What is the difference between a website, app, web app, hybrid app and software?
fyi: If your website is NOT Mobile responsive Google will not rank your website high in the google search rankings.
App (Desktop Software/Widget):
Desktops software (applications) have been around for a long time now. Most of us are used to software like Microsoft Office. Software (apps) are usually downloaded or installed from the internet or installed by IT Departments. Widgets and gadgets were popular (with Vista and OSC 10.6) a few years ago but they are not called Apps.
The correct term is “Software”.
Pros:
- Great in corporate desktop environments.
Cons:
- Often don’t work on smartphones and tablets.
- Support issues with operating systems and runtimes
- Not very portable.
Website Application (Non Responsive):
Many Corporate IT Departments have developed website (apps) to allow staff to preform certain functions most web apps are opened in web browsers and start with http in the URL. SharePoint is a popular corporate website application. Non responsive websites are designed for larger screens only and do not adapt to smaller screens.
The correct term is “Website”.
Pros:
- Great in corporate desktop environments.
- Easier to build onto and update.
Cons:
- Often don’t work well on smartphones and tablets.
Responsive Website/Web App:
A Responsive website/web app is a website that is designed form the start to work on mobile phones, tablets and desktop screens. They are often opened in a web browser on a desktop, tablet or mobile device. A shortcut can be added to the web browser or desktop/tablet/phone main screens for quick access (they appear like and app but require the internet to run).
The correct term is “Responsive Website” if the navigation bar in the web browser is visible or a “Responsive Web App” when the navigation bar is hidden.
Pros:
- Works well on mobile devices, tablets and desktops.
- Easier to build onto and update.
Cons:
- Does not work offline
Hybrid App:
A hybrid app is mobile or tablet application that is compiled and published to app stores and often has a web based component built into it (e.g maybe a google map, web view of frame loaded from a web server) alongside native on device user interface elements. Many popular apps like Facebook, twitter and google plus are Hybrid Apps as the commonly used data portions of the app can be updated centrally but the static back end user interface and syncing is handled by the native part of the application.
Depending on the application and how is is designed it may or may not work fully when the device is offline.>/p>
The correct term is “Hybrid Mobile App”.
Pros:
- Works well on mobile devices, tablets and desktops.
- Easier to build onto and update.
- Can work offline
- Can access phone and tablet capabilities like GPS, gyroscope, camera, notifications, emails, phone, sms etc.
- Better multimedia capabilities
- Background alerts and reminders
Cons:
- Usually longer to develop
- Needs to be tested on target devices
- May need updates to be kept on the app stores over time
Native App:
A Native app is 100% designed to not require any web based views that download from the internet, the app may download resources from the internet but this happens in the background. Native Apps are published to App stores and are made public to everyone or you can distribute apps inside a corporation only (often called ad hock distribution). Native apps are usually developed for a particular mobile or tablet operating system version (e.g iOS8 or iOS9) and once released for that version they often don’t need updating and remain available to users with the same older version of that application.
-
- The correct term is “
Native App
- ”.
Pros:
- Works well on mobile devices, tablets and desktops.
- Easier to build onto and update.
- Can work offline
- Can access phone and tablet capabilities like GPS, gyroscope, camera, notifications, emails, phone, sms etc.
- Better multimedia capabilities
- Background alerts and reminders
Cons:
- Needs work to be accessible
- Needs to be tested on target devices
- May need updates to be kept on the app stores over time
Here is a very rough table comparing the differences.
| Publish to App Stores | Works Best On | Use Offline | Runs in Background | Quick Launch Icon | Speed | Multimedia | Accessibility | Support Issues | App Updates | Data Updates | GPS, Gyro, Camera, etc | |
| App (Desktop Software/Widget) | Possible | Desktops | Yes | Yes | Yes | Fast | Best | Hearing, Vision, Bandwidth | Windows Version, Old Software Versions/Formats | Yes | Possible | Possible |
| Website Application (Non Responsive) | No | Desktops | No | Partial | Yes | Mixed | Limited | WCAG, Bandwidth | Client Browser Issues | Possible | Possible | Possible |
| Responsive Website, Web App | No | Mobile, Tablet, Desktop | No | Partial | Yes | Mixed | Limited | WCAG, Bandwidth | Client Browser Issues | Possible | Possible | Possible |
| Hybrid App | Yes | Mobile, Tablet, Desktop | Partial | Yes | Yes | Limited/Mixed | Limited, Best | WCAG, Hearing, Vision, Bandwidth | Client Browser Issues, New Phone Operating Systems | Yes | Possible | Possible |
| Native App | Yes | Mobile, Tablet | Yes | Yes | Yes | Fast | Best | Hearing, Vision, Bandwidth | New Phone Operating Systems | Yes | Possible | Easy |
Disclaimer: Programmers and website developers can find ways to make things happen and move data from one place to another so the table above is a rough guide. “A web app COULD talk to a mobile devices GPS” (maybe via newer web browsers or via 3rd party plugins). Also tablets are hard to pin down as the Microsoft surface is a tablet but I consider it to be more like a desktop device as it can run desktop software too.
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