Every drop fills the pot, every step takes us closer to the destination and the same goes with the mobile app development process. Mobile app development requires a great number of tools for making a single application. But before going straight towards the tools for mobile app development, it is important to know a bit about it. Various tools are required in the process of app development, moreover developing apps for Android, iOS, Windows, all of these platforms requires different and standard tools. In this article we will explore the list of Best Mobile App Development tools below.
OPEN SOURCE MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT TOOLS:
In a simple and plain language, Open source is a decentralized development process through which source code, blueprints and other documentation of an app are available to the general public also. One can develop an app on their own by copying these codes and data apart from modifying, sharing and uploading. Below is the list of open source app development tools-
Framework 7 – Earlier used for iOS only, Framework 7 now supports Android also. The tool ensures a clean app like iOS in android apps also. If one has the knowledge of HTML, JavaScript, CSS, then the concept of this tool is very easy to understand.
Ionic – Meant for cross-platforms also, Ionic is based on Sass CSS language. The tool is very easy to use. Ionic has a library of mobile-optimized CSS, HTML, JS CSS components along with gestures and tools. The tool works on predefined components and is absolutely apt for Android and iPhone apps.
BuildFire.js – BuildFire is the simplest framework, allows unlimited customization with JavaScript. It provides developers with a powerful suite to enhance and re-submit plugins and creates exceptionally new functionality. Moreover, it comes packed with intuitive user dashboards that make the app updation easy and convenient.
jQuery Mobile – jQuery Mobile is one of the oldest development tools and almost half of the mobile websites are using it. It is also called a “swiss army knife of mobile app dev tools”. jQuery carries all the Java features with it but lacks native functionality or advanced UI.
CROSS PLATFORM MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT TOOLS:
Cross-platform is basically meant for supporting multiple mobile platforms without the need of developing multiple code bases.
1. Salesforce 1 and Lightning – With this tool, you will be able to find good options for developing and building mobile apps. It can be easily customizable regardless of your skill level.
2. BuildFire – Supporting both iOS and Android along with tablets, BuildFire is one of the high performance DIY mobile app builders. It has pre-built functionality in the form of – Direct integrations to segment, 45+ plugins, and pre-existing templates.
3. Mobile Angular UI- It is a free hybrid mobile app development tool, allows us to build HTML5 mobile apps. However, Mobile Angular UI is very much similar to jQuery mobile. Meanwhile, it also provides sidebars, overlays, switches, etc.
4. Xamarin– It allows code sharing in multiple platforms with C# codebase, with Xamarin you can develop android, windows apps as well as iOS. It also offers cloud services, allowing you to test on a number of devices.
5. Xojo – Meant especially for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, x86 Linux, iOS, Raspberry Pi and the web, it is an app development tool. Meanwhile, the tool also provides a Xojo cloud for secure, easy maintenance of web app hosting and also allows to create native apps.
Corona Labs- It supports all the major platforms like Android, Windows, iOS. There app development tools are basically meant for educational apps and building 2D graphics games, hence fully supports the development of 2D apps.
6. Unity – It is one of the most acknowledged and usable game development platforms. Unity can be easily used for 2D and high-quality 3D games. You can also deploy them for cross-platform purposes along with making AR and VR apps.
7. Cordova – Apache Cordova is an open-source mobile development framework. It allows you to use standard web technologies – HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript for cross-platform development. Applications execute within wrappers targeted to each platform, and rely on standards-compliant API bindings to access each device’s capabilities such as sensors, data, network status, etc.
8. Appcelerator – For performance and loads of features, Appcelerator is essential for you. It uses JavaScript to create native codes with maximum performance benefits. Though it is not that easy to use, it is surely going to give the desired results with perfection.
9. Sencha Touch – With Sencha Touch, you can easily and precisely develop and prototype, theme, codes and debug along with testing your web app on any browser or device. Developers can use tools like Ext JS Stencils for native-like performance while creating apps easily and quickly.
10. Dropsource – With it, developers can easily design, build and launch Android and iOS apps straight from the web browser. It also carries drag and drop features. Moreover, its automated programming provides a clean and concise path of source code for you.
11. MonoCross – MonoCross is meant for cross-platform, developers can retain the coding of an application, controller, and model across platforms. It also makes the app porting easier and precise.
12. Adobe Build – It is a cloud-based tool helping developers to look after their goals along with helping in expedite delivery and quality of deliverables. With it, developers can work on any cross-platform project, all it requires is web technologies knowledge or the knowledge of language like HTML5, Java.
13. NativeScript – Angular, JavaScript, TypeScript helps developers to build cross-platform apps with native UI for both iOS and Android. NativeScript features deep integration with modern Angular with full-stack features like integration with the Angular CLI, router support, code generation, webpack and more.
NATIVE MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT TOOLS:
The native mobile app is meant for interacting with a single operating system. These types of applications are expensive as they are tied to one operating system. Developers can take advantage of features and software built in that platform. Moreover, native mobile apps are reliable and also provide fast performance. Here is the list of some native mobile app development tools
# Screenhero – With Screenhero, you can easily do pair programming with it along with sharing the screen with another person. Moreover, you can also control it with 2 mouse and 2 keyboards.
# Sip – Integrated with MacOS, it is a color picker. For color and representation in the programming language, this tool comes handy.
# Zeplin – Zeplin is a very useful and effective tool for both developers and designers. Developers can explore and experiment with the design sent by the designer, that too online.
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MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT TOOLS FOR ANDROID
Eclipse – Eclipse is a free and open source development tool. It can also collaborate with working groups to help you along with boasting an active forum.
Android studio- It provides debugging, code editing, and testing tools and is free to download. Moreover, Android Studio is also supported by Google and other community of Android developers.
AVD manager- AVD stands for the Android Virtual Device, it is an emulator used to run android apps on computer. Moreover, it gives developers the ability to work with all kinds of Android devices for testing performances and responsiveness on different parameters like screen size, resolutions, etc.
Fabric – It gives developers the authority and ability to develop better mobile apps with a suite of kits. These kits are filled with beta testing, marketing, and advertising tools.
FlowUp – With it, you can easily monitor the performance of all your production apps. With dashboards, it becomes easy for you to keep the track record of your stats and metrics.
Genymotion – Over 3,000 device scenarios, Genymotion helps developers to test and preview the applications easily. It also comes with pre-installed Android images and graphics which ultimately become useful in the testing process. Genymotion is also an cross-platform app development tool.
Gradle – It is the most popular app development tool especially designed for creating large scale application including Java.
Instabug – Instabug is used for beta testing and bug reporting. It allows screenshots and detailed error logs with developers during QA and debugging process. Instabug is used by very well known brands like PayPal, BuzzFeed, Mashable, etc.
LeakCanary – It is an open source library that ultimately makes the task easier for detecting and correcting memory leakages in the application. LeakCanary notifies immediately whenever there is any kind of leakage happening occurs in an app.
NimbleDroid – It helps in checking the leakages, bugs, or any other issues in the completed or finished Android app. With NimbleDroid, the developers can speed up the QA process by making fast marketing of the app.
Stetho – Another de-bugging tool created by Facebook, it is an open-source platform allowing Chrome Developer Tools to the desktop browser.
AIDE – AIDE helps in developing android apps directly on the Android Device. AIDE supports in developing Java applications.
Basic4Android – With this tool, one can quickly and easily develop any kind of android app. Meanwhile, it also allows users to create and share their own libraries.
MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT TOOLS FOR iOS
AppCode – Developers can easily use this tool for the app development of Mac, iPhone, Apple Watch, Apple TV. The most important feature of this tool is that it provides an analysis code along with coding assistance and highlighting errors. Moreover, it also supports many languages which include Objective-C, C++, JavaScript, etc.
Code Runner – It is the most acknowledged and widely used IDE because of its advanced, easy-to-use, and high flexibility programming editor. Code Runner also supports 23 languages like Objective-C, objective-C++, etc.
XCode – XCode is fast, convenient, smooth and can precisely and neatly develop applications for iPhone, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch. It is widely used by iOS developers.
Fabric – Fast crashing tool, Fabric is lightweight and powerful and automates beta applications along with helping in the deployment process.
RxSwift – It is the most recommended library which is used to program dynamic apps. RxSwift also responds to data changes and user event
TestFlight – It is used for testing Apple products while using it, you can also invite other users for the beta testing of the application. One of the most amazing things about TestFlight is that you can invite around 10,000 users.
MockingBird – You can use this tool for the early stages of the app development process. This tool helps developers in creating a visual clickable
wireframe of the application. Meanwhile, it also allows linking multiple pages, from there developer can easily change the color, alignment, font size, etc
Design+Code 2 iOS – This tool lets you read and watch 44 hours of content about the technique used in developing the application. You can also bookmark parts along with checking progress. Most importantly, you are not required to have coding experience.
Helios – It helps in providing back-end services along with advanced functionality like data synchronization, Passbook integration, logging, push notifications, in-app purchases.
Haiku – It is best suited for interactive and animated UI. As you design, Haiku automatically generates updates in the iOS apps.
MOBILE APP DEVELOPMENT TOOLS FOR WINDOWS
Xamarin and Corona Labs are the two most brilliant tools for the Windows app development process. Moreover, there are other cross-platform tools mentioned above, which can also be used for developing mobile applications for Windows.
For connecting users to the social network platform along with satisfying their basic needs, apps are the most important tool. Not just for users, apps are also the must have need of businesses and startups for building their brand. Throwing ideas for making an app is easy but the development process is equally risky as well as requires precision.to save some of the associated risk, the above mentioned tools, which are meant for Android, iOS, as well as for Windows can be used by a developer according to their specific requirements for making their app a hit.
