Most Popular Programming Languages for Mobile App Development

Why Choosing the Right Language Matters

The programming language you choose will become the foundation of your project. Broadly speaking, there are two types of mobile apps on the market:

• Native apps: developed using languages explicitly created for the device's operating system.
• Cross-platform apps: designed for usability on both desktop and mobile devices.

Depending on this initial decision, your choice of programming language will impact performance, scalability, and user experience (UX).

Although there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, you can make an informed decision by considering the following pros and cons of the most popular programming languages.

Top Programming Languages for Android Development

Android is an open-source platform developed by Google for devices like tablets, phones, and smartwatches. Prominent Android programming languages include:

Java

Java is known for being object-oriented, reliable, and stable, with an extensive library ecosystem. However, critics argue that it requires a lot of extra, repetitive code to accomplish simple tasks, making it less appealing for beginners.

From the platform's release in 2008 until recent years, it was the most widely used language for Android development until Kotlin took over.

Kotlin

Kotlin is a top choice for Android developers since Google officially supported it in 2017. It features cleaner, more readable code and is fully compatible with Java. Kotlin compiles to Java Bytecode, so it runs like a Java program.

Kotlin is a modern, streamlined version of Java that simplifies coding while remaining compatible with existing Java code.

Top Programming Languages for iOS Development

iOS is Apple's proprietary platform for their products: iPhone, iPad, and iWatch. **To build iOS apps, you are required to have an Apple developer account and Xcode IDE on a Mac computer. **

Let's explore the most popular native iOS development languages:

Objective-C

Objective-C was the first language Apple supported in developing iOS apps. It's an enduring, object-oriented language that builds on C. Critics say it requires a lot of extra words and uses square brackets that can be tricky to debug.

Despite its stability and long history, Objective-C's popularity has declined significantly since Apple introduced Swift, a newer, more modern language for iOS development.

Swift

Introduced by Apple in 2014, Swift quickly became the preferred language for developing native iOS apps. It’s known for being easier, simpler, and more compact.

Like Kotlin and Java, Swift and Objective-C can coexist, allowing you to use libraries and utilities written in Objective-C within Swift.

Best Cross-Platform Mobile Development Languages

Cross-platform development allows programmers to write code once and use it across various platforms, creating a more inclusive digital experience. It’s an efficient solution to:

• Reduce development time
• Stick to a budget
• Save effort
• Reach a wider audience

Frameworks like Flutter, Xamarin, and React Native offer programming languages that cater to Android and iOS.

Flutter

Flutter is a Google framework for building natively compiled mobile, web, and desktop applications from a single codebase. **The programming language used is Dart, which provides pre-designed widgets and tools to create high-quality, customizable user interfaces (UI). **

Xamarin

Xamarin is a Microsoft framework that uses .NET and C# programming languages. It integrates with Visual Studio, making it easier for developers familiar with the Microsoft ecosystem to create mobile apps.

React Native

React Native is a Facebook framework that uses JavaScript and React to build cross-platform mobile apps. Using a single codebase, it creates apps that look and feel like native ones by translating JavaScript code into native components.

For further reading, you can read a previous blog article where we compare Flutter vs React Native and conclude which is better.

Emerging Languages and Trends in Mobile App Development

The following languages were not conceived initially to develop mobile applications but have gained popularity in recent years due to their unique properties and characteristics:

Rust

Rust offers several advantages for mobile app development. It can be used to build robust, high-performance back-end services, integrate as a native module for performance-sensitive tasks, and utilize its libraries to add cross-platform capabilities to your app.

Python

Python is a highly versatile language known for its simplicity and readability. While it’s not commonly used for mobile app development directly, it can be used through frameworks like Kivy or BeeWare.

How to Choose the Right Language for Your Mobile App

As anticipated in our introduction, several factors must be considered when choosing the correct programming language to develop a successful mobile app.

These factors can be grouped into three main categories:

• Evaluating your project needs: It's vital to assess what your app needs to achieve carefully and which platforms your audience primarily uses.
• Developer availability and expertise: Reliable programming languages often have a pool of senior developers. By leveraging a team with diverse skills, you can maximize the potential of both modern and traditional coding languages.
• Future-proofing your application: As AI and Machine Learning integrate into our daily activities, thinking ahead and staying updated on the latest tools and platform advancements becomes essential.

One final tip: mobile development is an ever-evolving field, so staying adaptable is critical.

** Build Your Next Mobile App with AccelOne**

If you have an idea for a mobile app but need help turning your vision into a fully functional digital reality, AccelOne’s custom software development services can help.

With extensive experience across various frameworks and programming languages, our team is equipped to tackle any challenge and adapt to your unique project needs.

As your technology partner, we provide expert guidance, helping you make critical decisions with the correct information.

Contact us today, and together, let’s create a powerful strategy to bring your project to market smoothly and efficiently.