps a consistent look without needing to worry about device-specific UI. It is the perfect solution for long-term stability and legacy systems.

Keeping Systems Consistent

In tech, finding the right tool for the job is a common need. If a client relies on Microsoft’s products, such as ASP.NET for web services or Azure for cloud services, and they wanted to expand their offerings into the mobile space historically it meant they would have to move away from trusted environments or hire new developers with expertise in each type of device. However, tools like .NET MAUI and Xamarin have changed the game for .NET app development.

These tools enable teams already skilled in C# and .NET to develop apps for smartphones and desktops without having to reskill into new languages or foreign ecosystems. Leveraging skills and experience in C#, in combination with popular packages this client can now write one set of instructions that can be translated into apps for iPhones, Android, and Windows PCs without needing to leave the Microsoft ecosystem. The client can now expand their reach to new users while ensuring smooth integrations as they keep it scalable and cost-effective.

Embedded Teams With Cross-Platform Tools

The Crucial Role of Expertise in Ensuring Project Success

Knowing what tools are available is only half of the job of branching out on multiple platforms, having the experience in them to know their strengths and knowing when to apply the right tool for the job is the other half. This is where having knowledgeable experts at hand can make or break a project. Adept teammates being embedded into your organization to implement your multi-platform approach has several advantages; the key ones to note are better quality assurance, direct knowledge sharing and consultation, and risk mitigation. Using our teams that are well-versed in the tools selected to serve your needs means that you get best practices and thoroughly tested strategies. In addition, our embedded teams working alongside you means there is an immediate transfer of knowledge as your organization gets to witness new techniques and platform capabilities executed in real-time to guarantee deliverables are met. The risk mitigation can’t be ignored, having cross-platform specialists help you navigate through the project means that you are made aware of foreseeable challenges and are provided solutions when it comes to pitfalls and technical debts on each platform, and that in the end saves timelines and budgets.

Widespread Embedded Experts Craft Superior Experiences

When cross-platform tools eliminate repetitive tasks and complications from multiple codebases, our embedded teams are free to apply their technical expertise to meet your needs and requirements, empowering you to unleash innovation and direct your creativity toward market demands. This approach enables the creation of unique features, performance enhancements, and an improved user experience, all while sharpening your competitive edge with a cost-effective solution. From initial brainstorming sessions that develop user personas and scalable stories, through to wireframing, user flow design, engineering sync meetings and huddles, specification handoffs, and rigorous testing and quality assurance processes, every aspect of your vision is meticulously cultivated with the strengths of the cross-platform technology selected in mind. This comprehensive approach ensures your project is treated with the utmost care for an impactful and successful launch.

Who In The Industry Went Cross-Platform

Widespread Use Among Tech Giants

The efficacy of cross-platform solutions is demonstrated through a multitude of React Native case studies. A standout example is Meta (formerly Facebook), which uses React Native for several major apps. This includes the Facebook app on iOS and Android, the Messenger desktop app, and the Oculus app for both platforms. The Facebook Ads Manager app, essential for businesses and influencers, is also developed with React Native. Beyond Meta, tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon have adopted React Native, proving its versatility and wide acceptance. Microsoft uses it for Teams, Office, Xbox Game Pass, and Skype on both iOS and Android. Since 2016, Amazon has incorporated React Native into the Kindle, Appstore, Alexa, and Amazon Shopping apps. These examples highlight React Native's significant role in building applications that are a daily part of our digital lives.

Streamlining Development in Global Brands

Flutter has made a significant impact in the cross-platform development space, with notable examples including an app for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Google Pay. The Veterans Affairs Department developed an app called ‘STAIR’ to help veterans with PTSD adjust to civilian life. This app needed to work across many devices, as veterans use a variety of tech. By choosing Flutter, they cut development time by 30%.

BMW also turned to Flutter to fix issues between its iOS and Android apps, achieving a uniform app experience across 47 countries and making maintenance and updates easier. Similarly, Google shifted Google Pay to Flutter, which made the app's codebase 35% smaller than before, despite adding new features, and it now serves over 100 million users. Both BMW and Google Pay faced challenges with managing separate codebases for iOS and Android, finding it costly and inefficient. Moving to Flutter provided a solution that simplified development, improved app performance, and made ongoing app management more straightforward.

Seamless Integration Across Diverse Sectors

.NET MAUI, a newer technology, picks up where Xamarin left off in the cross-platform development field. Xamarin was key in creating apps for big names like Alaska Airlines and The World Bank’s Survey Solutions. A notable example of .NET MAUI in action is with NBC Sports Next, where it has been used to streamline their development across web, mobile, and APIs, significantly speeding up the release of new features.

Irth Solutions has also adopted .NET MAUI to upgrade its mobile app used for managing risks and protecting infrastructure. This decision allowed them to use one shared codebase to reach Android, iOS, and Windows devices, aiming to improve the app’s performance on various operating systems. The app plays a crucial role in helping entities like utilities, government agencies, and construction teams ensure the safety and reliability of important infrastructure, such as pipelines and cables, critical for delivering essential services to homes and businesses.

Shared Business Logic and Native UI

Companies like Netflix and Cash App have chosen Kotlin Multiplatform for their cross-platform development needs. Cash App adopted Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile, valuing the approach of using shared business logic with specific user interfaces for each platform, which allowed them to keep their existing development workflows. By utilizing Kotlin Multi-Platform's ability to work well with different programming languages, they integrated their server-side Kotlin developers with Android and iOS teams in a single project. This enabled them to update their system by removing outdated code and making their applications more uniform across platforms, benefiting their 30 million monthly users without compromising production speed or quality.

Netflix applied Kotlin Multi-Platform for their Prodicle app, aimed at streamlining TV shows and movie production. They chose Kotlin for its reliable and durable performance, particularly for storing data on devices and supporting offline use. The app helps answer the question, “What is happening on set right now?” by providing immediate, essential information for production teams. Netflix integrated Kotlin with their internal feature management tool, Hendrix, allowing for detailed control over app features based on the device and platform specifics. This approach enabled the Netflix development team to focus on improving the user experience within the app, including better A/B testing, from a unified codebase, despite challenges like offline and poor network situations.

Showcasing Our Cross-Platform Work

You.com

We’re proud to highlight our work together with You.com, especially in the development of their cutting-edge apps. You.com embraced the seamless and intuitive experience of Kotlin Multiplatform when it came to venturing into cross-platform for their AI-powered assistant app. Initially launched as a standalone app to compete with ChatGPT, this ambitious project is now evolving to be integrated with their existing iOS and native Android apps. This crossover demonstrates the versatility of Kotlin Multi-Platform's ability to be leveraged into a flexible solution to bring advanced chat right to the fingertips of You.com’s audience.

Signing Day Sports

Our collaboration with Signing Day Sports involved the development of a robust Laravel backend system and creating a streamlined revamped app made with React Native. This development ensured a secure, scalable, and efficient infrastructure, pivotal for supporting the multifaceted functionalities essential to streamlining the college sports recruitment process. Our expertise in cross-platform design laid the groundwork for the enablement of a more effective and user-friendly environment for athletes and coaches alike. Beyond initial development, our team took a leading role in the improvements and full reskinning of the functionalities of the app to ensure iOS and Android users were being catered to.

CIY Convos

CIY Convos is part of CIY's broader mission to provide a variety of events and resources aimed at youth ministers and their groups, including high school and middle school programs, retreats, and mission trips to engage, train, and inspire young people for Kingdom Work, emphasizing meaningful conversations and personal growth. The app was designed and developed with the aim of sparking meaningful conversations within groups through the offering of games, videos, polls, and open-ended questions. React Native emerged as the ideal solution for this somewhat smaller-scale project due to its cross-platform capabilities, allowing us to create a seamless and uniform user experience on both iOS and Android devices with a single codebase for CIY. This strategic choice facilitated a faster development cycle, enabling us to focus on enhancing the app's features and user interface.

Miller's Professional Imaging

Miller’s work is still in progress but we are designing and developing a revamp of their existing Mpix Tap To Print app for iOS and Android devices, previously it was written in Xamarin but new needs and the addition of a new feature, their 5x7 subscription where users can upload their 19 photos for the month to be delivered to their home, required a shift in technology. We ultimately decided that React Native was the best choice going forwards as it gives Miller the ability to deliver over-the-air updates as well as leverage the vast community packages to give users a smooth and seamless experience in selecting their photos, browsing albums and galleries, cropping and editing their favorite images. Ultimately a move that was geared towards enhancing access to tools and the ability to better curate content for their mobile app users. 

Diving In On Accelerated Development

The Pros and Cons

These tools stand out because they offer special features that make app development easier and more efficient in different ways. Some improve on hot reloading, making it faster to develop and test the app's look and feel. Others benefit from being part of large ecosystems, meaning they work well with a wide range of libraries and tools. Then, there are those that leverage their large user communities, promoting the use of plugins and solutions already created by others to save time and avoid doing work that's already been done.

However, they are not without weaknesses or drawbacks that need to be considered when choosing one of these tools. Here is a quick run down of some of them to keep in mind when considering implementing these.

Kotlin Multiplatform

Pros

• Google Support: Direct backing by Google, reducing errors and enhancing business applications.
• Community Support: A strong, supportive community offering many tools and resources.
• Cross-Platform Code Reuse: Allows writing code once and deploying on various platforms (Android, iOS, web, desktop), enhancing efficiency.
• Compose Multiplatform: Simplifies UI design across platforms, ensuring consistency.

Cons

• Still Developing: Some tools like Compose Multi Platform are still under development, which may lead to potential stability issues.
• Platform-Specific Considerations: While it simplifies cross-platform development, developers might still need to account for platform-specific nuances and performance optimizations.

React Native

Pros

• Community-Driven Add-Ons: Extensive collection of add-ons, smoothing the development process.
• Integration with Expo: Simplifies development, testing, and deployment processes.
• Direct Updates: Bypasses app store approval for updates, speeding up the update process.
• Support for Native Code: Allows inclusion of native code for performance optimizations.
• Real-Time Feedback: Enables quick development adjustments through immediate feedback.

Cons

• Performance Overheads: For complex applications, relying solely on React Native without native optimizations can lead to performance issues.
• Learning Curve: Developers new to React Native or coming from a different background may experience a steep learning curve.

.NET MAUI

Pros

• .NET Community Add-Ons: Benefits from a wide range of community-driven tools within the .NET framework.
• Blazor Mobile Bindings: Allows web developers to apply existing skills to mobile app development.
• Azure Integration: Simplifies testing and deployment processes with Azure DevOps.
• Visual Studio Tools: Provides advanced tools for efficient problem-solving.
• Native Code Compilation: Ensures optimal performance and consistent UI across platforms.

Cons

• Framework Complexity: The comprehensive nature of .NET MAUI might be daunting for new developers or those from different backgrounds.
• Platform-Specific Adjustments: Despite cross-platform capabilities, developers may need to make specific adjustments for each platform to optimize performance.

Flutter

Pros

• High-Performance Apps: Direct compilation to native code ensures smooth and responsive apps.
• Custom UI Design: Skia graphics engine allows for custom, attractive UIs consistent across devices.
• Stateful Hot Reloading: Enhances development efficiency by reflecting changes in real-time.
• Flexible Widgets: Offers a broad selection of widgets for complex UI development.
• Platform Channel Integration: Facilitates the use of native code for device-specific features.

Cons

• Dart Language Requirement: Requires learning Dart, which might be a barrier for developers unfamiliar with it.
• Custom UI Overhead: Creating custom UIs can increase development time and complexity compared to using native UI elements.

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Why We Serve Your Cross-Platform Needs

At Midwestern Interactive, we're more than just an agency for your product; we're your go-to source for the indomitable human spirit when it comes to team building. Our extensive range of solutions, including Embedded Teams, Contract-to-Hire, and specialized Staffing, guarantees timely access to the right expertise. Our success stems from our ability to combine the versatility of cross-platform tools with the profound insights of our embedded teams, ensuring a seamless project progression. Our method is straightforward yet impactful: we start with thorough discussions to grasp your objectives and needs. We then meticulously match your requirements with our team's expertise in project management, design, development, and thought leadership, identifying the perfect tools for your project. With the right team and tools in place, we set realistic goals for Minimum Viable Products, adhere to best practices, and expedite development cycles, ensuring efficient timelines facilitated by our expertise in cross-platform tools. Our proven track record of successful projects highlights our dedication to client achievement and shared growth. Our expertise with various tools enables us to customize solutions for every client, ensuring effectiveness and innovation. Whether it's optimizing speed with Xamarin and .NET MAUI, utilizing React Native for its development flexibility across platforms, or employing Flutter's dynamic animations to enhance your vision, we deliver solutions that are not only innovative but also exceptionally efficient. We live and breathe by our motto of ‘Serve the client, serve each other’ in our approach and we stand ready to help make an impact on every platform.

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