Xamarin Technical Assessment Against Native for Cross Platform Mobile Development
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This document presents a comparative assessment of Xamarin versus native development for cross-platform mobile applications, highlighting the benefits of Xamarin such as cost efficiency, a single codebase, and native API access. The evaluation includes performance criteria, user experience, and architectural design, demonstrating that both approaches have their own advantages and disadvantages. Ultimately, the choice between Xamarin and native development depends on the specific needs of each company.
![Performance
Support
Costs & Overheads
Criteria Xamarin iOS
Speed at Start up/
Run time
• Tested initial load time of PoC application for
6 runs. Average launch time + login screen
display time ~ 300 ms.
• Tested initial load time of PoC
application for 6 runs. Average
launch time + login screen
display time ~ 200 ms.
Responsiveness on
user interaction
• Responsiveness of Xamarin app is same as that of native
app.
• Involves additional effort as the UI files (.xib) need to be
edited with X-Code to resemble iOS Native app.
• Asynchronous calls on background
thread do not block the user interface
and provides excellent user experience
and responsiveness.
Performance
and robustness
to support
interruptions *
• Based on iOS. Core Telephony Framework
• To handle Call interruptions iOS uses
Core Telephony Framework
Criteria Xamarin iOS
Support of newest
versions of mobile
operating systems
• Xamarin releases a newer API for
target OS within couple of days.
• Major updates rolled out annually, beta preview releases
in June/July to developers to test their apps for the latest
iOS versions and for end users the updates are released in
September giving 2-3 months to check and update our apps
on the app-store.
• Changes in API are updated in the related framework
documents.
Active community
with many
developers
• https://forums.xamarin.com/ is
the forum for Xamarin developers
community.
• Developer.apple.com,
• WWDC Video Sessions,
• Stanford University lectures.
• http://www.raywenderlich.com/tutorial-archive
• http://www.objc.io
Commercial
supporters for the
framework's on-
going development
• Xamarin is not an open source
developer plwatform.
• developer.xamarin.com and other
reference sites are available.
• Apple provides support for the new development through
Apple website (developer.apple.com); also the above links can
be used to stay updated.
Target OS/ Devices.
Apps targeting IOS , Android, Windows
can be developed
Apps Targeting iPad/IPhone devices can be developed using
XCode IDE
Frequency of
frameworks updates.
Xamarin framework is not updated too
frequently. But the API are updated as
per iOS and Android updates
Normally once a year, new iOS SDK is released and supporting
documentation and updated libraries are available on the
developer community site.
Criteria Xamarin iOS
Licensing
Three types of licenses are available:
• Indie[Individual]-
• Business
• Commercial
• Free
Development
System Size
• 64 Bit Processor + 8 GB Ram • MAC OS Based devices (Mac Pro , Mac Book , Mac Mini)](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/yash-xamarin-mobile-wp-170609122425/85/Xamarin-Technical-Assessment-Against-Native-for-Cross-Platform-Mobile-Development-6-320.jpg)
Xamarin Technical Assessment Against Native for Cross Platform Mobile Development
- 1. Xamarin Technical Assessment Against Native for Cross Platform Mobile Development . White Paper
- 2. Background With an aim to become competitive and responsive in the market, mobile application development companies are trying to deliver applications on as many platforms as possible and within budget. Since the mobile market is dominated by iOS, Android and Windows devices, if one wants to develop a particular application, it must atleast be developed for one of these three devices unless you can afford to ignore one or all these devices. The standard approach that companies follow for developing applications is native development. What modern companies and app developers are doing is ‘write once and run anywhere’ with cross- platform development, as it allows to develop applications that can run on multiple platforms. With cross-platform development, you can reduce the cost of development below the threshold of the total sum of native development costs for each platform. Introduction Objective C, Swift, and Java are a natural choice for the development of mobile applications on iOS and Android platforms. It’s impossible to ignore Xamarin when talking about the important approaches to mobile application development. Xamarin is a cross-platform framework that has picked up the development market with its own IDE. It works on C# within the NET framework and allows you to create native apps by utilizing native APIs and UIs of each platform. Xamarin is unique in this space as it offers single C# class library and runtime library that works across all three mobile platforms while still compiling native (non-interpreted) applications that are performant for applications like demanding games. This research report is based on findings in regards to the evaluation of Xamarin v/s Native platforms and their development methodologies. Comparative Technical Assessment of Xamarin vs. iOS Methodology (Comparative Feasibility Check) A survey on cross-platform mobile development shows that he grew by more than 200% in 2016. Considering this surge, businesses have started using latest cross-platform application development tools like Xamarin. These tools allow developers to create basic native apps using a single codebase which in turn saves their time, energy and money. The primary purpose of this comparative assessment is to determine if Xamarin tool can be an alternative to developing native mobile applications. For this assessment, a proof of concept application is developed in both iOS (representing native application approach) and Xamarin (representing cross-platform application development approach) and then compared against a list of criteria mentioned below. The criteria selected fell under the following broad areas: Use Cases The use cases were carefully selected to demonstrate key technical implementation strategies. Following use case scenarios are used for this comparative assessment. • Architecture & Design • Development Methodology • Infrastructure and Performance • Support and Costs • Login/Authentication process • Read data from a secured web service • Update data via a secured web service • Send/Receive an alert to a mobile device
- 3. Architecture & Design High Level Architecture Criteria Xamarin iOS Integration with back-end services • Web Services are consumed using NSURL. • Additional step is required for parsing the data using NewtonSoft.JSON • Web Services are consumed using NSURL classes. • Data is parsed using JSON Framework. Separation of presentation from business logic • Uses MVVM • Uses MVC architecture. Security * • All iOS Security features are available. • All Android Security features are available. • IOS supports whole set of security features (see references). Local storage * • iOS using SQL Lite DB and android using Android File System and SQL Lite. • SQLite DB Authentication • Authentication using service method call, additional step is required for parsing the data. • Authentication achieved using service method call. Authorization * • Authorization is typically embedded in Middle ware. • Authorization is typically embedded in Middle ware. Session Management • Maintained using NSURLConnection and NSURLSession in IOS • Maintained using Shared preferences in Android. • Maintained using NSURLConnection and NSURLSession
- 4. User Experience Criteria Xamarin iOS Native look & feel • All the UI elements have the same look and feel like native app as Xamarin uses Native UI controls for rendering on each platform. • This is native development (X-Code, objective-c and iOS SDK) so the application has rich look and feel. Action Sheet* • Based on iOS UIAlertControllerStyleActionSheet. • Based on UIAlertControllerStyleActionSheet. Form Inputs* • Xamarin.Forms can be used for basic form input applications • Based on iOS UIView and its Subclasses , forms are created in the application • UIView and its Subclasses are used to create forms in the application. Gestures and Events* • Based on iOS UIGestureRecognizer Class. Supports recognizing tap, pinch, pan, rotate, swipe etc,. Custom gestures can also be added. • Based on iOS UIEvent Class, Supports touch events, motion events, and remote-control events • Gestures based on UIGestureRecognizer Class • Events based on UIEvent Class touch events, motion events, and remote- control events. Keyboard* • Based on iOS UIKeyBoard • Based on UIKeyBoard. Lists • Based on iOS UITableView • List view with custom list adapter for Android. • Based on UITableView. Modal* • Based on iOS ViewController and ModalPresentationStyle. • Based on UIViewController and ModalPresentationStyle. Navigation • Based on iOS UINavigationController and ViewControllers. • Activity lifecycle for Android are used for controlling Navigation. • Based on UINavigationController and ViewControllers. Popover* • Based on iOS UIPopOverviewController. • Based on UIPopOverviewController. Popup* • Based on iOS UIViewController, popups can displayed. • Based on UIViewController, popups can displayed. Scroll* • Based on iOS UIScrollView. • Based on UIScrollView. Tabs • Based on iOS UITabBarController. • Tabhost for Android. • Based on UITabBarController. Tap & Click* • Based on iOS UITapGestureRecognizer, supports recognizing Tap and Click events. • Based on UITapGestureRecognizer, supports recognizing Tap and Click events. Side Menu* • Container view controllers can be used for creating Side Menu. • Container view controllers can be used for creating Side Menu.
- 5. Device Specific Features Development Criteria Xamarin iOS Camera * • Based on iOS AV Foundation Framework. • Uses native library API in Android. • Based on AV Foundation framework. GPS * • Based on iOS Core Location framework. • Uses native library API in Android. • Based on Core Location framework. NFC (Near Field Communication) * • NFC is not supported in iOS. • Limited support for Android phones using Android Beam. • Not Supported. Accelerometer * • Using Core Motion for iOS. • Native library API in Android. • Based on UI Accelerometer. Multi-Touch support* • Based on iOS UI Kit • Native device framework for Android. • Based on UI Kit. Criteria Xamarin iOS Development Infrastructure For the PoC we deployed Tamarin as follows • Install Xamarin.iOS on Mac machine. • Inst Xamarin. Windows on Windows 7. • Pairing of Windows and Mac machine achieved with Bonjour service. • Install X-Code on Mac machine for .Xib changes. • IDE: X-Code. • Programming language: objective-C/ Swift. • SDK: iOS SDK 8.x. • Instruments to debug memory, battery, time and network related performance parameters. IDE • Xcode Interface Builder for Xamarin.iOS • Xamarin studio for Xamarin.Android • Xamarin studio for Xamarin.Forms targeting windows apps & Windows store apps • Photoshop or any other image editing software. • X Code • Photoshop or any other image editing software. Testing Tools except TDD • http://xamarin.com/test-cloud This is in addition to simulators and provides access to 300 + device types. • iPad and iPhone simulators are available and updated with every version of X-Code. Short update cycles • This is based on the target platform, Ex. iOS updates can take 2 weeks while Android can be 24 hrs. • An approval process on app store takes around two weeks. Here, we can provide update for apps every two weeks if required. Defect Management • GitHub, Bugzilla,TFS • GitHub, Bugzilla Ease of maintaining multiple Platforms • Shared business logic serves the purpose of maintaining multiple platforms (iOS, Android, Windows). • Sharing Business logic is not applicable as it is native development for iOS only. Source Management • Xamarin has integration with Source Management tools like GitHub, Bugzilla, TFS. • X-Code has integration with Source Management tools like GitHub, SVN or Bit-bucket). Deployment Process • App-store for IOS and Play store distribution for Android apps. • Apps can be deployed to the enterprise store also. • Ad hoc Distribution for beta testing. • App-store distribution for users. • Apps can be deployed to enterprise store also. Push Updates • Push Updates to the application can be done using • APNS for iOS if distributed through App-Store. • Play store for Android • For enterprise program/stores, licensee needs to send out updates to the users. • Push Updates to the application can be done using APNS if distributed through App-Store. • For enterprise program / stores, licensee needs to send out updates to the users. Distribution Channel • Using App Store for iOS and Play Store for Android • Enterprise deployment. • Using App Store • Enterprise deployment
- 6. Performance Support Costs & Overheads Criteria Xamarin iOS Speed at Start up/ Run time • Tested initial load time of PoC application for 6 runs. Average launch time + login screen display time ~ 300 ms. • Tested initial load time of PoC application for 6 runs. Average launch time + login screen display time ~ 200 ms. Responsiveness on user interaction • Responsiveness of Xamarin app is same as that of native app. • Involves additional effort as the UI files (.xib) need to be edited with X-Code to resemble iOS Native app. • Asynchronous calls on background thread do not block the user interface and provides excellent user experience and responsiveness. Performance and robustness to support interruptions * • Based on iOS. Core Telephony Framework • To handle Call interruptions iOS uses Core Telephony Framework Criteria Xamarin iOS Support of newest versions of mobile operating systems • Xamarin releases a newer API for target OS within couple of days. • Major updates rolled out annually, beta preview releases in June/July to developers to test their apps for the latest iOS versions and for end users the updates are released in September giving 2-3 months to check and update our apps on the app-store. • Changes in API are updated in the related framework documents. Active community with many developers • https://forums.xamarin.com/ is the forum for Xamarin developers community. • Developer.apple.com, • WWDC Video Sessions, • Stanford University lectures. • http://www.raywenderlich.com/tutorial-archive • http://www.objc.io Commercial supporters for the framework's on- going development • Xamarin is not an open source developer plwatform. • developer.xamarin.com and other reference sites are available. • Apple provides support for the new development through Apple website (developer.apple.com); also the above links can be used to stay updated. Target OS/ Devices. Apps targeting IOS , Android, Windows can be developed Apps Targeting iPad/IPhone devices can be developed using XCode IDE Frequency of frameworks updates. Xamarin framework is not updated too frequently. But the API are updated as per iOS and Android updates Normally once a year, new iOS SDK is released and supporting documentation and updated libraries are available on the developer community site. Criteria Xamarin iOS Licensing Three types of licenses are available: • Indie[Individual]- • Business • Commercial • Free Development System Size • 64 Bit Processor + 8 GB Ram • MAC OS Based devices (Mac Pro , Mac Book , Mac Mini)
- 7. Reliability & performance of the assessment During implementation and testing of the sample application, no relevant crashes were found with any of the frameworks and native SDKs, apart from the memory management of loaded thumbnails from large pictures. Key findings based on comparative assessment There is still a discussion going on about Xamarin vs native app development. Yet, any technology has its own benefits and drawbacks. To make an informed decision about your technology choice, let’s weigh all the pros and cons of Xamarin application development. • Xamarin provides a single codebase and hence reduces the cost for support and new functionalities that need to be introduced. • Xamarin test cloud allows you to automatically test your iOS and android apps on hundreds of devices, test for performance, UI testing, integration testing and UI and UX testing. • Xamarin allows building applications on C# and C# is a simple, modern, general-purpose, object- oriented programming language. • Xamarin provides a simple development environment for cross-platform mobile apps. • Xamarin delivers high performance compiled code with full access to all the native APIs so you can create native apps with device-specific experiences. • Using Xamarin technology allows you to keep native UI across all major Mobile platforms, therefore providing excellent performance. • Xamarin is integrated with the SDKs of leading mobile OS for developers to utilize native controls that exist for the iOS, android or windows. YASH-Xamarin-Mobile-WP-0517 © 2017 YASH Technologies. All rights reserved. Referred products/ services may be registered trademarks of belonging companies. About YASH Technologies YASH Technologies focuses on customer success. As a leading technology services and outsourcing partner for large and fast growing global customers, the company leverages technology and flexible business models to drive innovation and value throughout its customer’s enterprise. YASH customer centric engagement and delivery framework integrates specialized domain and consulting capabilities with proprietary methodologies and solution offerings to provision application, infrastructure and end user focused Right-Sourcing services. YASH is a SEI CMMI (Level 3) and an ISO 9001:2015 certified company with U.S. and India headquarters and regional sales and development offices globally with customers spread across 6 continents. . YASH Technologies Global Presence www.yash.com/contactus AMERICAS | EUROPE | APAC | MEA World HQ: 605-17th Avenue East Moline IL 61244 USA | Toll Free: 877-766-8934 | Tel: 309-755-0433 | Fax: 309-796-1242 For more information contact YASH today at [email protected] or visit www.yash.com Conclusion To summarize, for native apps tool or cross-platform development tool, there are diverse ways to cater to the needs of the mobile user. There is no unique best solution: each of these has their strengths and weaknesses. The choice of one versus the other depends on each company’s individual needs. This comparative assessment can serve as a baseline research document for deciding on which mobile application development tool/platform is the most suitable to choose.