Eager to understand the distinction between mobile app development and web development? You have come to the right page then!
When the term ‘development’ comes up, the base of all the applications seems similar. But the truth is different, they have a lot of differences in terms of their capabilities and the technologies they use.
A targeted application for your business can help you to widen your clientele. And the growing market of business apps is due to the popularity of smartphones in this digital age.
As the technologies for mobile and web apps are evolving continuously, businesses have found it more difficult to choose between the two. But the important part is, most entrepreneurs don’t know the difference between these platforms.
Don’t worry, in this guide, we will cover this for you. Knowing the basic details of each platform helps build a strong foundation for such applications.
Let’s talk in detail about these two fields and closely examine their resemblances and distinctions!
Mobile App Development vs Web Development
Mobile App Development
How to define it?
The applications developed to be operated on mobile devices or any portable devices are mobile apps. Most people use mobile devices to access applications more than ever before. So, if you want your digital business to be successful, a good mobile app development service is a must. One can easily install a mobile app from Google Play Store (Android), Apple Store (iOS), and Windows Store (Windows).
The purpose behind it
The basic purpose to opt for mobile applications is to give a better user experience with interactive and user-friendly mobile platforms. They intend to give a handy experience to the customers wherever they want.
The process of developing a mobile app
The major steps in the mobile app development process are listed:
- Making strategy and consulting the development services.
- Designing of the app and logo, etc.
- Coding and development.
- Quality assurance and launching.
- Maintenance and support.
Languages used
The majority of apps are developed using HTML, CSS, Python, Javascript, PHP, Java, Kotlin, Swift, etc.
Some positive sides of mobile app development
Mobile applications have numerous advantages that make them one of the most used applications to access online. Some of them are:
- They are effortless to use and customizable.
- You can easily increase customer engagement through appealing mobile applications.
- Mobile applications are efficient to use.
- You can access them easily with just one click.
- You can also save the data like display settings, favorites, etc.
Some negative sides of mobile app development
As everything has two sides, let’s know about some harsh points of mobile app development:
- Developing a good mobile app is not an easy task. It requires serious effort.
- If you don’t develop cross-platform apps for your business, you may lose some points.
- They require regular updates and maintenance.
Web Development
How to define it?
Web development is developing websites for all mobile and computer devices. Whenever a user enters the URL, he can simply visit the web application wherever he wants. It is basically a program saved on the remote server and delivers when a user types the desired application in the browser. Web applications are developed as an interaction means between users and the application.
The purpose behind it
The main purpose behind web development is to provide quality content on the website regularly with the latest information. One more thing associated with web development is building trust among users. Everybody needs to know if your business has a web presence, then only they trust your digital business.
The process of web development
The process to develop a web application is a little different from developing a mobile app as given here:
- Collection of information.
- Planning of the complete web application.
- Designing.
- Content planning and writing.
- Coding and maintenance.
Languages used
Most of the web development is done with the languages like HTML, CSS, or Javascript.
Some positive sides of web development
- They are flexible to use. You can access them anywhere from any mobile or computer via a browser.
- You can automatically update web applications just by doing a set. No need to do updates manually.
- They don’t require memory or data to get saved as you can access them anytime you want.
- No need to take headaches to create cross-platform applications. You can use them in any operating system.
Some negative sides of web development
- One of the major cons of web applications over mobile apps is to use them online only. That means you can’t use them offline and need an internet connection.
- They have a comparatively lower speed.
- They are more prone to security breaches.
- A slight error in the web application can impact the whole platform’s performance.
But after all such differences, the main thing depends on user experience, as everything you do is for your customers only. Mobile app and web development both have certain impacts on user experience. Let’s take a quick look to know!
Impact of mobile apps on user experience
- They provide an interactive way to engage with users.
- You can do customizations as per the customer’s requirements.
- Some applications can work offline too for the users.
- They provide an intuitive interface to give an easy-to-use to the customers.
Impact of web development on user experience
- A very wide range of users can access it from anywhere they want.
- No manual update is needed. So, users can use it hassle-freely.
- The development cost of web apps is less.
End Note: Mobile Apps vs Web Apps
If you will ask as per statistics comparison between these two, mobile app development wins the race. Mobile apps have more active users than web users. As per the latest stats, there are over 3.5 million apps available in the Google Play Store and over 2 million apps in Apple Store.
However, the complete decision depends on the goal of your project. Like if you are developing a game, a mobile app is more appropriate for the users. But if you want to enhance your online reach and trustworthiness, you should have a web application.
Hope you find this article informative!