Which programming language for apps? Overview & decision support

Choosing the right programming language is one of the first and most important decisions in app development. It not only influences the technical implementation, but also the long-term maintainability, scalability and cost structure of your project.

Whether Android, iOS or a cross-platform solution — each option has its own requirements.

This article gives you a clear overview of common app programming languages and decision-making tools to find the best technological path for your app.

What is a programming language in an app context?

Programming languages are tools that developers use to represent logic, user interfaces, and processes in code. In app development, they are used to build mobile applications that work reliably on smartphones and tablets — including interaction with hardware, API connections, or background processes.

Which programming language is used for apps depends heavily on the platform (Android, iOS, or both), performance requirements, and development team skills.

Native app development: programming languages for Android and iOS

Native apps are developed directly for the respective operating system — this means maximum performance, full access to device interfaces and a high degree of adaptability. Depending on whether you're developing for Android or iOS, different languages are used.

Android app programming languages

java

Java is an object-oriented language with a long history in Android development. It is often used in existing projects and scores points with stability, broad community and extensive documentation.

For more complex Android app developments The choice between Java and Kotlin plays an important role in long-term maintainability and developer productivity.

Kotlin

Kotlin is the official Google recommended language for Android. It is more modern, more compact in syntax and reduces typical sources of error. New projects today rely almost exclusively on Kotlin, as they are faster to implement and easier to maintain.

iOS app programming languages

Swift

Swift was developed by Apple specifically for iOS and macOS. It is fast, secure, and intuitive to write. Thanks to regular support and new features, Swift is suitable for all current iOS projects.

Objective-C

Today, this language is primarily used in older apps. It is hardly relevant for new developments anymore, as Swift offers a significantly more modern architecture and more security.

Cross-platform development: One code, two systems

If you want your app to work on both Android and iOS, a cross-platform approach can save time and money. Modern frameworks make it possible to create applications for both systems with one code base.

With a limited budget and short time-to-market, a solid Cross platform app development often the most efficient way — especially for MVPs or standardized app functionalities.

Popular frameworks for cross-platform apps

Powerful frameworks are now available for the implementation of cross-platform apps, which are maintained by large tech companies such as Google, Meta or Microsoft. Each has its own strengths — and specific areas of application in which it is particularly convincing.

Flutter

Flutter is developed by Google and uses Dart as a programming language. It offers its own rendering engine, which enables the development of particularly consistent user interfaces — regardless of the device.

The choice between Flutter and React Native depends heavily on how deep you want to go into the native API integration — with Flutter vs. React Native There are significant differences in architecture and UI components.

React Native

React Native is based on JavaScript and uses native UI components. It is particularly suitable for teams that already use web technologies, as existing knowledge is easily transferable.

Xamarin

Xamarin, part of the Microsoft stack, uses C# and is particularly interesting for companies with .NET experience. However, compared to Flutter or React Native, Xamarin is less widely used.

How do you choose the right programming language for an app?

The decision depends heavily on the goal of your project — technological wishes, business model and resources should be realistically assessed here.

It often makes sense to create a proof of concept or a clickable prototype before you finally commit to a technology. For data-intensive applications with many individual features, native development is usually more efficient in the long term.

On the other hand, anyone who wants to bring a functional MVP to market quickly is more economical with Flutter or React Native.

Develop an app yourself or have it professionally implemented?

Technically experienced founders or internal development teams can build initial versions themselves — especially if they already have know-how. If you want to implement your first prototypes yourself, you need a solid basic understanding of modern app programming — including tool selection, testing and deployment.

In many cases, however, it is worthwhile to rely on an experienced development team right from the start — especially if the project is complex, covers multiple platforms or has high UX requirements.

Conclusion: Which app programming language is the right one?

There is no general answer — but there are clear trends:

• Kotlin is the standard for new Android apps.
• Swift dominates the iOS world.
• Flutter provides a strong middle ground for cross-platform MVPs and productive apps.
• React Native can be useful if web know-how is already available.
• java and Objective-C hardly play a role in new developments anymore.

The choice of programming language not only influences the technical implementation, but also the time-to-market, maintainability and development of your app. Whoever makes strategic decisions here saves time, money and unnecessary effort later on.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)