The word Hybrid, in the field of App development, I believe everyone is familiar with it. Hybrid App refers to an app between web-app and native-app. Although it looks like a Native App, it has only one UI WebView, which accesses a Web App. The development of Hybrid in the mobile field can be said to have gone through three stages:
1. Early Web App (2000~2010)
In the early days before the popularity of smart phones, mobile applications were mainly WAP applications based on web technology. These applications run in a simplified browser and implement functions through HTML, CSS and JavaScript. With the popularization of smartphones, developers began to use the WebView component to embed Web Apps in native applications while gaining access to some native functions. During this period of time, the application of Hybrid technology in the mobile field has already taken a cross-platform prototype, but there are still limitations in terms of performance and user experience.
2. The rise of hybrid apps (mid-2010s)
With the development of HTML5 technology, mobile browsers can provide more native function support, such as local storage, geographic location, camera, etc. Developers began to combine native code and web technologies to create hybrid applications that are closer to the experience of native applications. This pattern makes it easier to develop cross-platform applications.
3. Prosperous development of cross-end development frameworks (late 2010s - early 2020s)
Initially PhoneGap (now called Cordova), Ionic, followed by React Native, VUE, Flutter, etc. These frameworks allow developers to create applications using web technologies and then convert them into native applications through the tools provided by the framework. The application of the cross-end development framework further improves the performance and user experience, while still maintaining the advantages of cross-platform.
In recent years, hybrid application technology is still developing. In addition to the emergence of various frameworks and tools, technologies such as native applications and Progressive Web App (PWA) are also affecting the development direction of hybrid applications.
"Small program", an innovative Hybrid App development model
Since the launch of WeChat Mini Programs in 2017, its ecosystem has developed and grown rapidly. As one of the largest social platforms in China, WeChat has a huge user base. As part of the WeChat ecosystem, WeChat Mini Programs naturally attract a large number of users. According to the statistics of public information, the number of mini-programs on the entire network will exceed 7 million in 2021, among which the number of WeChat mini-program developers will exceed 3 million, and the DAU of mini-programs will exceed 450 million; Programs increased by 41%, and the mini program ecology has created a new room for growth.
The emergence of small program container technology can enable enterprises' apps to have the ability to run small programs, forming an innovative app development model of "Native + small programs". Its advantages are also very obvious:
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Cross-platform capability: a set of small program codes can run on both iOS and Android (even on a variety of terminals other than mobile phones, including Linux, Windows, MacOS, Kirin and other operating systems);
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Experience far beyond H5 (support local cache, Webview, rich components and support library);
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Can obtain more system permissions and complete richer product designs;
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DOM leaks can be avoided;
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Packet size is effectively reduced, saving traffic and storage
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Support hot update, so that the service is no longer restricted by the release version
With the ecological blessing of WeChat applets, the applet container technology, as a cross-terminal connection technology, has been widely used and recognized.
Innovative cross-end framework
Compared with the traditional native application development technology, the applet technology has the advantages of light weight, rapid development, cross-platform, no installation, and more user-friendly. Mini programs can be used without downloading and installing by users. At the same time, the development cost of mini programs is relatively lower, the development speed is faster, and it is easier to maintain and update. The applet technology also supports cross-platform operation and can run on multiple mobile devices at the same time, which greatly expands the coverage of applications and brings greater commercial value to enterprises and developers. Some of the more well-known small program container technology products on the market include: WeChat, Alipay, Baidu, Douyin small programs, etc., all of which are based on the technology base to improve the small program ecology of the big social platform, and can provide third parties for privatization deployment There are: FinClip , mPaaS and other products. It is understood that the small program container technology independently developed by FinClip can enable enterprises’ apps to have the ability to quickly run small programs, and their SDK can also be embedded in smart device terminals other than apps (such as Linux, Windows, MacOS, Kirin and other operating systems).
As a part of the WeChat ecosystem, the Mini Program container provides developers with a stable and efficient operating environment, allowing developers to focus more on application functions and user experience. The huge user base and rich developer community of the WeChat ecosystem provide developers and enterprises with broad business opportunities and partners. Through the combination of cross-end development, small program container and WeChat ecology, developers can quickly iterate, efficiently develop and deploy applications, provide better user experience, and obtain broader market coverage and business opportunities.
There is no best, only the most suitable
There is only the most suitable choice for a development project, not the absolute best framework. Every project has its own unique needs, team background, and time constraints, so choosing the right framework requires careful weighing of various factors. In the field of mobile application development, emerging technological innovations not only enrich the user experience, but also provide developers with more choices and flexibility. With the continuous development of the mobile Internet, technologies such as small program container technology, cross-end framework and Hybrid App are becoming important trends leading the future.
The emergence of applet container technology provides enterprises and developers with a lightweight solution, enabling applications to be rapidly deployed and disseminated on different platforms. With the help of the applet container, users can experience the application without downloading and installing, thereby lowering the threshold for users to use and reducing the maintenance burden of developers. The rise of this model has further promoted the development of cross-end frameworks.
The emergence of cross-end frameworks makes up for the cross-platform problems in traditional mobile application development. Developers can use one set of code to build applications suitable for multiple platforms, which not only maintains a consistent user experience on different devices, but also enables more efficient development and maintenance. This development model not only improves development efficiency, but also provides users with a more consistent application experience.