With an increasing number of smartphone users, more and more businesses are including app development as a part of their growth strategy. Mobile applications can generate additional income, boost brand awareness, and attract new customers. But the question then arises: iOS or Android?

Unless you are specifically targeting a certain region, like Brazil, India, or Spain, where Android has occupied 90% of the market, your best bet is building a cross-platform solution. A cross-platform app is one that is available on iOS, Android, and other operating systems, including the web. One of the most popular frameworks that developers use to build applications across platforms is Xamarin. What is it exactly and how can it benefit your organisation?

What is Xamarin?

Originally based on the Mono project, Xamarin was acquired by Microsoft in 2016 and successfully integrated into the .NET platform. As of 2020, Xamarin is in the top 5 most popular frameworks for cross-platform app development. One of the best features of cross-platform frameworks, including Xamarin, is its ability to reuse a large portion of the code - up to 95% in the case of Xamarin. Its tech stack includes C# and the .NET framework and allows us to build high-performance applications for Android and iOS - as well as macOS and Windows.

What are the benefits of Xamarin?

Xamarin comes with a plethora of advantages - for both developers and businesses - but we will mainly focus on how Xamarin can benefit your organisation.

Cost-effective

Xamarin’s “write once, use everywhere” approach allows developers to reuse up to 95% of the code. The framework offers a single tech stack which eliminates the need to have separate teams for development, testing, and deployment. Xamarin automatically applies changes to the source code across all platforms, for easy maintenance. All these benefits will be better for your budget and reduce the length of the dev cycle.

User experience

Using Xamarin.Forms, a subset of the Xamarin framework that ensures the building of near-native applications across platforms, you can significantly enhance user experience. Xamarin gives you access to platform-specific elements for Android and iOS and simplifies the creation of UIs for different platforms.

Support of wearables

If you are interested in exploring the world of IoT and would like to launch a wearable like a smartwatch or fitness tracker, Xamarin proves the perfect framework. Xamarin.Forms enables building wearables for a wide range of platforms, including Samsung’s Tizen and watchOS.

What can you build with Xamarin?

With a community of 1.4 million developers, Xamarin opens a huge range of possibilities for app development. You can build games, fundraising apps, platforms for travellers, shipment tracking tools, and business solutions.

Let’s take a look at some of the most successful applications based on Xamarin:

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines used Xamarin to create a mobile app that helps travellers explore options, make bookings, check in, and discover flight information.

MRW

MRW is a mobile solution that allows users to track their shipments in real-time. It also provides data about the nearest MRW offices as well as gives easy access to the contact information.

Captio

Captio is a business expense management tool that simplifies paperwork behind corporate travel. You can upload your receipts, bills, and other travel expenses in one tool and it will automatically create reports.

Are there alternatives?

When Xamarin is compared to other frameworks for cross-platform development, its number one competitor is usually React Native. Although React Native is loved by the tech community and has many exciting features like Hot Reload and instant updates, it loses out to Xamarin in performance. Applications built with React Native perform slower and don’t provide that native-like feel. While React Native might be more convenient for developers it doesn’t offer the best user experience.

Besides providing great performance, Xamarin makes programming more efficient and cost-effective. However, it is not a magic pill that fits all companies and projects. This is why you need a reliable partner that will guide you in the right direction.

CodeFirst is a UK-based software development company that helps organisations bring to fruition the best solutions and to fit business goals. Whether you specialise in the health industry, finance, professional services, or education, we’re here to offer our expertise and support. Contact our team of experts to receive a free consultation and learn more about Xamarin with your software project.