SwiftUI - Cross-Platform UI

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A cross-platform user interface is a design approach which allows us to design a user interface that can work on multiple platforms without any modifications. This technique plays an important role when an app works on different devices, sizes of screens, and operating systems while maintaining the same appearance and functionalities.

Apple provides powerful support to cross-platform UIs; it allows SwiftUI to develop an app that can run across all Apple's ecosystems, such as iOS, iOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS. Or we can say that an app developed using SwiftUI can run on all Apple devices very well without any dependence on the shape or size of the screen.

Why is cross-platform important in SwiftUI?

The cross-platform is very important so that developers can develop a single app that can run on all devices without creating separate apps for each platform. Cross-platform works seamlessly with the SwiftUI because-

Single Code base

Using SwiftUI, a developer can write code once for most of the app's UI, and they deploy it across all Apple's platforms, such as iOS, macOS, watchOS, and VisionOS. It minimizes the need to build and maintain separate apps for each platform. So it makes developer to develop more apps very fast and with much more proficiency.

Consistent User Experience

SwiftUI ensures that the cross-platform apps have the same look, feel and functionalities across all the devices. Due to this, it is easier for users to use the same app on different Apple devices.

Reduce Development Time and Cost

SwiftUI uses a declarative approach, which makes it easy to design views and can be adapted by any platform or device. So, it does not require any special team or multiple teams for a separate platform or device. So due to this the development cost and time will be reduced.

Easy to Maintain and Update

Cross-platform apps are very easy to maintain and update. If we make any change in one platform, then it can reflect on all the platforms. So whenever we fix bugs and update new features then, the changes happen simultaneously on all the platforms.

Future proofing for New Apple Platforms

Apple created the SwiftUI framework so that it can develop cross-platform applications. So that whenever Apple launches a new platform or updates existing platforms, they can use those apps without any extra effort and development. It creates high-end applications so that they can easily adapt to new devices.

How to make a Cross-Platform app in SwiftUI?

To create a cross-platform dependent app using SwiftUI, follow the following steps:

• Create a multi-platform project in XCode.

• Structure the code according to the cross-platform. Here, we create a shared folder to place code, models, views, and resources so that they can be used on all the platforms. We can also create a platform-specified folder so that it can contain views or files that are only used in the specified platform.

• Use conditional compilation blocks so that they can contain code that can be checked for each platform if necessary.

• Create UI can work easily with different platforms.

• Can handle platform-specific inputs and gestures very efficiently.

• Specify and configure the entry point for each platform.

• Use shared data and logic that can work well for all the platforms.

• Test application on different platforms and devices.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Cross-Platform UIs

Cross-platform UIs have some benefits as well as limitations, and they are as follows:

Advantages of Cross-Platform UIs

• Single code-base: Cross-platform UIs have one codebase that can work on multiple platforms to reduce the development time and cost.

• Consistency across platforms: Cross-platform UIs use the same code for every platform. So, it provides a good experience to users when they move from one device to another.

• Faster time to market: Since cross-platform focused on a single codebase, the developer can develop and release apps much faster on multiple platforms.

• Easier to maintain and update: Cross-platform UIs are easier to maintain and can update new features universally across all the platforms.

• Cost Effective: They do not require more developer teams or resources for each platform separately, so they are much more cost-effective.

Disadvantages of Cross-Platform UIs

Following are the disadvantages Cross-Platform UIs −

• Performance limitations: They are slow as compared to fully native applications.

• Limited access to native features: Some platforms have some specific features or APIs that are not supported by cross-platform environments.

• Dependency on a third party: Various cross-platforms can depend upon third-party frameworks, so it creates challenges if the framework lacks some features.