Comprehensive comparison of modern cross-platform frameworks for iOS and Android development.

Choosing the right cross-platform framework is crucial for mobile app success. As a mobile development specialist at Monyamane Tech Solutions, I've built production apps with all three technologies. Here's my detailed analysis.

Architecture Overview:

Framework Architecture Language UI Approach
React Native Bridge-based JavaScript runtime JavaScript/TypeScript Native components via JS bridge
Kotlin Multiplatform Shared business logic, native UI Kotlin Platform-specific native UI
QML Qt framework with declarative UI QML/JavaScript/C++ Custom rendered UI components

Performance Comparison:

  • React Native:
    • JavaScript bridge overhead (10-15ms per call)
    • 60 FPS achievable with optimization
    • Heavy computation requires native modules
  • Kotlin Multiplatform:
    • Near-native performance for business logic
    • UI performance identical to native apps
    • No bridge overhead for shared code
  • QML:
    • Excellent performance for graphics-intensive apps
    • Hardware-accelerated rendering
    • Minimal overhead for UI updates

Development Experience:


// React Native Component
import React from 'react';
import {View, Text, StyleSheet} from 'react-native';

const MyComponent = ({title}) => (
  
    {title}
  
);

// Kotlin Multiplatform Shared Code
expect class Platform() {
    expect val platform: String
}

// QML Component
import QtQuick 2.15

Rectangle {
    width: 200; height: 100
    color: "lightblue"
    
    Text {
        text: "Hello QML"
        anchors.centerIn: parent
    }
}

Ecosystem and Community:

  • React Native: Massive community, extensive npm ecosystem
  • Kotlin Multiplatform: Growing ecosystem, strong JetBrains support
  • QML: Mature Qt ecosystem, strong in embedded and automotive

Our Recommendation Matrix:

  • Choose React Native for: Rapid prototyping, web developer teams, rich npm ecosystem needs
  • Choose Kotlin Multiplatform for: Native performance requirements, existing Kotlin codebases, platform-specific UI needs
  • Choose QML for: Embedded systems, automotive, medical devices, custom UI requirements

Key Takeaways

  • Choose framework based on project requirements and team skills
  • Consider performance, development speed, and maintenance
  • Implement proper testing and CI/CD pipelines
  • Optimize for user experience and platform guidelines
Pro Tip

Test your app on real devices and consider user feedback throughout the development process.