7.4 Mobile Computing
Mobile computing is now the default for most users. Engineers must choose between native, cross-platform, hybrid, and PWA strategies - each with sharp trade-offs in cost, performance, and reach. This lesson lays out the decision matrix.
Mobile Build Strategies
| Strategy | Tech | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native iOS | Swift, SwiftUI | Best performance, full platform access | iOS only, two codebases |
| Native Android | Kotlin, Jetpack Compose | Best performance, full platform access | Android only, two codebases |
| Cross-platform (RN, Flutter) | JS / Dart | Shared code, near-native UI | Bridge overhead, plugin gaps |
| Hybrid (Capacitor, Cordova) | HTML/CSS/JS in WebView | Reuses web team | WebView quirks, lower polish |
| PWA | Standard web | No app store, instant updates | Limited iOS feature set |
Capability Matrix
| Capability | Native | RN/Flutter | Hybrid | PWA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Push notifications | Full | Full | Full | iOS limited |
| Camera | Full | Full | Full | Yes |
| Background location | Full | Full | Full | No |
| Bluetooth / NFC | Full | Plugin | Plugin | iOS limited |
| App store distribution | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Offline-first | Easy | Easy | Possible | Possible |
| Update without store | No | OTA possible | OTA possible | Yes |
Choosing The Right Strategy
Reach matters more than polish? Pick PWA. Polish and platform features matter more? Native or Flutter. A small team that must ship to both stores fast? React Native or Flutter. A web team that needs a quick wrapper? Capacitor.
Discussion
Loading…