Top Most Popular Programming Languages for Mobile App Development Top Most Popular Programming Languages for Mobile App Development
Review: 4- 5 5 Top Most Popular Programming Languages for Mobile App Development

Top Most Popular Programming Languages for Mobile App Development

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Top Coding Languages
03 Dec 2023
17 min read
Update:

The best mobile app development languages are always a hot topic to discuss. Do mobile app development languages differ from those for other product design & development? Let’s check them out.

Mobile App Development Languages - fireart
Top Most Popular Programming Languages for Mobile App Development

Mobile app types

So, you have to choose the mobile app development languages for your product. Before, we recommend learning about the types of mobile apps on the market. There’s a great variety.

  • Native apps

The native app is an application developed for the particular OS on the device that can be accessed through the icon of the app launch. Native applications are written in a specific programming language for a particular platform. For instance,  Java, is used for creating native apps for Android OS, while Objective-C or Swift is employed for iOS apps. 

Mobile web apps are not actually mobile apps. They are websites that are designed to look and function like native apps. Essentially, a web application is a website that has been tailored and optimized for use on smartphones.

It is sufficient to have a working browser, know the website address, and have an active internet connection. This type of application updates information over the internet.

  • Hybrid apps

Hybrid apps combine web and native app features. That makes them accessible cross-platform and provides access to smartphone functionality. Users can download them from markets like the App Store and Google Play, just like native apps.

Hybrid apps can use several features of the device they are installed on. They are built using HTML5 and processed through the browser, which is embedded within the application itself, similar to web applications.

How to choose the best programming language for app development

Mobile app development languages are like any other programming language. They ought to have a set of formal rules by which application code is written after you hire dedicated Android app developer.

Nowadays, there is a variety of application languages to choose from. The method choice depends significantly on your business goals, the capabilities of your chosen operating system, the application type, and its requirements. Mobile programming may efficiently utilize lots of languages used for web development.

What programming language for mobile apps should you choose? It depends. It is helpful for both developers and customers to know different app programming languages. This can help customers to comprehend the project processes better and choose the most suitable language.

Let’s take a look at the primary programming languages used for mobile development on iOS and Android platforms.

Mobile App Development Languages
Illustrated by Fireart Studio

IOS app development languages

Programming languages like Objective-C and Swift are used for software development for devices running iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, macOS, and watchOS. If you hire iOS app developers, they’ll most likely be using these languages.

Objective-C and Swift

The following are the primary languages used for developing iOS apps. They are object-oriented and allow developers to group similar tasks during the coding process. This makes front-end mobile app development faster and simpler. Additionally, other languages can be used as well:

  • C#
  • HTML5
  • Java

After learning about the platform that iOS applications are developed on, you can familiarize yourself with the development environments that programmers use. The primary environment is Xcode, which is a user-friendly application that offers an impressive array of valuable tools. Discover more about it here.

The Cocoa frameworks are written in Objective-C, so this language is recommended for developing Cocoa applications.

HTML5 

HTML5, the fifth version of HTML, is a mobile app programming language for structuring and presenting the contents of the World Wide Web. An HTML5 project can be created by using a set of standard front-end technologies. You can create the structure of the page using HTML, define the styles using CSS, and implement the functionality using JavaScript. While this approach allows https://www.traditionrolex.com/13for complete control over the project, it can also be time-consuming to complete.

Formally, switching from HTML (HTML4) to HTML5 is very simple: just write the <! DOCTYPE html> to specify the document type. One of the main differences is the placement of multimedia (audio and video) on pages. Previously, this was only possible with the help of large HTML code and additional programs. In HTML5, this requires only one tag.

Android app development languages

Despite the popular cliché, Android developers use not only Java and Kotlin. There are actually up to 8 popular programming languages for Android app development.

Python

Enthusiasts have adapted one of the most popular programming languages for Android development. This is implemented using the Kivy and BeeWare libraries:

  • Kivy is an open-source library. It allows developers to build cross-platform applications, including those for Android and iOS.
  • BeeWare, on the other hand, is a suite of UI tools designed for building native Android apps.

Python programming language for mobile app development for Android is indeed relatively rare. However, there are still developers who use this language and enjoy great support from the large programming community.

C / C ++

C mobile app languages are positioned as high-performance languages. It is important to note that when creating a heavy mobile 3D game, Java is still necessary. This is because, without Java, it is not possible to create a complete mobile application. 

The Android NDK allows you to write a part of the application in C / C ++, such as a library that can be connected to the program through Java.

Java

Developing mobile apps using Java is a widespread practice. This is a strongly typed and object-oriented programming language. Often, it takes top places in the popularity ratings (the second place in the IEEE Spectrum (2020) and on TIOBE (2021). Take a look:

Mobile App Development Languages - tiobe index
Taken from https://www.tiobe.com/tiobe-index/

What other mobile back-end languages are often used for Android app development? Try mobile app programming languages like JavaScript, PHP, Java for Java app development, Kotlin, and C#.

Cross-platform apps

Cross-platform applications are developed for multiple platforms simultaneously using a non-native language. There are two approaches to choose from when it comes to native programming languages.

The first approach is about using a transpiler. While preparing an application release, it turns into a native language for a specific platform using a transpiler.

A transpiler is a source-to-source compiler, a tool that reads source code created in a particular programming language and generates the equivalent code in a different language.

In fact, this way, one cross-platform programming language is “translated” into another.

The second approach involves adding a specific wrapper to the resulting code. This wrapper operates on a device and transmits requests from non-native code to the native functions of the system in real time. Cordova and PWA are two tools that utilize this approach. You can hire web developers to create mobile apps using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript as the core technologies.

Web apps

There are approximately 10 widespread programming languages and frameworks. They are suitable for web development, client-side and server-side, as well as mobile app development. Here are some of the ones that have been observed.

Scala

When it comes to mobile app languages, Scala is high-level. It combines both object-oriented and functional programming, making it concise and easy to use. Its static types help prevent errors in complex applications.

JavaScript

This is an interface language used for creating and developing websites, desktop applications, and games. JavaScript is compatible with all browsers. Also, it functions seamlessly with programs not accessible via the Internet.

Dart

Dart is a client-optimized programming language created by Google. It is often positioned as a suitable alternative to Javascript for building quick applications on any platform.

jQuery

jQuery is a feature-rich JavaScript library. It provides a simple API for tasks such as HTML document traversal and manipulation, event handling, animation, and Ajax.

Cordova

Cordova is a mobile app development platform. It is specially designed for web developers operating in the world of web development. Developers can utilize a variety of programming languages and web technologies, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, to create high-quality mobile applications.

Svelte

Svelte is a web framework that offers a unique approach to building web interfaces. It allows for a high level of customization over JavaScript and differs from traditional solutions like React and Vue. Svelte reorganizes the code and converts it into a “ready-to-use product” in a different way than its competitors.

Real Time Messaging App - Mobile App Development Languages
Real Time Messaging App

Ruby

Ruby is one of the mobile app development languages. It is an interpreted multi-paradigm programming language: dynamic, object-oriented, reflective, imperative, and functional. It is actively used in web development, system administration, and operating systems (Mac OS X, Linux, BSD). Unfortunately, Ruby was too strongly associated with the Rails framework, so people lost sight of what else Ruby could do.

Why isn’t Ruby even close to death? It is still a very hot framework, and many developers continue to work with it. In theory, it can be used for different purposes. But most often, the server side of sites and web programs is written in Ruby using the Ruby on Rails framework. Backenders and full-stack developers use it. However, this is not the only, albeit popular, application.

Rust

Rust is another mobile app language that serves three crucial programming needs: memory management, safety, and performance. It enforces memory safety. Rust is used to create sophisticated applications like game engines, operating systems, and browsers requiring scalability. Rust is popular among developers, and many businesses and projects utilize it daily.

Lua

Games, online applications, and developer tools can all be created with Lua. Lua, as an app programming language, was used to create, for instance, the Venmo mobile payment app. Lua and the game engine LVE were also used to create the Angry Birds game. Virtual apps and register-based simulated machines both employ Lua. Among the mobile programming languages, Lua is preferred for creating video games and being an extension language for software.

Action Script

The programming language for the run-time environments of Adobe® Flash® Player and Adobe® AIRTM is ActionScript. It enables Flash, Flex, and AIR content and apps to be interactive, handle data, and do much more. With this scripting language, you can add advanced interactivity, control playback, and visualize data in your application. The Actions panel, Script window, or an outside editor are the ways you can incorporate ActionScript in the authoring environment.

These are some of the best languages for app development, though there are others, too. Now, let’s look into the platforms that are there for the mobile app creation.

Mobile app development tools and platforms

When it comes to app development, it’s essential to consider the mobile app development platforms and tools in advance. This helps with determining the best programming language.

When creating optimal programming environments, developers often take into account the use of IDE (Integrated Development Environment). This is an integrated, unified development environment they use to create different software.

An IDE is a set of various tools that include a text editor, compiler or interpreter, build automation, and debugger. Both paid and free IDEs can provide excellent development tools. For instance, Microsoft Visual Studio is a widely used IDE by Xamarin for cross-platform development.

Xamarin

This Microsoft platform is popular among developers. C# is the preferred programming language for enterprise development. The development environment is Visual Studio.

Flutter

Google couldn’t ignore the cross-platform development of Android and iOS apps. Flutter, still in beta, differs from React Native and Xamarin.

React Native

This Facebook platform is an environment where developers can write applications using JavaScript and CSS-like styles. Its interface is native, and the code is interpreted directly on the platform, making it highly flexible. 

There are many cross-platform app development frameworks available. Some popular ones are Xamarin, Flutter, and React Native. Additionally, small to medium-sized business owners should consider other options. They are Appcelerator, Sencha, and AppInstitute. Don’t overlook these options when choosing your tech stack in the future.

Angular

Angular is a popular platform and component-based framework for building mobile and desktop web applications that can be scaled well.

mBaaS

Mobile Back-end as a Service (mBaaS) is an online platform that offers infrastructure and back-end services to improve the process of application development. MBaaS companies focus on solving back-end problems so developers can focus on front-end development. 

A Mobile Back-end solution includes a platform, hosting, data, and a mobile application. To provide the correct information to users, such as geolocation, sorting, and filters, applications need to cross-reference their internal information with other databases. This is done through custom application programming interfaces (APIs) and software development kits (SDKs).

SDK Toolkit for Windows

This is a set of development tools that provides the latest headers, libraries, metadata, and other resources for building Windows applications.

Types of Mobile Apps - Mobile App Development Languages
Designed by Fireart Studio

Progressive web app

When discussing the top programming languages used for mobile and web development, it’s important to mention progressive web apps (PWA). 

These sites are similar to smartphone applications, not only in appearance but also in functionality. PWA technology enables customers to install your website on their smartphone as an app.

PWAs may have numerous advantages over nonprogressive ones, and the key are:

  • Reliability

Applications are displayed instantly, regardless of network quality.

  • Speed

The data transfer between them through the network is swift; the UI is seamless and highly responsive.

  • Engagement

Such PWA provides a comfortable user experience, making the app more enjoyable and encouraging users to return.

From Google’s point of view, this is what distinguishes between the user interface of websites and native apps.

Responsive web programming

It’s worth mentioning that responsive web programming is among mobile app development trends.

Responsive Web Design (RWD) refers to the approach of designing and developing websites optimized for different devices based on their screen size, platform, and orientation. Responsive programming enables website pages to adapt to the platform, screen size, user, and device. It is a crucial aspect of modern web development.

Avoiding redundant design elements allows for efficient resource use. Optimizing for varying screen resolutions can achieve this, regardless of the programming language used. HTML and CSS are the primary languages utilized for responsive web design, with HTML used for content and CSS for style.

Barber App Concept

Choosing the best application development language to learn

JavaScript programming language for mobile apps is used to develop websites and applications. It is one of the most widespread programming languages in the world for servers and operating systems. 

Nevertheless, much depends on the project type. If a developer wants to learn programming but is looking for a language that is easy to grasp, Python is the most straightforward option for beginners. It is the easiest programming language to start with when creating applications.

The main advantage of C++ is its performance. Its speed is much higher as compared to Python. So, if you learn C++, it will be suitable for almost all platforms and embedded systems, while Python only works on select platforms that support high-level languages. Kotlin is the best choice for Android development today. 

But if you are a beginner programmer, it is recommended to choose Java. The reason is this language is old enough, and you can easily find information on how to solve a particular problem and so much more. Thus, the language to learn and create the best apps depends on many factors.

Which language is better?

Though each programming language for mobile apps has its pros and cons, JavaScript is still the best app programming language. JavaScript has been around for 25 years. It has a massive number of plugins and frameworks. This can significantly simplify development among the other app development languages.

Skills

For the JavaScript developer, there’s a list of hard skills to form and improve. A Java developer should master the following:

  • Java ecosystems,
  • writing reusable Java libraries,
  • OOPs patterns and concepts,
  • MVC patterns, concurrency patterns,
  • JDBC, RESTful web services,
  • the majority of popular web application frameworks, and
  • Java GUI frameworks. 

They should also have the ability to write maintainable core, apply code versioning tools, and continuous integrations.

Salary overview

Currently, Java is the most used programming language. It is preferred for its adaptability in creating highly personalized and efficient applications that can cater to diverse needs.

However, learning Java can be a daunting task, leading to a fluctuating salary range for the programmers who are proficient in it. There is much competition for Java developer roles, indeed. That is why the average salary for a Java Developer may reach $104,000 per year in the United States. And it varies from junior to middle to senior.

Wrapping up

There are several commonly used mobile programming languages that you can choose from to create a well-structured, highly functional mobile app. What programming language are Android and iOS apps written in?

When selecting the appropriate coding language for your mobile app, considering different  types of mobile apps on the market is essential. The same applies to the peculiarities of the language, frameworks, and tools available. There are plenty of options to choose from, so take your time in making the best decision.

Consider consulting expert mobile app developers if you’re struggling with the best programming language for app development.

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