Top 10 Best Software to Use When Developing a Mobile App
Apps have become a big part of our day-to-day life, and as more people rely on them, the demand for more apps grows as well. If you’re thinking about creating an app, it’s important to have the right tools to do so. This list of the top 10 best software to use when developing a mobile app will help you find what you need so you can develop the app your customers want without any trouble.
1) Android Studio
If you’re looking for a mobile app development platform that’s easy to learn, yet still allows you complete creative control over your app, Android Studio is your best option. Created by Google, Android Studio uses Java as its main coding language and lets developers create apps for every major operating system. The software also features multi-monitor support and can generate high-quality graphics. For those just getting started with mobile app development, Android Studio is a great tool to have in your back pocket.
2) Xcode
Apple’s Xcode integrated development environment (IDE) is free and available for download for both Windows and Mac systems. It includes development tools, debugging tools, interface builders, compilers, and more — basically everything you need to develop mobile apps with Apple devices in mind. All in all, it’s one of your best options if you’re building an app for iPhone or iPad.
3) Eclipse
Eclipse is one of the oldest IDE’s available, but it’s still very powerful. Especially when paired with Android development tools, Eclipse can be an excellent choice for mobile app developers. While Eclipse isn’t open source anymore, it is free.
4) PhoneGap
PhoneGap is an open-source mobile app development framework based on JavaScript and Apache Cordova. Developers can use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to build cross-platform mobile apps without having to learn native programming languages. This means that creating Android or iOS apps (and even Windows Phone) can be as easy as writing web pages since developers will only have to write one set of code that will function across all operating systems.
5) Cocos2d-x
If you’re looking for an open-source game engine, Cocos2d-x is an excellent choice. If you’re developing games for Apple or Android, it offers great features like in-game purchasing and cloud storage. This JavaScript game engine can also run across various operating systems, including Linux and Mac OS X. It’s free if you aren’t making money off your app; otherwise, there are license fees based on how much revenue your game generates.
6) Cordova/Phonegap Build
PhoneGap is an open-source mobile app development framework that allows you to create a native-like application with web technologies. The framework was built on top of Apache Cordova, which uses web views for each platform, meaning developers can build an app once and deploy it across multiple platforms. In other words, instead of having to build for Android and iOS separately, you only have to make one app and deploy it as many times as you want on different devices.
7) Unity3D
Unity3D is one of today’s most popular game engines. Unity3D can be used for games, high-end 3D visualizations, and many other uses. Unity supports a number of different programming languages, including C# and JavaScript, among others. However, it’s generally best known for its support of C#.
8) React Native
If you’re working on an application for mobile devices, and you want it out there as soon as possible, React Native might be your best bet. It allows you to create native mobile apps using Javascript. React Native is great for those who want their app available as quickly as possible.
9) Flutter
Flutter is Google’s mobile app SDK for crafting high-quality native interfaces on iOS and Android in record time. Native functionality such as gestures, animations, and rendering are handled for you so you can focus on content rather than UI.
10) Fuse
Fuse is an app development tool that aims to make mobile application development more like web development. Features include drag-and-drop functionality, real-time collaboration on designs, and prototyping apps. The basic version of Fuse is free, but it’s unclear if there are any limitations on its features. A paid plan with full features is $99 per month.
