When one sets out to create a mobile app, they are faced with a significant conundrum -- if they should opt for native development or if a hybrid app is the better way to go. Several factors must go into answering that, including the business' overall objectives and primary goals. It is essential because this choice plays a crucial role in deciding if the strategy will succeed or flounder and, eventually, fail. So, before you get started on that decision, one must carefully deliberate both, the advantages as well as disadvantages of native and hybrid apps.
In this article, we will examine the two options at hand to help you understand which is better suited for your requirements.
1. Native apps
It is written in a programming language meant for the platform in question. Native apps are quite prevalent. Besides the programming language, they also need the platform-specific Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
a. Advantages
- They are highly responsive and lighting quick since they are specially created for the platform.
- Native apps are typically more intuitive and interactive. They also tend to perform quite effortlessly when it comes to user input as well as output.
- This type of app enables developers to access the platform's entire set of features.
- They deliver a generally better user experience. In the context of the user, the flow is comparatively more natural because every platform comes with its own set of UI directives.
b. Disadvantages
- Native apps are usually more expensive to develop, especially when you think of all their provisions and functionalities.
- The programming involved with native apps is complicated, which, in turn, necessitates the employment of highly skilled developers.

- Native app development is not recommended when one needs a somewhat original app.
2. Hybrid apps
A hybrid app is one that gets a web view to run a web app within a native app; it leverages the native app wrapper to communicate with both the device's OS and the web view.
a. Advantages
- Because hybrid apps are underpinned by web technology, they are substantially easier to develop.
- Together with the appropriate technology, you need a single app for all the platforms in the market.
- With hybrid apps, one gets access to the device’s internal APIs. It means you can access not only the device's storage but also its other hardware.
- Since there's a single code base involved, hybrid apps can be developed much more quickly.
b. Disadvantages
- Compared to native apps, they can be a tad slower about performance.
- When one speaks of the level of interactiveness, hybrid apps are at a slight disadvantage when compared to native apps.
- Customizing hybrid apps can be challenging in multiple contexts.
One can't deny that both native and hybrid apps present their pros and cons. Also, while the decision to choose between the two is mainly subjective, it is hard to ignore the advantages of hybrid mobile app development that easily trump its disadvantages. Nonetheless, no matter what you choose, be sure to evaluate each option before making a final call.

Author's Bio: 

Kaushal Shah manages digital marketing communications for the enterprise technology services provided by Rishabh Software. This article gives an insight on the differences between the two major app development approach - Native vs Hybrid apps.