From the laptops we use at work to the tablets we stream movies and play games on to the phones that keep us connected, many of us use a variety of technology tools throughout the day, and we’ve come to expect seamless experiences as we shift between platforms and devices. However, building applications that work smoothly across varied operating systems, screens and hardware isn’t easy.
Learning to anticipate and overcome the varied challenges that come with creating cross-platform applications is essential for developers. Below, 16 members of Forbes Technology Council discuss some of the common complexities that come with the territory, as well as how they can be addressed.
1. Maintaining Performance Optimization
One challenge is maintaining performance optimization across different platforms. This can be overcome by implementing platform-specific optimizations and using performance monitoring and profiling tools to identify and address bottlenecks. Additionally, adopting a modular and scalable architecture can help streamline development. – Kirimgeray Kirimli, Flatiron Software Corporation
2. Ensuring Cross-Team Collaboration
Cross-platform apps are usually developed and maintained by multiple teams who must collaborate closely, but who often use different tools and work in silos. To overcome this, use a DevOps platform that can support multiple technology stacks, coordinate work between multiple teams and provide end-to-end testing to ensure correct results. – Sanjay Gidwani, Copado
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3. Safeguarding Sensitive User Information
In cross-platform app development, a seamless user experience is vital. Cryptographic techniques enhance security and maintain data integrity across platforms. Implementing robust encryption and authentication protocols safeguards sensitive information, building user trust and confidence. – Erica Dobbs, Dobbs Defense Solutions
4. Overcoming Performance Issues Caused By Wrappers And Bridges
Wrappers and bridges can introduce additional layers between the cross-platform code and the native platform and can lead to performance issues. To solve this problem, one must optimize the interaction between cross-platform and native layers, maintain native code exactly where performance is critical, and choose efficient serializers and deserializers for data passing between the two layers to minimize overhead. – Jesse Daniels, Fixtops Technology
5. Relying On Ineffective Architectures
If developers have built for native platforms before, they may be tempted to build a cross-platform app using the same architecture they used before. This can be a problem, as most cross-platform frameworks are designed for building more abstractly and then mapping to the native platforms. Learning the appropriate architecture will pay huge dividends in long-term maintenance. – Luke Wallace, Bottle Rocket
6. Ensuring A Consistent UX
Creating the same user experience across different platforms is challenging because of differences in respective design guidelines. You can get around this by using frameworks such as Flutter or React Native, which make it easier to develop native-like performance with a level of user interface decoupling that enables customization for each platform. – Jared Thau, Gameverse Interactive Corp
7. Dealing With Features That Vary By Device
When building apps that will work on different types of phones and tablets, a tricky part is dealing with features that vary by device, such as GPS or cameras. Developers or testers can solve this by having the app check what each device can do and then adjusting how it works based on what’s available. This helps make sure the app runs smoothly on any device. – Margarita Simonova, ILoveMyQA
8. Standardizing Data Formats
A common challenge is disparate data structures across enterprise resource planning systems, which complicates normalization for analytics and machine learning. Standardizing data formats through purpose-built middleware or APIs streamlines integration and reduces deployment time. Additionally, employing data-cleansing techniques and transformation processes ensures consistency and seamless application of advanced analytics. – Richard Lebovitz, LeanDNA
9. Ensuring Compatibility With Different Integration Endpoints
One common challenge in cross-platform app development is ensuring compatibility with different integration endpoints. Developers can overcome this by using standardized APIs or creating adapters for each platform. Additionally, implementing cross-platform security protocols and regular testing across all platforms are vital for ensuring app security and stable functionality. – Jo Debecker, Wipro
10. Managing Discrepancies In Code Functionality
Discrepancies in code functionality across platforms can be mitigated with real-time collaboration tools designed for cross-platform development. These tools synchronize changes across multiple codebases, ensuring uniform application of updates or fixes. This approach enhances team productivity and improves app reliability and stability. – Jagadish Gokavarapu, Wissen Infotech
11. Not Having Access To Certain Functionalities Or Libraries
Certain functionalities or libraries might not be readily available in cross-platform frameworks. This can restrict developers from implementing features that require deep integration with the native platform. In such cases, developers might need to resort to writing platform-specific codebases or using workarounds to achieve the needed functionality. – Oleksandr Mykolaienko, Tallium Inc.
12. Synchronizing Notifications
The challenge with cross-platform apps that’s often ignored is the synchronization of notifications. Syncing of notifications is an important task that must not be overlooked, as consumers expect that any notification gets cleared once it has been viewed on one device. This can be easily done when handling notifications on the server, but client-side handling is better for protecting user privacy. – Matthias Pfau, Tuta
13. Understanding Resource Requirements And Target Audiences
It’s important to remember how much of a lift it is to build tech that can perform across different platforms and ecosystems. Be sure to prime yourself when entering the project, and remember, your R&D will likely take longer. Also, be sure you know your audience. Building for predominantly iOS and Apple systems is different and a bit simpler than building for Android systems. – Jordan Yallen, MetaTope
14. Timing The Approval Process
One challenge most developers face when creating apps for multiple platforms is timing the approval process. If you want everyone to have access to your tool at the same time, it’s important to read the guidelines and prepare everything you need for each review in advance. In my experience, Apple’s App Store takes a lot longer to approve apps than the Google Play Store. – Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster
15. Tailoring Apps For Diverse Languages And Cultures
Localization and internationalization complexities can hinder the global reach of cross-platform apps. Employing localization tools, adhering to international standards and collaborating with native speakers are ways developers can tailor their apps to diverse linguistic and cultural preferences. – Sandro Shubladze, Datamam
16. Engaging And Retaining Users
Engaging and retaining users across multiple platforms requires tailored strategies. Analytics tools and user behavior tracking provide insights into engagement patterns. Leveraging platform-specific features enhances user interaction. A/B testing and iterative refinement based on platform-specific metrics drive continuous improvement and user satisfaction. – Cristian Randieri, Intellisystem Technologies