Xamarin App Development in 2022: What are the Pros and Cons?

Is Xamarin a reliable solution for app development in 2022? 

Most companies have this question. After all, everyone reads news about Microsoft ending support for Xamarin. Hence, people are doubtful about hiring Xamarin development services in India and other regions. 

While it is true that Microsoft is replacing Xamarin with MAUI .Net, it does not mean you should stop using it. Xamarin has a few limitations. But you cannot neglect the numerous advantages it offers for app development. Here, we have listed both pros and cons of using Xamarin for your upcoming project. Before that, let us learn a bit more about this platform. 

• What is Xamarin?

Xamarin is an open-source app development tool. It allows developers to build cross-platform applications with a native feel and look. Besides this, applications are modern and high-performing. 

We have plenty of other powerful cross-platform frameworks like React Native and Ionic. So, what makes Xamarin a preferred option? Both developers and enterprises choose Xamarin over others. It uses a single code base to unify and speed up the development of the app. 

What’s unique about this, Ionic and React Native offer the same? The thing that sets Xamarin apart is its ability to handle the native features of each platform. If you want to confirm whether hiring Xamarin development in India is the best decision for your project or not, keep reading. Let us dig into the pros and cons of using Xamarin.  

• Advantages of Xamarin app development 

The advent of Xamarin has set sky-high standards for cross-platform development. It offers developers a flexible framework and cutting-edge to speed up the entire process. Also, you can prototype and iterate the Xarmarin app in no time. Below are the top advantages of Xamarin. 

• • Develop multiple apps with one text stack – One of the most prominent benefits of Xamarin is it uses #C for all apps. With #C, developers can use the .NET framework that handles several tasks like garbage collection, memory allocation, and interoperability. In addition to this, .NET has plenty of libraries and packages that ensure faster development. 

• • Native appearance and performance – Xamarin has comprehensive development tools that let developers create applications for multiple platforms. These apps have a similar UI design to native apps. It means your app will have native performance and experience. 

• • Consistent UI across platforms – Design consistency is crucial for the success of your mobile apps. With Xamarin, you can unify the codebase that offers consistent UI across different platforms. 

Xamarin.Forms help implement UI code once. After this, it will get converted automatically based on the target platform. It leads to speedy prototyping and development of the app. Did we mention it has tools for boosting productivity like XAML Hot Reload? Developers can use these tools to fix UI issues effortlessly. 

• • Microsoft support – Xamarin has support from a tech giant, Microsoft. Also, developers of any level can upgrade their Xamarin skills using comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and courses. If you subscribe to Visual Studio, you can enjoy additional professional support. 

• Limitations of Xamarin app development

Even with numerous pros for developers and businesses, Xamarin is not devoid of downsides. We will explore them below. 

• • The cost – If we count something as the biggest drawback of Xamarin, it is the cost. Unlike other frameworks, Xamarin is a bit expensive. Although it is a free and open-source framework, the cost becomes more if used in an enterprise setting. 

• • It may not give you an edge always – Thanks to its code reusability, Xamarin can help you speed up most tasks. As a result, it ensures faster app development. But in some cases, adding new features from a particular platform to Xamarin may take a lot of time. So, it will not always keep you on the bleeding edge. 

• • Performance and size dips – Designed to build natively performing apps, Xamarin cannot create an exact match to native applications. Compared to strict native code, Xamarin has low performance. However, they may not be noticeable to users. Also, dependency on .NET and associated libraries can increase the app size, which affects the performance. 

In closing 

Despite the disadvantages, Xaramin is the first choice of countless businesses, including the big brands. Its advantages like targeting multiple platforms, scalability, and flexibility surpass the downsides. So, when you hire a Xamarin development company, they must have relevant experience and skills. 

If you want to hire the best Xamarin developer in India, get in touch with Digi Duck. We have a team of experts delivering quality services.