The practice of crafting applications that operate on both major mobile operating systems from a single codebase is a significant area within software engineering. This approach contrasts with native development, where separate codebases are maintained for each platform. A practical example would be a social media application that functions identically on both Android and iOS devices, sharing features and user interface elements.
This unified methodology offers several advantages, notably reduced development time and cost. Maintaining a single codebase simplifies updates and bug fixes, ensuring consistency across platforms. The strategy has evolved from early web-based mobile applications to more sophisticated frameworks allowing near-native performance. Its importance lies in enabling businesses to reach a wider audience more efficiently.