I'm curious why companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft can't create frameworks to convert web apps into native applications. I feel this would help address issues like OS fragmentation and the performance lags that web apps often face. Sure, developing such frameworks seems challenging, but isn't it worth pursuing?
5 Answers
Honestly, there's just not enough financial incentive for these companies to put in that kind of work. They make a ton of money from native apps and the associated app store fees. Remember when iPhones only supported web apps for third-party apps? They shifted to native apps with the App Store because it meant profits. Companies will only invest if they see a payoff.
It really comes down to the money—they aren't going to invest in something that doesn't promise a solid return. Plus, there are so many platform differences that can complicate things even more. You can’t just magically convert a web app to a native app; they’re built on fundamentally different tech!
Isn't this what Electron is trying to do? Pack web apps into a desktop format?
Exactly, you're running a web app within a native shell.
What you’re asking about really boils down to the challenge of converting web apps into native ones. Right now, you can package web apps as native using tools like Cordova or Electron. They just set up a web view to display your app. Some frameworks, like React Native and Flutter, can effectively target both web and mobile platforms, but they still don't quite deliver the same experience as actual native apps. It’s technically difficult to design a system that transforms standard web code into platform-specific native code because both environments aren't really interchangeable. For instance, the way JavaScript engines work with multi-threading is complex and can lead to performance issues if not handled properly.
Sounds like you’re pointing toward that last part. It's true that creating a tool that can seamlessly convert web code into native code is a whole other monster. Developers sometimes underestimate how complicated UI and performance issues can get.
No doubt! React Native and Flutter come close, but native performance is still unmatched.
The whole idea is what Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are aiming to tackle, but big companies aren't rushing to support them fully because they want to keep their cut from app store sales. That lack of motivation can definitely hold back the development of tools for converting web apps into native ones.
True, but even Electron apps are still relying on a web framework under the hood; they aren't true native apps.