Mobile Application Types

When a new mobile app is created, there are essentially three different ways to develop the app:

Native Mobile Apps

Native applications are accessed through icons on the mobile device's home screen. These apps are installed through an application store, like Google Play or Apple's App Store, and each application is developed specifically for one mobile platform. 

HTML5 Mobile Apps

An HTML5 mobile application is essentially a web page (or number of web pages) that's designed to function on a smaller screen. HTML5 apps can be used with any standard web browser, and they aren't tied to a mobile platform. Because they're written with standard web technologies (like HTML and CSS), they'll work on any platform. 

Hybrid Mobile Apps

Hybrid applications combine parts of both native and HTML5 mobile development: they're built using web technologies like HTML and CSS, and they're also hosted inside a native application. A well-written hybrid app will perform exactly like a native app.