Xamarin.Forms vs Xamarin Native: Key Differences

Xamarin.Forms is a cross-platform UI toolkit for building mobile and desktop applications with C#. It allows developers to create native user interfaces for iOS & Android using a single codebase, which reduces development time and costs. Xamarin offers two different approaches for building mobile applications: Xamarin.Forms and Xamarin Native.

Xamarin.Forms is a UI toolkit that allows developers to create a single, shared user interface that can be used across multiple platforms. It enables developers to build user interfaces using XAML and C#, which can then be deployed to iOS, Android, and Windows platforms with little or no modification. Xamarin.Forms offer a range of pre-built UI controls and layouts, making creating consistent and attractive user interfaces across platforms easy.

Xamarin.Native is a mobile development platform that enables developers to build native mobile applications using C# and .NET frameworks. Unlike Xamarin.Forms, Xamarin.Native allows developers to create fully native user interfaces and user experiences for iOS & Android, providing access to the full capabilities of each platform. It will enable developers to build native user interfaces for each platform separately using platform-specific tools and languages. This approach provides greater control over the user interface and performance but requires more development time and effort to create and maintain multiple platform-specific user interfaces.

Now that we have a basic idea about both Xamarin.Forms and Xamarin.Native, let us discuss the key differences between the two.

1. Development costs: In terms of development costs, Xamarin.Forms have a lower cost compared to Xamarin.Native. This is because Xamarin.Forms allow developers to use a single codebase to create applications that run on multiple platforms, reducing the need to write and maintain platform-specific code. This approach saves time and money on development and testing efforts. On the other hand, Xamarin.Native requires developers to write different code for each platform, resulting in higher development costs. However, the choice between Xamarin.Forms and Xamarin.Native ultimately depends on the project requirements and the desired level of customization and platform-specific functionality.
2. UI complexity: Xamarin.Native allows developers to create fully custom and native user interfaces for each platform, providing access to all the platform-specific UI elements and capabilities. It enables developers to create highly complex and rich user interfaces with advanced animations, effects, and transitions. In contrast, Xamarin.Forms provide a limited set of UI controls and require developers to adhere to a standard UI design for all platforms, which may not support highly complex UI designs.
3. User experience: Both Xamarin.Forms and Xamarin.Native can deliver high-quality and responsive user experiences — however, Xamarin.Native has an advantage over Xamarin.Forms provide a more native and seamless experience to the users. Xamarin.Native enables developers to leverage the full potential of each platform, allowing them to build applications that feel more native to the platform’s UI and functionality. It can result in better user engagement and satisfaction. On the other hand, Xamarin.Forms may not always provide a fully native user experience, but they can offer consistent and functional expertise across multiple platforms.
4. App functionality: Xamarin.Forms and Xamarin.Native offer access to a wide range of platform-specific APIs and libraries, enabling developers to create feature-rich and functional applications — however, Xamarin.Native has an advantage over Xamarin.Forms in terms of accessing the full range of platform-specific features and functionality, such as device-specific sensors, Bluetooth, and camera functionalities. Xamarin.Native allows developers to write platform-specific code to interact with these features, whereas Xamarin.Forms may require third-party libraries or plugins to access the same functionality.

Xamarin.Forms and Xamarin.Native are two robust frameworks that enable developers to create cross-platform mobile applications using C# and .NET frameworks. Each framework has its strengths and weaknesses, depending on the project requirements and the desired level of customization and platform-specific functionality. Choosing between the two frameworks requires carefully analyzing the project goals and constraints. However, by partnering with a reputable Xamarin app development company, businesses can leverage the expertise of experienced developers to choose the proper framework and build high-quality and functional applications that meet their business needs.