Choosing a cross-platform mobile architecture
A shared codebase saves time until platform differences surface. Deciding where to share and where to split is the real call.
01
The real promise of shared code
Cross-platform frameworks deliver genuine savings on business logic, networking, state management and most of the interface. They deliver much less on deep platform integration: background processing, notifications, biometrics, hardware access and store-specific behaviour.
02
Share the core, split the edges
The practical approach is to share aggressively at the core and accept native work at the edges. A clean boundary between shared logic and platform code keeps that split maintainable instead of producing two half-native apps.
03
Measure where performance matters
Performance questions are usually about lists, animations and images rather than the framework itself. Measure on mid-range devices, not flagships, and treat startup time as a product feature.
04
Choose for the team you have
The decision should also account for the team. A framework that matches existing skills and hiring reality will outperform a theoretically superior choice that nobody on the team can maintain.
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