How To Choose The Right Tech Stack To Build A Mobile App?

• Mobile
• October 25, 2024

by Bhumi Goklani

Right from streamlined development, and reduced cost to optimized performance, or you name it, you embrace a plethora of pluses when having employed the best tech stack for mobile app development. However, it is beneficial; the question here is, “How to choose the right tech stack to build a mobile app?” Let’s answer this question through this informative guide!

Are you an app enthusiast like me? If yes, you must have used apps like TikTok, Facebook, Spotify, and Airbnb. From personalization to unique value propositions, cross-platform availability, and many more make them the user’s first choice. Do you think it’s just because of the unique idea? No! The success of these apps is attributed to the extraordinary alignment of unmatched ideas with the right app tech stacks.

While Facebook leveraged React Native – a robust cross-platform development tech to make its app supported by all screen sizes using one code base, TikTok, Spotify, and Airbnb prioritized native tech to do the same while keeping the code base different, supporting iOS and Android ecosystems.

It’s the difference of what you are prioritizing! A robust product development that’s time- and cost-saving or a robust product that cannot compromise on user experience when it comes to real-time communication.

Well, that’s the reason why choosing the right tech stack that aligns well with your requirements for time, budget, performance, etc., comes in.

This blog is going to navigate you through a comprehensive guide on how to choose the right tech stack for mobile app development. It will make tech selection easy for you, making it effortless for you to hire mobile app developers with ease!

What Is Tech Stack In Mobile App Development?

“Tech stack”, a short form of technology stack for mobile apps is a complete set of tools and technologies used to develop and run mobile applications. It consists of programming languages, frameworks, libraries, databases, and many other tools and technologies, amalgamated together to be employed for mobile app development.

The tech stack tends to be made up of different layers, including frontend, backend, and hosting, each intending to serve different purposes.

Frontend

A mobile app’s front end is responsible for client-side code and the user interface that users interact with. A few of the front-end development tech stacks include JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.

Backend

The backend of a mobile app takes charge of the server-side code and database. The programming language for mobile app backend development includes Java, Python, Ruby, and the like.

Hosting

Hosting ensures that the server-side code runs smoothly and offers the app to its users timelessly. The hosting environment involves Apache, Linux, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and many more.

Platform

Mobile platforms like Android and iOS are not only operating systems but provide app development tools too to develop and run applications. The tech stacks include iOS SDK for iOS app development and Android SDK for Android development.

Types of Tech Stacks

There’s a variety of tech stacks available out there that you can choose for mobile app development depending on your needs. The technology you employ tends to differ based on various factors, such as the type of mobile app you want to build, its complexity, required features and functionalities, and many others. Look at the following types of tech stacks and choose what aligns with the specific app you want to build!

Native Mobile App Development

A native app development tech stack tends to be a combination of programming languages, frameworks, and tools to develop apps that run on specific platforms. For example, you choose programming languages like Java and Kotlin, and Android SDK as a toolkit for Android app development.

Android App Development

Following are the popular tech stacks for Android app development!

Java

It’s a preliminary programming language for Android app development. With many libraries like GSON and several tools, Java offers the utmost convenience when it comes to developing Android apps. Besides, the wider community support of Java makes it the right choice for Android developers along with businesses.

Twitter, Spotify, Nimbuzz Messenger, and Opera Mini are a few excellent examples of mobile apps developed using Java.

Kotlin

Kotlin, a modern and statically typed programming language, is one of the best programming languages to build Android apps. It is expressive, concise, and convenient to learn, which is interoperable with Java. The programming language provides many libraries, such as Anko and KBinding, making it a suitable technology for Android app development.

Netflix, Pinterest, and Evernote are excellent examples of well-known applications built using Kotlin.

Android SDK

The Android SDK (Software Development Kit) tends to be a collection of frameworks and tools for Android app development. It consists of libraries, a debugger, sample code, documentation, data storage, a handset emulator based on QEMU, and more aimed at easing Android app development. Popular apps, including Gpay, Map, and Google Play Store, are built with Android SDK.

Android Studio

Primary development environment for Android apps, Android Studio is a robust tool that includes a code editor and debugger, along with additional tools that help developers develop and test Android applications.

iOS App development

Following are the popular tech stacks for iOS app development!

Objective-C

A superset of C, Objective-C is a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language for iOS app development. It’s compatible with various Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. What’s more, Objective-C is considerably easy to learn and understand, making it a convenient choice for iOS application development.

Swift

Swift is a next-level, general-purpose, compiled programming language for iOS development. It provides a complete suite of features such as closures, optional, and tuples, allowing developers to write efficient and flexible codes. With a concise yet expressive syntax and sophisticated features, Swift makes it convenient to get started with iOS app development.

Applications built using Swift can seamlessly perform on iPhone, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and so on.

iOS SDK

The iOS SDK (Software Development Kit) is a complete set of frameworks and tools for iOS app development. The iOS SDK consists of frameworks for UIKit to build user interfaces, a foundation to work with data and core graphics for drawing and animation.

Xcode

Xcode is a development environment for iOS applications. This robust tool includes a code editor, debugger, and many other tools to assist developers in developing and testing iOS applications.

Cross-Platform Mobile App Development Tech Stacks

Cross-platform development is the right way to go for those planning to target both iOS and Android platforms with a single app. Following are tech stacks aimed at cross-platform app development, enabling you to reduce efforts, time, and investment by building a single app that runs across platforms. 

React Native

React Native is an open-source software development framework for cross-platform app development. It makes use of JavaScript programming language and offers building blocks for yielding cross-platform applications. The apps developed by React Native run on a variety of platforms, including Android, Android TV, iOS, tvOS, macOS, Windows, Web, and UWP.

Flutter

Flutter is an open-source front-end development framework for cross-platform app development. When using Flutter, you just need to create a single codebase for apps, mitigating the need to write separate codes for each platform. What’s more, Flutter features a “hot reload” that allows faster app testing and expressive widgets for native-like performance.

Both are the right tech stacks; however, you should compare Flutter vs. React Native before you come to a conclusion for mobile app development.

Hybrid Mobile App Development Tech Stacks

The hybrid app development tech stacks involve web technologies like CSS, HTML, and JavaScript to develop mobile apps capable of running on multiple platforms. Instagram, Airbus, and Evernote are excellent examples of hybrid mobile apps. Here are some top-notch tech stacks for hybrid app development!

Apache Cordova

Developers widely use Apache Cordova for hybrid app development using a single codebase. It enables developers to build apps making use of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that run on different platforms, including Android, iOS, and Windows.  

Popular apps such as Wikipedia, MarketWatch, Justwatch, and Untappd are excellent examples of well-known hybrid apps built using Apache Cordova.

Ionic

Ionic is one of most well-known frameworks for hybrid mobile app development. It makes use of JavaScript, CSS, and HTML and provides built-in support for AngularJS, making it a top choice for front-end development. What’s more, Ionic provides a rich library for front-end development and premium UI design components, making it easy to build Progressive Web apps (PWAs).

Tech Stacks Used By Popular Mobile Apps

Having expertise and excellence is right, however, a glance at the real-life examples provides you with a crystal-clear view of the uses and abilities of a tech stack. Look through the pointers below and know how these popular apps have made use of technology!

• Facebook: Facebook employs native tech stacks for its Android and iOS applications. The codes are written separately in Java, Kotlin, Swift, or Objective-C. It also makes use of native app development frameworks such as Android SDK for Android and UIKit for iOS, along with many third-party tools, like, GraphQL, and React Native.
• Instagram: Similar to Facebook, Instagram employs a native tech stack for its primary Android and iOS apps with separate codes written in Java, Kotlin, Swift, and Objective-C. It uses native frameworks such as UIKit for iOS, and Android SDK for Android development, along with third-party tools and libraries like AFNetworking and Facebook SDK.
• Netflix: It uses React with JavaScript to create user interfaces and Redux for state management, while Java, Node.js, and Spring Boot with a microservices architecture to break down applications into smaller and more manageable components. The platform employs several databases, including MySQL, Cassandra, and Elasticsearch, to meet its various data storage requirements.
• Uber: Uber uses JavaScript frameworks like React and Fusion.js for front-end development and Node.js for the backend. It also uses a microservices architecture to enhance readability and scalability. Uber employs various databases, which include PostgreSQL, MySQL, and Cassandra. Besides, Riak and Redis are utilized for caching and real-time analytics.
• Airbnb: The front end of this high-performance app is built using React, JavaScript, and Redux for a responsive and dynamic user interface. For the backend, Airbnb makes use of Ruby on Rails for the main website, Node.js for some microservices, and Python for machine learning. For databases, it relies on PostgreSQL, MySQL, and Redshift as per the specific data analysis and storage requirements.

Read more: Mobile App Development Best Practices: Strategic Insights for CEOs and CTOs

How to Choose the Right Tech Stack to Build a Mobile App?

Ending up having selected the right tech stack for mobile app development requires careful consideration of various factors. Conduct an intense assessment of the following factors that’ll help you choose a tech stack to power your project for the next level of success!

Types of Mobile Apps

First off, determine the type of mobile app you want to build. That’s because you may not require a complex tech stack if you’re to build a simple app with basic features and functionalities. On the other hand, if you need complicated mobile app development, you have to employ a robust tech stack.

Consider the pointers below, as they help you ascertain the type of app you need to develop:

• The platform on which the app is to run.
• Level of user experience you aim to achieve.
• The estimated time to market your app.

The Goal of App Development

Once you’ve measured the type of app you want to build, also measure the goal of your project. Intensively gauge the need you want to satiate and the aims you’re destined to have with this app development project. Closely analyze your target audience, and market needs, like what’s needed in the current marketplace, and how to make your app usable to satisfy those users’ needs.

Feature And Functionality

Assess your project deeply and come to a conclusion about the features and functionalities you want to integrate. There are some tech stacks suitable for certain features and functionalities like games, machine learning, and augmented reality, while others may not have the same; hence, you should choose it beforehand. When you’ve made up your mind before embarking on the development, it’ll help you choose the right technology with ease.

Budget and Resources

The budget and resources you’ve kept aside for your mobile app development also play a vital role in determining the tech stack. For example, if you have a tight budget, you’re more likely to go with cross-platform development that is faster and more cost-effective compared to native apps. On the other hand, when you’ve sufficient budget and resources in your hand, you can choose to build a native app that’s more performance-rich than a cross-platform application.

You should ensure gauging your budget and resource allocations for the project beforehand so that you can simplify your mobile app tech selection.

Level of Security

Different tech stacks come embedded with their fair share of security measures. These help the app combat the vulnerability issues encountered down the line. Hence, you should gauge deeply and make sure you choose the tech stack that’s right and aligns with your security requirements to ensure an enriched app performance and better outcome.

Benefits of Finding the Best Technology Stack for Mobile App Development

Streamlined App Development

When you choose the right tech stack, you’re more likely to speed up the time to market your app. For instance, think you’re to launch an MVP where your requirements are crucial but the features to be integrated are minimal. In this scenario, if you opt for a complex platform, chances are you’ll get caught in the trap of experience, expertise, excellence, and whatnot.

On the other hand, if you go with a straightforward framework that aligns best with your project, you’re more likely to end up embracing faster app development.

Mitigated Development Cost

Having opted for the right tech stack, aligned with your project’s goals and budget, allows you to mitigate the overall mobile app development cost. For example, you can go with cross-platform development when you need an app to target both Android and iOS platforms. As cross-platform development needs a single codebase for both platforms, it’ll enable you to cut down a significant amount of time and resources, thereby reducing overall mobile app development costs.

Enhanced App’s Performance

The right tech stack in sync with your app’s requirements leads to enhanced performance. For example, if you need streamlined speed and performance, you can opt for programming languages like Java, Kotlin, and Swift. To mitigate server response time, you can make use of technologies like CDNs and edge computing, resulting in reduced load time and enhanced user experience.

Scalability

If you’re thinking of scaling your business down the line, you should choose a tech stack that’s highly adaptable. For example, you can opt for Swift when you’re to build an iOS application or go with Kotlin when you need Android app development. By choosing the right mobile app development tech stack, you’ll be able to scale the app as your business grows.

What If You Don’t Choose the Right Technology Stack?

Choosing the right tech stack has many benefits; however, failing to do so is more likely to bring many drawbacks to your app’s success. The following may be the case if you fail to choose the right mobile app development tech stack:

• Performance: The tech stack not aligning with your project requirements may lead to the development of an app that’s slow or irresponsive.
• Scalability: It may cause your app not to be able to handle increased user loads.
• Device Support: With an inappropriate tech stack, your app is less likely to be compatible with your target platform, like Android or iOS.
• Development Delays: A wrong tech selection may cause delays in development.
• Increased Maintenance Requirements: An inappropriate tech selection leads to difficulties in updates and bug fixing of your mobile app.
• Community Support: If you choose tech stacks with lesser community support, you’ll end up having a lack of access to resources and documentation when needing help in bug fixing.
• Enhanced Cost: There are technologies out there that may require expensive licensing fees or rare skill sets, leading to hassle in your mobile app development project.
• User Experience: When not chosen properly, a tech stack can cause an unsatisfactory user experience.

Whether you’re a startup thinking of building a mobile app from scratch, or the one willing to bring an existing one in line with the current use case scenario, choosing the right tech stack is crucial for outstanding outcomes.

Smoothly Navigate the Tech Maze with MindInventory!

Be it building apps for startups, or an enterprise business, at MindInventory, we assist businesses to choose innovative tech stacks for high-performance solutions. Our team of vetted mobile app developers excel at excellent tech selection and have developed several groundbreaking mobile apps. Some of these applications are PangePod, Nutristar, and betterhalf.ai, satiating our client’s expectations through high-end performance.

• betterhalf.ai is a cross-platform mobile app that aims to help those in the quest of their significant other. With more than 10k+ users the app has helped them find their true match. Now, betterhalf.ai is a community of 20+ lacs people, making it a reliable platform.
• PangeaPod is a native iOS hotel management mobile app that has received over 100K guests booked pod, a 30% increase in YoY growth, and a 25% hike in user engagement.
• Nutristar is a native app in both iOS and Android which is one of India’s growing online retail shops for fitness and supplements. The app excels at delivering a crash-free experience to loyal customers and has crossed 100K+ downloads, helping many maintain fitness with authentic supplements.

Do you feel yourself unable to navigate the right mobile app development tech selection? If yes, let our team be your cavalry to choose the right technology for your project development! With 250+ experts and 13+ years of experience, we can be the right mobile app development company to help you right from tech selection to app development.

FAQs About Mobile App Development Tech Stacks