Picture this: you’re living at a time when there are no mobile devices. That should be sometime in the 80s or early 90s.
To figure out directions to the city, you have to find a physical map. To keep in touch or communicate with a loved one living miles away, you have to write them a letter. And probably wait for weeks or months to get a reply. No working remotely. No video chatting with your partner. No taking and sharing random photos.
That doesn’t sound like an exciting life, does it?
The truth is that mobile technology has significantly improved people’s lives. From entertainment to communication to transportation to medicine to security to education, there’s little you can do without this technology. It’s become much easier and effortless to perform daily tasks.
Given the increasing use of mobile devices (particularly smartphones), it’s become extremely important for entrepreneurs to focus on building mobile-based solutions.
Look at mobile app statistics and you’ll be amazed at the amount of time people spend checking them out. Plus, the total number of downloads every year.
The most interesting thing about these solutions is that you too can build one. What about my inexperience as a developer? Or my lack of expertise as a business owner? Well, don’t even worry about those. Whether you’re going the DIY route or outsourcing your software operations, you can start building your own app with either of the following tools.
JFrog
If you’re part of a DevOps team, you’ll agree that ensuring a smooth workflow in the development process can be challenging. Here, you’re looking at a huge team of developers and many binaries (which keep growing) which can be hard to manage.
With DevOps tools via JFrog, it becomes easier to access repositories, trace any changes, and secure your repositories across various platforms. Managing your binary files and code in open-source libraries also becomes easier.
Features:
- Full integration with your build systems
- Easy to track versions of your binary files, which means you can reproduce builds.
- Ensure consistency and reliability when it comes to accessing your remote artifacts.
Xamarin
Chances are you have friends in the development community. Now, if you were to ask them about Xamarin, they’ll confidently tell you it’s one of the best tools you can use. You just can’t ignore or dismiss this tool when discussing key mobile development approaches.
The Microsoft verified product allows you to not only build performant, native apps for all mobile platforms but also test the applications through its Xamarin Cloud Service.
Features
- Xamarin’s type checking feature makes it easier to discover and fix any errors while building your app.
- Xamarin allows for deep linking, thereby helping you deliver a seamless user experience. It also lets Google index your application just like websites.
- The cross-platform tool uses C# language and .NET framework to create high-performance native applications.
- The tool utilizes the underlying capabilities of different platforms in Xamarin apps by leveraging the latest native and API access
- It allows developers to share network communication and grant database access across the various mobile platforms.
- It allows for the integration of backends such as SAP and Parse.
NativeScript
If you’re looking for an app development tool that allows you to seamlessly integrate desktop mobile applications (or company software) and the apps running on the company employees’ mobile devices, NativeScript is the right tool for you. No wonder it’s one of the most important tools among enterprise app developers.
It’s an open-source framework that uses JavaScript and CSS to deliver user interfaces and experiences. With this tool, you can create and deploy fully native, cross-apps for Android and iOS.
Features
- NativeScript mobile apps are developed with JavaScript
- The tool allows you to utilize any of the views and frames as the root of your app
- There are dozens of NativeScript plugins that you can use to empower your applications
- Updating templates has never been easier with web skills such as TypeScript, Java, CSS, and Angular.
- The tool allows for different sign-on providers which makes it easier to authenticate users.
PhoneGap
You’ve probably heard about Adobe’s PhoneGap and how anyone, regardless of whether or not they have app programming expertise, can use it to create user-friendly mobile apps. All they need is to have knowledge of HTML, Jscript, and CSS.
So, if you find either of these simple web development languages interesting, this tool might be all you need to have that mobile app solution you’ve been thinking about.
Features:
- With a single program, you can create a mobile app that will run on different platforms. The tool is, therefore, cost-effective.
- As a developer, this tool grants you access to the Native APIs
- Great support from experienced professions in the Cordova development community
- The fact that you’re using some of the simplest web languages (JavaScript, HTML, and CSS) means that you can enjoy greater flexibility and suppleness when developing your app.
Alpha Anywhere
Alpha Anywhere is a rapid mobile app development and deployment tool that is best for building cross-platform webs and mobile business apps.
Features:
- Uses HMAC and SSL Support for Data Encryption
- High-level Mobile Data Security
- Extensive Back-End Data Access
- Advanced-Data Integration and Transformation
Ionic
Chances are you’ve used a mobile app that’s been built using the Ionic platform. That’s right because about 10 percent of the mobile apps on the planet are powered by the Ionic framework.
With this tool, you can build a high-quality, mobile, and progressive web application that delivers exceptional user experiences.
Features:
- Build high-performant native cross-apps using web technologies such as, JavaScript, CSS, and HTML.
- Access to a rich library of user interface components and features that allow you to beautifully design your app.
- The tool utilizes AngularJS, thereby offering you various functionalities and components to incorporate into your app.
- Ionic allows you to build hybrid cross-apps, easily, faster, and with expertise.
Appcelerator
Imagine being able to create a well-designed, native, cross-app with just a few lines of code. You first produce a prototype or mockup, then quickly start producing your app. And if you make any changes in the source code, you don’t have to worry about refreshing before you can see them— everything is on the live view. That’s what Appcelerator can do for you.
Features:
- An efficient development tool that utilizes JavaScript
- Feature a multilingual interface
- The tool offers you direct access to native APIs
- Extensive support from highly experienced developers
- Allows you to reuse 60 to 90 percent of the code across platforms.
TensorFlow
TensorFlow is pen-source software for the Artificial Intelligence (AI) library. This makes it easier to incorporate and run various AI-supported features when developing an app.
Features:
- Best for deep learning, both in practice and general research.
- It is a numerical computation and data open-source library.
- Allows deployment of computation in desktop, mobile device, and server using a single API.
Sencha
You definitely want a tool that allows you to design, develop, and test your solution faster. Sencha can help you do exactly that.
With its extensive toolkit and optimized user interface features, Sencha makes it easier for you to develop intuitive web apps across any platform or device.
Features:
- Developers can design and develop HTML5 apps with less manual coding
- A rich library with UI components that deliver visually compelling apps
- Automatic code generation which will save you a lot of tim
- Various resolutions for high-level compatibility with other devices
- Deliver the best app solution with efficient Java and JavaScript frameworks
- A comprehensive platform that makes it easy to test ExtJS apps.
Longrange
Also a native mobile app development tool, Longrange has components like form views and commands, navigation, and installing the LongRange server before use.
Features:
- Easy to develop an app even without any programming language knowledge.
- Has automatic app update settings.
- Supports building of native mobile applications using only RPG/ CL with DDS.
- Highly reliable and fast for developing native apps.