Top 10 Mobile App Development Languages for Android and iOS Developers

There is no universal language for mobile app development. The reason is that the development process relies on only what your objectives are. It means that you have to first know your goals before picking the correct app development language.

Whether looking for a job or thinking of developing a mobile app for Android or iOS operating systems, you need to learn and understand how to code in some app development languages. Let’s discuss the best ten mobile app development languages for Android and iOS developers.

Best Mobile App Development Languages for iOS

These are the application development languages that iOS developers have to know if they are creating iOS apps.

1. Objective C- Object Oriented Programming (OOP) language

Every mobile app development company uses this programming language initially created by Apple. It is developed for supporting applications on different platforms. First, it utilises the Syntax from the C language. Then it adds messaging in Small talk style for easy solutions and flexibility for solving programming issues with ease.

It is a well-updated and mature programming language even though it was developed in 1984. Objective C is also highly stable with C++ and C libraries.

Pros:

• It possesses excellent compatibility with C++ libraries.
• It can easily use private APIs and has more stability.
• It has lots of legacy codes that support the nest coding style.

Cons:

• The extended coding will consume time.
• It does not support dynamic libraries as they are bigger.

2. Python 

It is not difficult to learn Python, as it is easy to understand. Furthermore, Python is an open-source programming language which makes everything shareable and usable. Compared with other programming languages, here you can code in some lines. It will also help you function fast and effectively integrate your systems with less costly maintenance. These all things make it the outstanding server-side scripting language.

Pros:

• Python programming language is easier to learn, utilise, and deploy.
• It is used for software development and analysis.
• It provides multi-system and multi-platform support.

Cons:

• It takes so much time to execute the code.
• It provides limited data access.
• It is not efficient with modern mobile app development.

3. Flutter

It is an open-source software development kit(SDK) which utilises Dart programming language for creating iOS applications. It possesses full support of native features, which is why it is recommended to use it during iOS app development.

It has a reload feature which operates when you update any changes in the code. The changes get reflected within seconds after you complete loading. It is an ideal choice for developing an iOS application due to its features like fast time to market speed and less development.

Pros:

• It only takes less time to develop iOS applications.
• It's hot reload characteristic will let you upgrade changes within seconds.
• It gives the best performance, similar to the native app.
• It can use the same user interface(UI) on all platforms.

Cons:

• The apps developed using Flutter might not be supported by web browsers.
  
• Limited library to access
• Applications are larger in size.

4. HTML5

The latest evolution of HTML is HTML5, which is the famous markup programming language. It helps in structuring and presenting the content on the World Wide Web(WWW). Therefore, it is easier to learn. However, it provides well-designed forms and ensures accessibility in a better manner. Consequently, it is the best choice for building location-based apps. Moreover, the app development process can be done quickly because of its features like agile market deployment, multi-platform functionality, and media elements.

Pros:

• It helps in supporting different major version browsers.
• It also supports offline access and takes only lesser time.
• Moreover, it easily interacts without external plugins.

Cons:

• It puts different restrictions on multimedia.
  
• It has delivery inconsistencies.
• It is challenging for this language to support old browsers.

5. C++

Using C++ seems easier for iOS app development due to Objective-C. It is suggested, as it has so much control over the extended utilisation of memory and resources. It is flexible and powerful and makes it easy to function for browsers, game development, and operating systems. The highlights of this language include rich libraries, fast growth, and dynamic memory allocation. These things make it an ideal choice to choose it for iOS app development.

Pros:

• It has ready to utilise built-in compilers and libraries.
• It has complete control over the app development process.

Cons:

• It has small standard libraries and a complex syntax.
• It is not well-designed, so it seems to be more challenging to master it.
• It has a dynamic and complex memory allocation.

Best Mobile App Development Languages for Android

Here are the excellent mobile app development languages which Android developers need to know to write the coding for designing Android apps.

1. Kotlin

It is the programming language which is used to develop potential Android apps. Kotlin helps in code readability and maintainability. It means that programmers can write, read, and efficiently alter the code. The prominent apps created using Kotlin are Trello, Pinterest, Coursera, BaseCamp3 etc. It is one of the alternative languages to Java for developing Android applications.

Pros:

• It is easy to follow up with Java code.
• It is easily maintained because of its clear and complete codebase.
• It is more stable and consistent.

Cons:

• The compilation speed keeps fluctuating.
  
• Kotlin’s developer community is small.
• Lesser resources to learn this programming language.

2. Java

It is one of the best mobile app development languages. It is an object-oriented programming language with built-in libraries. As a result, it is easier to handle and provides marvellous community support and documentation.

It has features like encapsulation, polymorphism, abstraction, and inheritance, making it an ideal choice for Cross-platform and Android app development.

Pros:

• It has a simple syntax.
• It is easy to write and compile.

Cons:

• Do not provide backup facilities.
• Using this requires paying for a commercial licence.

3. XML

It is a markup language. As it describes data and introduces several elements, it is an ideal choice for developing Android apps. XML is similar to HTML in storing and transferring the data.

Pros:

• It is platform-independent.
  
• Simplifies the ways to share data over distinct platforms.

Cons:

• Files are larger in size.
• Java doesn’t support an array.

4. C Language

C language is used to develop Android apps and makes the development procedure easier. It helps in increasing the performance and leveraging direct low-level programming. It can also efficiently use the libraries written in the C code.

Pros:

• It can extend by itself.
• It consists of built-in functions.
• It has different operators and data types.

Cons:

• It lacks exceptional handling.
• It has a low level of abstraction.

5. JavaScript 

It is the best app development language that comply with various programming languages. You can build interactive and efficient Android apps using JavaScript.

Pros:

• It doesn’t need to be compiled for web browsing.
• It is easier to manage and control.

Cons:

• It might encounter some browser issues.
• Its vulnerability makes it prone to malicious attacks.

Final Thoughts

Thus, these are the top 10 mobile application development programming languages for iOS and Android developers. Learning these languages helps an individual or an app developer to code efficiently and create innovative Android or iOS apps.