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Apportable

Stacks17

Followers21

+ 1

Votes0

NativeScript

Stacks538

Followers1.1K

+ 1

Votes516

Xamarin

Stacks1.3K

Followers1.5K

+ 1

Votes785

Apportable vs NativeScript vs Xamarin: What are the differences?

# Introduction
This comparison will highlight key differences between Apportable, NativeScript, and Xamarin, three popular platforms for cross-platform mobile app development.

1. **Programming Language**: Apportable allows developers to write iOS apps in Java, while NativeScript utilizes JavaScript and TypeScript, and Xamarin supports C# and .NET. This difference in programming languages impacts the developer's familiarity and ease of use with the platform.

2. **Framework and UI Libraries**: Apportable uses APIs to implement iOS-specific features, while Xamarin and NativeScript provide access to platform-specific APIs through wrappers. This affects the ease of integrating native functionality and custom UI elements in the app.

3. **Performance Optimization**: Apportable compiles Java code to machine code for better performance, while NativeScript uses a JavaScript-based virtual machine, and Xamarin uses just-in-time compilation. These different approaches impact the app's performance and efficiency.

4. **Development Environment**: Apportable requires a separate SDK for development, NativeScript uses CLI or Visual Studio Code, and Xamarin integrates well with Visual Studio. This difference affects the developer's choice of tools and workflow during app development.

5. **Community and Support**: NativeScript has a strong open-source community and active support from Progress, while Xamarin is backed by Microsoft's resources and provides comprehensive documentation. This difference impacts the availability of resources, updates, and community support for developers.

6. **Cost**: Apportable is a free and open-source platform, NativeScript has a free version but offers paid plans for additional features and support, and Xamarin requires a paid license for commercial use. This difference may influence the budget and cost considerations for app development projects.

In Summary, the key differences between Apportable, NativeScript, and Xamarin lie in the programming language, framework, performance optimization, development environment, community support, and cost factors. Each platform offers unique features and advantages for developers to choose from based on their project requirements and preferences.

Advice on Apportable, NativeScript, and Xamarin

William Miller

CEO at Stealth Startup · Feb 11, 2021 | 7 upvotes · 436.7K views

Needs advice

PyQt

React Native

and

Xamarin

We are developing an AWS IoT app for large boats. The IoT devices have sensors all over the boat for engine oil pressure, position, water depth, fuel level, crew location, etc. When the boat has internet, we interact with AWS cloud using lambda and Amazon DynamoDB. When the boat is offshore, the captain and crew still need normal and emergency alerts and real-time sensor information. The crew might have an Android or IoS phone or a Windows or macOS PC to receive alerts and interact with sensors. We may use the AWS GreenGrasss edge computing solution and either MQTT or HTML for that function.

Question: We want to develop a cross-platform client to run on Windows, Mac, Android, IOS, and possibly Linux. We are primarily Python programmers, so PyQt or Kivy are options for us, but we have heard good things about React Native, Flutter, Xamarin, and others. We think an AWS Greengrass core on an RPI4 could communicate to the client with MQTT or a local webserver with a client web interface.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

Replies (2)

ameyvijeesh

Feb 18, 2021 | 5 upvotes · 66.8K views

Recommends

React Native

I don't know much about Xamarin but I know about PyQt and React Native.

However, I don't recommend PyQt because the apps made using PyQt are not that suitable for mobile apps. If you take a look at the PyQt interface, you will be able to see that the features are more of a desktop apps kind.

React Native uses JavaScript. React Native is immensely flexible in upgrading your apps because it allows you to formulate your app code into independent blocks.

In Xamarin, you have to write the code in .NET . The best thing about Xamarin is, that it extends the.NET developer platform with tools and libraries specifically for building apps for Android, iOS, tvOS, watchOS, macOS, and Windows

While the best choice for you depends on various factors but React Native app development is a promising overall choice. In today’s scenario, React Native has steady growth, flawless code structure, and brilliant and large community support. We suggest you go for React Native for your next project owing to its outstanding support from developers, easy availability, and cost-effectiveness.

Saamer Mansoor

Founder at The First Prototype · Jul 28, 2021 | 4 upvotes · 46.4K views

Recommends

It seems like your app is not really using any native functionality on the phone. I have experience with cross platform iOS & Android development. They are all really good tools! Xamarin (all the project on the website portfolio I attached) is awesome for accessing native functionality (NFC, Sensors, Bluetooth, etc), and I have built apps that have millions of downloads, some that hit Top 5 on Utilities, another that hit Top 50 in Finances. You just have to look at what your application intent is, it seems like it's just to read and post data. For that they are all pretty good, but you should also look into Ionic which may serve the same purpose

The First Prototype

Decisions about Apportable, NativeScript, and Xamarin

James Bender

Lead Application Architect at TekPartners · Oct 31, 2021 | 5 upvotes · 51.7K views

Chose

over

I've yet to see a non-native application that I felt performed as well and/or provided the same user experience with Cordova/PhoneGap/Xamarin. Frankly, at best they all seemed like underpowered web applications deployed to a sandbox that ran on a phone. They didn't feel "slick" or "mobile-first" and in some cases the performance was unacceptable. At previous companies, we built a few of these apps at the client's insistence, and in every case, they re-engaged us about 18 months later to re-write the app(s) natively.

We are doing some research on React Native and Flutter, but I am not yet convinced that they can provide the same level of experience and performance as native, though I am trying to keep an open mind.

Gabor Galazzo

CTO at momento. · Aug 23, 2021 | 9 upvotes · 179.6K views

Chose

over

As a startup, we need the maximum flexibility and the ability to reach our customers in a more suitable way. So a hybrid application approach is the best because it allows you to develop a cross-platform application in a unique codebase. The choice behind Ionic is Angular, I think that angular is the best framework to develop a complex application that needs a lot of service interaction, its modularity forces you (the developer) to write the code in the correct way, so it can be maintainable and reusable.

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Pros of Apportable

Pros of NativeScript

Pros of Xamarin

Be the first to leave a pro

75
Access to the entire native api
47
Support for native ios and android libraries
46
Support for javascript libraries
46
Angular 2.0 support
44
Native ux and performance
37
Typescript support
35
Backed up by google and telerik
29
Css support
27
Cross-platform declarative ui and code
25
Fully open source under apache 2.0 license
11
Vuejs support
9
60fps performance
6
Powerful data visualization with native UI
5
VS Code integration
5
Angular, typescript and javascript support
5
No need for Mac to build iOS apps in Telerik Platform
4
Extended CLI support
4
Cloud builds as part of Telerik PLatform
4
Truly Object-Oriented with Typescript
4
On-device debugging
4
Extensibility
3
Access to entire native api
3
Live reload
3
Easiest of all other frameworks
3
Easy to learn
3
Backed by google
3
0 day support for new OS updates
3
Publishing modules to NPM
2
Vue.js support out of the box
2
VueJS support
2
Svelte support
2
Powerfull mobile services as part of Telerik Platform
2
Native ui with angular
2
Vue support
1
Playground
1
Hot Reload
1
HMR via webpack
1
Very small app size
1
Write once, use anywhere
1
Easy to use, support for almost all npm packages
1
Rich ecosystem
1
Compile to Apple/Google Stores via CloudCompiler
1
Has CSS ;-)
1
It works with Angular
1
Code reuse with your website
0
Dart

121
Power of c# on mobile devices
81
Native performance
79
Native apps with native ui controls
73
No javascript - truely compiled code
67
Sharing more than 90% of code over all platforms
45
Ability to leverage visual studio
44
Mvvm pattern
44
Many great c# libraries
36
Amazing support
34
Powerful platform for .net developers
19
GUI Native look and Feel
16
Nuget package manager
12
Free
9
Backed by Microsoft
9
Enables code reuse on server
8
Faster Development
7
Use of third-party .NET libraries
7
It's free since Apr 2016
7
Best performance than other cross-platform
7
Easy Debug and Trace
7
Open Source
6
Mac IDE (Xamarin Studio)
6
Xamarin.forms is the best, it's amazing
5
That just work for every scenario
5
C# mult paradigm language
5
Power of C#, no javascript, visual studio
4
Great docs
4
Compatible to develop Hybrid apps
4
Microsoft stack
4
Microsoft backed
3
Well Designed
3
Small learning curve for Mobile developers
2
Ionic
2
Ability to leverage legacy C and C++

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Cons of Apportable

Cons of NativeScript

Cons of Xamarin

Be the first to leave a con

5
Lack of promotion
1
Slower Performance compared to competitors

9
Build times
5
Visual Studio
4
Price
3
Complexity
3
Scalability
2
Nuget
2
Maturity
2
Build Tools
2
Support
0
Maturidade
0
Performance

Sign up to add or upvote consMake informed product decisions

- No public GitHub repository available -

What is Apportable?

Apportable lets you cross-compile your iOS app and re-use the same code across platforms.

What is NativeScript?

NativeScript enables developers to build native apps for iOS, Android and Windows Universal while sharing the application code across the platforms. When building the application UI, developers use our libraries, which abstract the differences between the native platforms.

What is Xamarin?

Xamarin’s Mono-based products enable .NET developers to use their existing code, libraries and tools (including Visual Studio*), as well as skills in .NET and the C# programming language, to create mobile applications for the industry’s most widely-used mobile devices, including Android-based smartphones and tablets, iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

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What companies use Apportable?

What companies use NativeScript?

What companies use Xamarin?

Montemedia

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What tools integrate with Apportable?

What tools integrate with NativeScript?

What tools integrate with Xamarin?

No integrations found

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What are some alternatives to Apportable, NativeScript, and Xamarin?

React Native

React Native enables you to build world-class application experiences on native platforms using a consistent developer experience based on JavaScript and React. The focus of React Native is on developer efficiency across all the platforms you care about - learn once, write anywhere. Facebook uses React Native in multiple production apps and will continue investing in React Native.

Flutter

Flutter is a mobile app SDK to help developers and designers build modern mobile apps for iOS and Android.

Ionic

Free and open source, Ionic offers a library of mobile and desktop-optimized HTML, CSS and JS components for building highly interactive apps. Use with Angular, React, Vue, or plain JavaScript.

Apache Cordova

Apache Cordova is a set of device APIs that allow a mobile app developer to access native device function such as the camera or accelerometer from JavaScript. Combined with a UI framework such as jQuery Mobile or Dojo Mobile or Sencha Touch, this allows a smartphone app to be developed with just HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Expo

It is a framework and a platform for universal React applications. It is a set of tools and services built around React Native and native platforms that help you develop, build, deploy, and quickly iterate on iOS, Android, and web apps.

See all alternatives

Apportable vs NativeScript vs Xamarin

Need advice about which tool to choose?Ask the StackShare community!

Apportable vs NativeScript vs Xamarin: What are the differences?

Pros of Apportable

Pros of NativeScript

Pros of Xamarin

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Cons of Apportable

Cons of NativeScript

Cons of Xamarin

Sign up to add or upvote consMake informed product decisions

What is Apportable?

What is NativeScript?

What is Xamarin?

Need advice about which tool to choose?Ask the StackShare community!

What companies use Apportable?

What companies use NativeScript?

What companies use Xamarin?

Sign up to get full access to all the companiesMake informed product decisions

What tools integrate with Apportable?

What tools integrate with NativeScript?

What tools integrate with Xamarin?

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