When developing smartphone applications, hybrid apps offer many advantages over native apps. Hybrid apps implement some or all of their features through WebView, allowing developers to leverage both native functionality and web technologies.

Here, we provide a detailed explanation of five recommended programming languages for hybrid app development, including an overview of each language, difficulty level, iOS and Android compatibility, pros and cons, and future prospects.

(Markup languages HTML/CSS are excluded under the assumption that they are already learned.)

Contents
  1. JavaScript (Especially React Native)
  2. TypeScript
  3. Dart (Especially Flutter)
  4. Kotlin (Especially Kotlin/JS)
  5. Swift (Especially SwiftUI)
  6. Conclusion

JavaScript (Especially React Native)

  • Description:
    JavaScript is one of the most widely used languages in web development. React Native is a framework that uses JavaScript to develop hybrid apps for both iOS and Android.
  • Difficulty:
    Intermediate. If you have experience in web development, it is relatively easy to get started.
  • iOS and Android Compatibility:
    Excellent. React Native focuses on cross-platform development, allowing you to build apps for both iOS and Android using a single codebase.
  • Pros:
    Large community, rich ecosystem of libraries, and real-time updates.
  • Cons:
    In some cases, performance may be lower compared to native apps.
  • Future Prospects:
    Strong. Integration with web technologies is advancing, and demand continues to grow.
  • Official Website:React Native

TypeScript

  • Description:
    TypeScript adds a type system to JavaScript, making it well-suited for large-scale application development.
  • Difficulty:
    Intermediate to Advanced. It is easier to learn if you are already familiar with JavaScript.
  • iOS and Android Compatibility:
    TypeScript itself provides language features, but when combined with frameworks or libraries (such as React Native or Angular), it enables cross-platform development.
  • Pros:
    High code safety and well-suited for large projects.
  • Cons:
    The learning curve can be somewhat steep, which may be challenging for beginners.
  • Future Prospects:
    High. It is especially popular in large-scale web application development.
  • Official Website:TypeScript

Dart (Especially Flutter)

  • Description:
    Dart is a programming language developed by Google, and Flutter is a mobile app development framework that uses Dart.
  • Difficulty:
    Intermediate. Familiarity with object-oriented programming is helpful.
  • iOS and Android Compatibility:
    Excellent. Flutter is a high-performance cross-platform framework that allows efficient development of apps for both iOS and Android from a single codebase.
  • Pros:
    High performance and the ability to create intuitive and beautiful UIs.
  • Cons:
    The community is relatively new, and available resources may be limited.
  • Future Prospects:
    Strong. Backed by strong support from Google and highly regarded for its UI capabilities.
  • Official Website:Flutter

Kotlin (Especially Kotlin/JS)

  • Description:
    Kotlin was originally developed for Android, but by using Kotlin/JS, you can develop hybrid apps in Kotlin instead of JavaScript.
  • Difficulty:
    Intermediate to Advanced. It is easier to learn if you have knowledge of Java.
  • iOS and Android Compatibility:
    Kotlin itself is specialized for Android development, but by using Kotlin/JS, cross-platform development becomes possible through web technologies. However, Kotlin/JS is mainly intended for web applications, and compatibility as an iOS app is limited.
  • Pros:
    High affinity with Android development, safe and readable code.
  • Cons:
    Compatibility with iOS may be somewhat limited.
  • Future Prospects:
    Moderate. It is an attractive option especially for Android developers.
  • Official Website:Kotlin

Swift (Especially SwiftUI)

  • Description:
    Swift is a programming language developed by Apple, and SwiftUI is a framework that allows developers to easily build modern iOS apps using Swift.
  • Difficulty:
    Intermediate. It is easier to learn if you are familiar with Apple’s ecosystem.
  • iOS and Android Compatibility:
    Swift is specialized for Apple’s ecosystem and optimized for iOS device development. While it has no direct compatibility with Android, logic written in Swift can be ported to other languages such as Kotlin.
  • Pros:
    High compatibility with iOS devices and intuitive UI design.
  • Cons:
    No compatibility with Android.
  • Future Prospects:
    Strong. It has established itself as the primary language for iOS app development.
  • Official Website:Swift

Conclusion

Each of these languages has its own strengths and challenges in hybrid app development, as well as different characteristics in terms of compatibility across iOS and Android platforms. React Native and Flutter offer excellent compatibility for cross-platform development. On the other hand, Swift is specialized for iOS, which limits its compatibility with Android.

It is important to choose the appropriate language based on project requirements and team experience. These technologies will continue to evolve, and hybrid app development is expected to become even more efficient and powerful in the future.

　

※ Please use this information at your own discretion.

App Development Hybrid App Recommended Programming Languages