A Survey and Taxonomy of Core Concepts and Research Challenges in Cross-Platform Mobile Development

Abstract

Developing applications targeting mobile devices is a complex task involving numerous options, technologies, and trade-offs, mostly due to the proliferation and fragmentation of devices and platforms. As a result of this, cross-platform app development has enjoyed the attention of practitioners and academia for the previous decade. Throughout this review, we assess the academic body of knowledge and report on the state of research on the field. We do so with a particular emphasis on core concepts, including those of user experience, device features, performance, and security. Our findings illustrate that the state of research demand for empirical verification of an array of unbacked claims, and that a particular focus on qualitative user-oriented research is essential. Through our outlined taxonomy and state of research overview, we identify research gaps and challenges, and provide numerous suggestions for further research.