Factors To Consider When Evaluating Mobile App Development Tools

For enterprises to succeed in the mobile computing era, it is vital to have an app that can promote, sell and engage with users at a high volume and on an immediate basis. Mobile is rapidly overtaking web-based computing regarding both mainstream usage and enterprise adoption.

Consequently, enterprises are heavily investing in mobile application development tools to accelerate the development cycle and get the product to the market in a short time.

With that said, purchasing a mobile development tool is a complex task. Several vendors are offering mobile application development platforms (MADP) to help you streamline your app development and deployment across different mobile operating systems and device types. Since the choice is abundant, it is more difficult to understand how each tool differs from the other and which one is a right fit for your project. Therefore, we have outlined some key criteria you must take into consideration when choosing a mobile app development platform for your enterprise.

The first step in picking the right mobile app development solution is to determine the device types each MADP supports. Create a list of tools that enable you to build native apps, cross-platform apps or both for popular mobile OSes (Android, iOS, and Windows) and different devices (smartphones and tablets). The differentiation becomes easier when a platform supports additional OSes and devices.

For example, PhoneGap provides support for BlackBerry, Firefox, and Ubuntu OSes. On the other hand, Xamarin apps can directly work with wearable devices. Considering such additional capabilities of each tool when comparing app dev platforms will help you ascertain the right tool for your project.

When analyzing the mobile application development tools, consider the options available for app development. Discuss the type of app your developers plan to create and the development resources available at hand. Try to estimate the future app requirements, keeping in mind that they are varied and likely to change.

The app development platforms also differ when it comes to the development features they provide. Some platforms offer modern integrated development environments (IDEs) that the developers can install on their machines, while others provide web-based tools or plugins that can be connected to third-party IDEs. Many even offer a combination of all options.

An effective MADP will have the ability to seamlessly integrate with third-party tools and technologies that touch the app throughout its lifecycle. For example, Xamarin integrates with Visual Studio and other third-party frameworks and libraries to allow you to build apps for Android, iOS, and Windows.

The tool must not only ensure seamless integration with other systems and services but also allow developers to create apps that support mobile application management (MAM). Furthermore, integration should extend to existing back-end systems and continuous delivery infrastructure.

When reviewing the security features of MADPs, enterprises must take a note of compliance with industry standards, system monitoring, and data encryption capabilities. The leading vendors such as Microsoft, PhoneGap, and Sencha comply with industry standards and facilitate multi-level security for your app.

Also, perform a thorough review of a prospective dev platform to make sure it meets your security and compliance needs. As a part of the process, determine what problems you might run into when planning to integrate the MADP with other security and enterprise systems.

In the end, whether your enterprise is focused on leveraging native or hybrid technology; whether its goal is to achieve tighter security or ease of use, the criteria mentioned above will help you choose the right mobile app development tool for your app development project. The mobile team at Rishabh Software is proficient with a multitude of native and cross-platform mobile development solutions available in the market. Connect with us now to identify the best mobile application development tool for your mobility project.