Almost everyone associates the word “app” with the applications that you can download and install from either the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. This type of apps belongs to the “mobile apps”. The NetBet mobile app also belongs to this variant. However, there are also other types of apps, such as “web apps”.
These are applications that run directly in the browser of the smartphone, tablet or PC. The more recent versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, etc. now enable a high range of functions. Depending on the area of use, they can be a useful alternative to the mobile app.
What are the differences between the various apps?
The main difference is that you launch the web app directly from the device’s web browser, while you have to download the mobile apps from the store of the respective platform.
However, there are other factors in which these types of apps differ.
Web apps
Meanwhile, many applications can be implemented directly as web apps. The particular advantage of this variant lies primarily in the fact that these apps are almost hardware-independent. The installed operating system (iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, etc.) plays no role at all here. However, the prerequisite is that you have the latest version of the popular web browsers.
At their core, web apps are not much different than websites. Only the form of the web pages is a bit more interactive. For this reason, existing homepages can also be conveniently supplemented with interactive features. The disadvantage of web apps is that some features are not fully supported. In addition, a web app cannot be used without an active and stable Internet connection.
Native apps
The native app is developed in such a way that it runs optimally on the respective target system on the one hand and is ideally integrated graphically on the other. For this purpose, blocks (SDKs) are provided by manufacturers for programming. For example, these ensure that sensor values are read out and they address the hardware functions of a device. Thanks to predefined components, they also make it easier to create the user interface.
The advantages of native apps are therefore obvious, because they ensure that not only the device hardware can be used optimally, but also other platform-specific functions. In addition, the user interface remains consistent and familiar.
However, their disadvantage is that if several operating systems are to be covered, the entire app has to be programmed multiple times.
Progressive web apps (PWA)
This newer development is based on the simple web app. However, there are significant differences between this variant and the ordinary web app.
First of all, the PWA can also work without an Internet connection. However, this requires that the app has already been loaded beforehand. It is also possible to save the PWA on the home screen of the device used. This gives the impression of launching a conventional mobile app.
In addition, the progressive web app can also execute functions in the background. This could be receiving push notifications, for example.
However, just like with the simple web app, full support of the usable functions cannot be expected. Since PWAs are still very new, they do not yet work in all browsers.
Hybrid apps
Actually, a hybrid app is a web app. However, it is packaged in a platform-specific container. This combines the advantage that the app only has to be programmed once with the possibility of accessing all device functions. The hybrid app is also downloaded and installed via the store of the respective platform.
When the app is opened, the differences to the native app become immediately apparent, because the user interface does not consist of the platform-specific components. Just like the web app, it consists of HTML elements here.
Photograph by Cristiano Betta