Top Mobile App Development Languages 2020

Why do you need to know the basics of mobile application development languages?

Priyanka Patil
13 min readOct 23, 2020

There are many programming languages ​​for different types of tasks. Choosing the right language for a mobile app is different than choosing one to learn. The right choice gives solutions such as concise, easy to code, easy to scale, debug and fix.

People often tell you that there is no choice and that all languages ​​are equal and developed to fulfill a specific purpose. However, it can be very confusing if you are new to the field of mobile development and do not have information about programming languages.

So, if you are confused, the following tips will help you to easily choose the best language:

  • Targeted platform.
  • The resilience of language.
  • Production time.
  • Performance, support and community.
  • The purpose of creating the application.
  • The capabilities of the programmer.

Before you choose to work with a particular programming language it is important to consider the expression, performance, reliability, quirks and features of each. You may find that some languages ​​are better suited for projects than others, for example, if you aim to create a game, the object-oriented programming language becomes a more obvious choice.

Top mobile app development languages

  1. JavaScript
  2. Kotlin
  3. C++
  4. C#
  5. Python
  6. PHP
  7. Swift
  8. Objective-C
  9. JAVA
  10. HTML 5
  11. Ruby
  12. Rust
  13. Lua
  14. Action Script
  15. SQL

In this article, we have compiled a list of the top 15 mobile application programming languages ​​that are the best language for applications and will help you to quickly select the best ones and get started with your mobile application.

  • JavaScript

William Ting once said, “JavaScript is relevant as long as people use the Internet.” JavaScript is best for cross-platform application development, mobile applications used for a variety of platforms, and web browsing. It runs smoothly in other environments outside of browsers and can be compiled from a wide range of programming languages. So, my vote for the best programming language is for JavaScript.

#JavaScript Pros
Versatile and flexible language and can be used in many ways via Node.js.
Client-side browsing is fast and does not require editing.
Straightforward to work with and easy to control.
There is plenty of room for set standard and diversity.
#JavaScript Cons
Harmful and in some cases can be exploited for malicious purpose.
You may encounter some browser support issues in some cases.
Server-side scripts always provide the same output and client-side is a bit unpredictable.

  • Kotlin

It is said to be the most advanced version of Java — Kotlin is a statistically typed programming language used to develop modern Android applications. Kotlin is really the best language for apps. Cotlin‌ has the ability to influence other programming languages, such as Java, to create high-performance and optimized applications. Some of the popular apps built into Cotlin‌ include Trail, Evernote, Corsera and more.

#Kotlin Pros
Clean, concise and comprehensible syntax enhances team efficiency.
Mutual and versatile and can easily overcome the shortcomings of JAVA.
Full support from Google and IDE’s installation packages, including Android and SDK toolkit.
Produces compact, simple and cleaner code compared to JAVA.
#Kotlin Cons
Learning a new language in the market is very difficult, so, think before you choose it.
Sometimes it comes slowly.
There are limited resources to learn.

  • C ++

C ++ is considered to be the best choice for mobile application development. It is a general-purpose, object-oriented language with simple and low-level memory manipulation features. Used for Android application and native application development, C ++ games, GUI-based applications, real-time mathematical simulations, banking applications, etc. C ++ is popular with cloud computing applications because it adapts quickly to changing hardware or ecosystems.

#C ++ Pros
Fast and consistent and has an extensive pool of built-in libraries and compilers.
If you know C ++ you can learn JAVA, C, C # quickly.
There are no garbage collectors in this background.
You get full control and the app can run on any platform and take advantage of any hardware.
#C ++ Cons
Complex syntax, small standard library.
A very complex programming language to master.
Cannot support garbage collection or dynamic memory allocation.
Object orientation is very necessary compared to other languages.

  • C #

Pronounced ‘C-Sharp’ — another object-oriented, general-purpose programming language widely used for mobile development, mainly for cross-platform and Windows application development. C # contains everything you want to achieve using other programming languages ​​such as Swift, Objective-C and Java programming languages. If you want to develop an interactive and high-performance game app, this is the best language.

#C # Pros
Fast, easy to use and quick to implement
Simple, robust typing, functional, urgent, declarative, component-oriented and object-oriented sections.
Simple, modern and general purpose language
Most preferred programming language
#C # Cons
Complex and complex language for novice learners
Case-sensitive language creates confusion despite a slight mis-match between the alphabets

  • Python

Used to develop widely accepted programming language, Python web applications, desktop applications, media tools, machine learning, network server and more. Examples of Python are YouTube, Instagram and PinTest. Language provides excellent library support, strong integration and improved control capabilities. If you are an early planner to develop your app — Python is the best language!

#Python Pros
Fast, easy to use, quick to implement, easy to learn and excellent when readable.
A high-level programming language used to analyze, compute, and develop software and numeric data.
Supports interactive language and GUI applications used to create scalable applications.
Supports multiple systems and platforms.
Programming has a huge set of flexible frameworks.
#Python Cons
Slow execution time.
Not so great with modern mobile application development.
Not a great choice with memory-intensive tasks.
There are some errors with data access.

  • PHP

PHP is one of the most recommended programming languages ​​for mobile applications that require database access. It is an open source language used for server-side scripting, command-line scripting and coding applications. Widely used to create e-commerce applications, content-heavy applications, dynamic web applications and mobile applications. It is a flexible language that can be easily embedded in HTML or HTML5. Some of the popular websites in PHP are Wikipedia, Facebook and Yahoo.

#PHP Pros
Easy to learn, platform-independent and exceptionally compatible with sensitive integration
Excellent with content-heavy apps and loads quickly even with a slow internet connection
Built-in security features to protect against complex security threats
Great language for learners, it helps them to quickly learn complex program development
#PHP Cons
The open-source nature of language makes it easily accessible to all and therefore bugs are quickly detected to capture its vulnerability.
Not suitable for large applications
Not modular and difficult to maintain
Framework requires good error management.

  • Swift

Swift is a prospective game-changer in the mobile application development space — an open source programming language designed specifically to work with iOS, OS X and tvOS platforms. The language is flexible, scalable and can easily adapt to a secure programming design to add advanced features to any application. In addition to having the first industrial-quality systems, Swift is expressive and fun to work with scripting language. Examples of applications developed in Swift‌ include Lift, LinkedIn, Hipmank and more.

#Swift Pros
Can run on Coco and Coco Touch platforms
Requires low, low maintenance and avoids some of the errors of Objective-C.
Projects are easy to scale
Powerful, intuitive and easy to learn programming language
Swift code writing is interactive and fun; The syntactic expression is still concise.
Has multiple features for seamless and secure design, yet produces lightning-fast software
#Swift Cons
Is still in its infancy and can be considered too small for the development of large applications
Unstable language is considered new in the market and requires regular updates

  • Objective-c

An expanded version of the C language, Objective-C is a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language with additional features such as small-talk-style messaging. A well-updated and mature programming language, Objective-C is primarily used for MacOS and iOS application development and operating systems.

#Objective-C Pros
Most developers are easy to learn and use
Many legacy codes have been added to support the niche coding style
#Objective-C Cons
Does not support the latest features surpassed by Swift
Requires extended coding, which is time consuming

  • Java

Java Official Android Development — Object-Oriented Programming Language. With built-in open-source libraries for users to choose from, Java is easy to manage and provides the best documentation and community support. With Java’s powerful spectrum features, you can develop the best cross-platform apps, Android apps, games, server apps, embed space, websites and more.

#Java Pros
Popular for code reuse and portability
Java codes can run on multiple environments, virtual machines, browsers, and different platforms
Protects developers against problems with local code, memory leaks, etc.
Flexible, versatile, portable and platform-independent programming language
Clear interface, simplified and machine-independent language
#Java Cons
Some errors may occur while running JAVA on the virtual machine — JVM
Poorly written class libraries and in some cases complex syntax
Complex implementation because garbage collection is not proper

  • HTML 5

Are you planning to create web-fronted apps or location-based apps for mobile devices? Then the fifth version of the hypertext markup language — HTML 5 is the ideal choice for you. It is not a programming language, but a markup language that uses tags to create and display content on a webpage. The latest updates to HTML 5 highlight exceptional features such as media elements, multi-platform functionality for different programs, and rapid market expansion. Examples of HTML 5 are Google Docs and Google Drive.

#HTML 5 Pros
Compatible with all browsers and new features and standards have already emerged
Built-in capability that supports great media formats such as audio and video
Loads faster using local storage or cache
Contains CANVAS elements for embedding applications based on geolocations, dynamic graphics, offline / online games and animations
#HTML 5 Cons
Each platform requires a lot of coding
Does not support older versions or systems that are causing backward compatibility issues
Every platform requires coding so it takes a long time to develop a mobile app
When customizing or adding features, it adjusts the HTML5 code తాయి and iOS and Android devices go back to the official SDK

  • Ruby

Ruby is a back-end object-oriented scripting language used in the development of web applications, servers, system utilities, and standard libraries. Over the years, Ruby has evolved into a general-purpose, high-level multi-model, descriptive programming language. It is a functional language in machine language that executes instructions directly without compiling a program. Some of the popular websites developed using Ruby are Twitter, Bloomberg, Airbnb and Shopify.

#Ruby Pros
Supports dynamic typing to make changes on the go without affecting the overall result
Allows duck typing to focus on activities rather than class objects
Easy to maintain, smooth performance and intuitive code quality, garbage-collected and concise
Easy to learn and implement for beginners
#Ruby Cons
Is considered a slow language and is not very popular for the development of web applications or mobile applications.
Lack of flexibility and boot time of the framework is too long.
Slower runtime speed and lower performance
Bug fixes development and updates are slow

  • Rust

Rust has been the most preferred language in stock overflow for four years in a row. Sponsored by Mozilla, Rust is a system programming language with a syntax similar to C ++. With robust compile-time accuracy, fast-performance, ingenuity and secure memory, Rust can be used to develop applications in a time-constrained scenario and in a variety of fields. Examples of rust are Dropbox and Yelp.

#Rust Pros
Errors are caught while compiling the code
Developers are encouraged to write optimized and high-performance code
Supports a functional and urgent procedural model
Safe, concurrent and practical language
Low-level language is sufficient for embedded systems
#Rust Cons
Installation on Windows is not straightforward
There are no built-in libraries compared to other languages
It is difficult for beginners to learn and implement
Steep learning curve
Slow to compile

  • Lua

Lua is a lightweight mobile-first company communication solution. It is a cross-platform multi-paradigm programming language. It empowers the built-in message for businesses and keeps developers accountable instantly, securely and responsibly. It is popular for real time safe messaging, analytics dashboard, easy file sharing and two-touch conference calling. If you want to improve the speed, deployment, portability and reliability of your applications, Lua is perfect for embedded applications.

#Lua Pros
One of the fastest languages ​​to use a small amount of runtime memory
The smallest memory for bundling helps with footprint and error management
The Lua C API is very well documented and can be easily integrated with C.
Reduces API and low learning curve
#Lua Cons
Although the documentation has improved, overall it is still a bit sketchy
Not registered enough with low code comments
Learning and implementing is not so easy for beginners
Garbage collection capacity is low

  • Action script

Action script is a mobile programming language
ActionScript is a popular programming language for Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR runtime environments and is a tool in the TechStock-Languages ​​section. It is an object-oriented programming language derived from HyperTalk — the scripting language for the hypercard. Want to use Adobe Flash Player on your website or software? Lua works great for developing animations or animations and video games on websites.

#Action Script Pros
Action script versions 1.0 and 2.0 run on the same machine
Supports custom classes such as external text files built in a specific way
Popular with developers using Adobe Flash Player or Adobe Air
Action script is a very suitable language — for data-based applications and basic robotics.
#Action script cons
Action Script — In order to program Flash Player Nine or the latest version, a higher release is required
Keep things simple as it can be difficult to present complex content

  • SQL

SQL is a structured query language used to evaluate, communicate, and modify the standard database for most applications. SQL is designed to meet specific standards for both ANSI and ISO and has extensive support at both the community and organization level. Strength — Relational data model and referential integrity between data, data query, data manipulation and data access control. With well-defined standards, SQL is widely used in business intelligence tool platforms.

#SQL Pros
One of the most powerful and most popular question languages
Optimized for a large number of table rows and supports many different database options
Can handle a large number of transactions in a single query
Faster for retrieving data from multiple tables, searching and querying data
High availability and stability of data
#SQL Cons
Difficulty in interfacing, adding a few lines of code in the middle is complicated
Pre-defined and simple data model
Converting data from objects to database tables is difficult
Scalable vertically. It only runs on one server, so if the speed increases, the hardware may need to be upgraded.
Lack of division tolerance

To help you make the right choice — the following set of questions can serve as a starting point for making the best decision -

  1. Does the language have the right ecosystem support? Will it survive long?
  2. The choice of environment runs the project.
  3. Are there specific infrastructure or expansion considerations such as the need for any new hardware?
  4. Can a developer program in this language? Can he manage on time and on budget?
  5. Is the language application scalable?
  6. Do you need third party integration tools?
  7. Are there any security or legacy code‌base considerations for the project?
  8. Are there any other barriers or performance benchmarks?
    At the end
  9. There are steady evolutions in the world of programming languages. Some evergreen languages ​​such as Java and JavaScript have earned a permanent place in the list, however, while other languages ​​such as Kotlin and R have grown exponentially and joined the list of the most popular programming languages.

The list of questions to ask, the factors to consider and the pros and cons mentioned above, we are sure you will be able to make the right decision on which language to choose. Above all, choosing the right mobile programming language can help you develop dynamic mobile applications that will adapt to changes in business needs in the future.

So, what are you waiting for? Immerse yourself in the integrity of the programming language, choose the best one and reward your business with the mobile application you need to reach more substantial mass.

Get in touch with our expert Team

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Priyanka Patil
Priyanka Patil

Written by Priyanka Patil

Determined Topic Researcher, little Curious to know better in what am doing, in the part, shared the ideas, and context by saving as writing

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