5 ms·

I agree with you in many cases. At my professional company, we've made the decision to write native apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and the web, because we have

by l72 3y ago

I agree with you in many cases. At my professional company, we've made the decision to write native apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and the web, because we have pretty deep integration into each platform and want the best native experience for our users. But, for my personal apps (which is what I am talking about in this thread), I can't support that. Writing it once and maintaining it takes up enough of my free time. This app also doesn't have any integration with the system, and has a minimal interface, so it works quite well as a web app.

zaat 3y ago
The app my accountant provide me - a white-label finance app with the firm logo on it - used to be native. The developers had issues with updating the app to support a change in the camera API and I couldn't scan papers. They sent me get web app instead. Now whenever I use phone's native back button/gesture the app quits instead of going back within the app, there's a functional in-app back button, but my instincts will never disappear selectivity when I'm using their app. I have quit their app million times half-way of filling forms. Terrible UX.
- themerone 3y ago
  In a properly coded single page application, the back button works as expected.
  - FridgeSeal 3y ago
    As keeps getting pointed out, every. Time. This. Gets. Raised: evidently most SPA’s are not written properly, because “back button not working properly” is easily one of the most common complaints.
    - themerone 3y ago
      It's not a complaint I've received about my applications. 15 years ago, getting it right took a ton development time, but today there are frameworks that handle it with minimal effort.
      - deleted 3y ago
        [deleted]
scarface_74 3y ago
> This app also doesn't have any integration with the system And this is suppose to be an argument for web apps?
- anders_p 3y ago
  Yes? The WHOLE POINT of native apps is that they are better at integrating with the system. Like access storage, gps, camera, accelerometer/gyroscope, etc. Besides that the only benefit of a native app is basically that the UI/UX will be closer to what the user is accustomed to.
  - scarface_74 3y ago
    > Besides that the only benefit of a native app is basically that the UI/UX will be closer to what the user is accustomed to. You realize you’re still not exactly making your case for web apps right?
    - anders_p 3y ago
      You do understand that not every developer is backed by billions of dollars of venture capital, right? That there are people who have to target multiple operating systems, and don't have 100+ people working on their team, right? I mean...it doesn't take a genius to figure out that there's a benefit to being able to write code once and deploy to ALL users/customers without having to dedicate entire teams of developers with expertise in various platforms. I'm an Android developer with 10+ years of experience. I take pride in my native apps that I code for the company I work for. They are far superior to any web app or "multiplatform framework solution". But if I had to create my own personal app, there's no way in hell I'd spend years learning everything it would take to create a native iOS, Windows, Linux, MacOS version. I'd be an absolute idiot if I didn't just choose a solution, like a web app, or framework that was able to output for more systems, etc.
  - TexanFeller 3y ago
    That's not the only point. Web apps can have far lower performance or battery utilization than real native apps for one thing. If you care about the environment or your battery life use a compiled app, not the web.

by l72 3y ago

zaat 3y ago

The app my accountant provide me - a white-label finance app with the firm logo on it - used to be native. The developers had issues with updating the app to support a change in the camera API and I couldn't scan papers. They sent me get web app instead. Now whenever I use phone's native back button/gesture the app quits instead of going back within the app, there's a functional in-app back button, but my instincts will never disappear selectivity when I'm using their app. I have quit their app million times half-way of filling forms. Terrible UX.

themerone 3y ago
In a properly coded single page application, the back button works as expected.
- FridgeSeal 3y ago
  As keeps getting pointed out, every. Time. This. Gets. Raised: evidently most SPA’s are not written properly, because “back button not working properly” is easily one of the most common complaints.
  - themerone 3y ago
    It's not a complaint I've received about my applications. 15 years ago, getting it right took a ton development time, but today there are frameworks that handle it with minimal effort.
    - deleted 3y ago
      [deleted]

scarface_74 3y ago

> This app also doesn't have any integration with the system And this is suppose to be an argument for web apps?

anders_p 3y ago
Yes? The WHOLE POINT of native apps is that they are better at integrating with the system. Like access storage, gps, camera, accelerometer/gyroscope, etc. Besides that the only benefit of a native app is basically that the UI/UX will be closer to what the user is accustomed to.
- scarface_74 3y ago
  > Besides that the only benefit of a native app is basically that the UI/UX will be closer to what the user is accustomed to. You realize you’re still not exactly making your case for web apps right?
  - anders_p 3y ago
    You do understand that not every developer is backed by billions of dollars of venture capital, right? That there are people who have to target multiple operating systems, and don't have 100+ people working on their team, right? I mean...it doesn't take a genius to figure out that there's a benefit to being able to write code once and deploy to ALL users/customers without having to dedicate entire teams of developers with expertise in various platforms. I'm an Android developer with 10+ years of experience. I take pride in my native apps that I code for the company I work for. They are far superior to any web app or "multiplatform framework solution". But if I had to create my own personal app, there's no way in hell I'd spend years learning everything it would take to create a native iOS, Windows, Linux, MacOS version. I'd be an absolute idiot if I didn't just choose a solution, like a web app, or framework that was able to output for more systems, etc.
- TexanFeller 3y ago
  That's not the only point. Web apps can have far lower performance or battery utilization than real native apps for one thing. If you care about the environment or your battery life use a compiled app, not the web.