Gone are the days when there were only two programming languages for app development, one for iOS and one for Android. But with the maturity of technology, we have many programming languages now. With a plethora of tools, SDKs, and languages, the confusion of what mobile app development languages to choose comes.
If you’ve been thinking of developing a mobile application, the very first thing you need to figure out is which programming language to adopt for your project.
We have created this article to highlight each language’s qualities and characteristics so that you can choose the best suitable programming language for your mobile application development. So, let’s see what we have on the table.
Javascript
It is rightly said that “ JavaScript will stay as long as people use the internet.”
Javascript has been the most popular programming language since the inception of Android. Keeping the multi-paradigm language in mind, Javascript was created in 1995.
The specialties like running smoothly in every domain and being the best cross-platform app development option, JavaScript has always been and always will be the most favorite programming language.
Even with a few faults in Javascript, it is the most popular Android language; all other Android languages, on the other hand, are evaluated as a version of Javascript.
Kotlin
Google’s Kotlin journey was started in the year 2011; it is an alternative to Java for Android development. In other words, Kotlin is an advanced version of Java, and it can be used for modern Android app development. Kotlin has the ability to create high-speed and robust apps. Some very popular applications are built with Kotlin for example, Pinterest, Trello, Evernote, and many more.
Kotlin is an open-source language that includes functional and technical aspects in the same programming language. One of the major goals of Kotlin is to interoperate and comply with Java. You can access all the Java libraries with Kotlin with Java Bytecode. Kotlin is contemplated as a safer and cleaner version of Java.
Python
Python is widely used for web applications, machine learning, network servers, desktop apps, and many more. The most significant examples of Python are Instagram, Youtube, and Pinterest. Python provides outstanding library support, robust integration, and increased control capacity.
If you are a blooming start-up planning for app development, we would suggest you to opt for Python for your mobile application development. The reason being, it is the language you can use to build scalable applications, and Python supports multiple operating systems at the same time.
PHP
If you ask us which is the best programming language for mobile app development, we would definitely recommend PHP. If you are planning to develop an app that needs database access, look no further. Python is an open-source language, and you can use it for line scripting, side scripting, and coding applications.
Applications that contain rich content and e-commerce services can be developed with PHP programming language. It is also very popular for building progressive web apps because it can be easily implanted into HTML.
Some very famous examples of PHP are Yahoo, Facebook, and Wikipedia.
Objective-C
Objective-C is the first core programming language for Apple to support iOS mobile apps. Objective-C is an Object-oriented programming language that uses syntax from language C. However, the programming language is not so developer-friendly as there are some disadvantages of syntax and square brackets. These two can be a little hard to debug.
Being a well-modernized and full-fledged language, Objective-C is majorly used for macOS and iOS application development. The language has maintained relevance even after the introduction of new languages.
Ruby
Ruby is a functional language which directly performs the command rather than arranging the program in machine language. Ruby can be used for back-end object-oriented programming for web applications. You can also use Ruby for servers, system utilities, and standard libraries.
All through the years, Ruby has emerged into high-level, multiple-models, and illuminated programming language. Ruby supports strong typing to make changes in the coding without affecting the final outcome. If you use Ruby for your software development, don’t worry about the maintenance, performance, and quality. Some well-known examples of apps developed with Ruby are Airbnb, Twitter, and Shopify.
HTML 5
If you are planning to develop a location-based application or web-frontend apps, then Hypertext markup language- 5 is an ideal fit for you. However, it is not a programming language, but it’s instead a markup language.
The latest version of HTML 5 is an amalgamation of outstanding features like multi-platform functionality, media components, and quick deployment. HTML-5 is adaptable with all the browsers and updated features. It loads faster because HTML-5 uses local storage and cache. Some exceptional examples of HTML 5 are Google docs and google Google drive.
C++
C++ is an excellent mobile application development programming language. Also known as C plus plus, this programming language can be used for Native app and Android application development. It can be used explicitly for developing games, GUI-based applications, and Banking apps.
C++ can immediately comply with changing hardware requirements because it has a unique cloud computing system. C++ has a number of ready-to-use libraries. If you know this programming language, you can quickly learn Java and C#.
Swift
A game-changer in the making Swift is an open-source programming language specially designed for iOS and OS X platforms. The reason why Swift is easy to adapt is it is flexible, smooth, and expandable. The quality of this language lies in the name itself, “Swift” it can add advanced features to any application.
Being fun to work with the programming language, it doesn’t require a lot of maintenance. The most fantastic thing about Swift is that it is a spontaneous and robust programming language. Swift has various features like seamless design and super-fast software. Some examples of Swift are Hipmunk and LinkedIn.
Xamarin and c#
Microsoft developed C#, which is yet another object-oriented programming language. Ultimately Microsoft procured the Xamarin framework, in which app developers use C# on the contrary to other frameworks. The C# is cross-assembled to run natively on both the major platform iOS and Android.
Flutter
Last but not least, we are talking about the mobile app development framework that has made whirl in the app market, Flutter. Ever wanted to build an app that can run smoothly on both the major operating systems, iOS, and Android? Then the ultimate solution is Flutter. Flutter is the best cross-platform app development framework based on a programming language called “Dart.”
Being a Google child, Flutter provides us tools to build iOS and Android mobile apps using the same codebase. In a short time, Flutter has become an excellent alternative for Javascript. Applications made with Flutter are substantially identical to native iOS and Android.
Conclusion
When you work in the continually evolving programming languages world, it becomes mandatory to learn the new and updated programming languages. JavaScript has become the programming language that has secured the eternal place from this list, while other languages like Kotlin have increased at a fantastic speed and made up to the top ten list.
With this list and mentioned factors, we hope you can make the right decision about which programming language to use for your app development. Because in the end, selecting the right programming language will help you develop a robust mobile application which will endure the future business requirements.
