How They Work: Native apps are designed for specific platforms using languages and tools directly supported by those platforms (Swift/Objective-C for iOS, Kotlin/Java for Android). They deliver high performance and can directly interact with device hardware.

Testing and Deployment:

  • File Formats: For iOS, the .ipa file format is used for distributing and installing apps. For Android, the .apk or .aab (Android App Bundle) formats are used.
  • Emulators and Simulators: iOS apps are tested using the iPhone Simulator in Xcode, while Android apps use the Android Emulator in Android Studio. These tools mimic various devices and OS versions.
  • Real Devices: Apps are deployed via USB using Xcode for iOS devices (after generating an .ipa file) and Android Studio for Android devices (using .apk or .aab files).