A native app is a software program that is developed for use on a particular platform or device. It is designed to run directly on the device and can take full advantage of the devices features, such as the camera, vibration, and GPS. Native apps can be downloaded and installed on the device, and they store associated data on the device or remotely, such as in cloud-based storage.

Native apps are developed specifically for a mobile devices operating system (OS), such as iOS or Android. Developers write native apps in the code used for the device and its OS, such as Objective-C or Swift for iOS and Java for Android. Native apps can provide optimized performance and take advantage of the latest technology, such as a GPS, compared to web apps or mobile cloud apps developed to be generic across multiple systems.

Some key features of native apps include:

• Device-specific hardware and software: Native apps are built for use on a particular device and its OS, so they can use device-specific hardware and software.
• Optimized performance: Native apps can provide optimized performance and take advantage of the latest technology, such as a GPS.
• Offline usability: Because the app is completely downloaded on the device, an internet connection is not necessarily needed.
• Recognizable look and feel: The OS provides styling guidelines that explain how to design the app, so users will understand quickly how to use the app.

However, there are also some drawbacks to native apps, such as:

• Long download process: Native apps must first be downloaded from the app store, which can involve several steps.
• No flexibility: Native apps are developed platform-specific, so developers have little flexibility due to the specific requirements of the target platform.
• Development costs: Each platform requires a specially developed app, which can cost a lot of time and money.

In contrast to native apps, web apps are software applications that are accessed through a web browser, dynamically building the content you see. Every browser interprets the JavaScript and HTML codes in a web app regardless of the platform the browser runs in, making web apps universal applications.