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Framework 7 VS NativeScript

Compare Framework 7 VS NativeScript and see what are their differences

Framework 7 logo Framework 7

Full Featured HTML Framework For Building iOS Apps

NativeScript logo NativeScript

Build truly native apps with JavaScript
  • Framework 7 Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-24
  • NativeScript Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-21

Framework 7 features and specs

  • Comprehensive UI Components
    Framework7 provides a complete set of UI components like modals, pop-ups, action sheets, side panels, list views, etc., which help in rapid development.
  • Customizable
    It is highly customizable with both themes and custom styles, enabling developers to tailor the application to their specific needs.
  • Multi-Platform Support
    Framework7 supports iOS and Android design guidelines, allowing for the creation of hybrid apps that look and feel native.
  • Flexibility
    It offers flexibility as it can be used with multiple frontend frameworks like React, Vue.js, and Svelte, or even without any framework.
  • Performance
    Optimized for high performance with features like virtual lists and smart DOM updates.
  • Documentation
    Framework7 has extensive documentation, which provides detailed guides and examples, making it easier for developers to get started.
  • Community Support
    There is a growing community and active forum, which is helpful for troubleshooting and finding best practices.

Possible disadvantages of Framework 7

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Despite extensive documentation, beginners may find it difficult to initially get accustomed to the framework's structure and conventions.
  • Size
    Framework7 is relatively large in size compared to other frameworks, which might affect load times for web apps.
  • Limited Third-Party Plugins
    Although the core library is comprehensive, the ecosystem of third-party plugins and extensions is smaller compared to other frameworks like React or Vue.js.
  • Dependency on HTML Layout
    It relies heavily on HTML structure, which can make the code harder to manage and less flexible in more complex applications.
  • iOS-Centric Design
    While it supports both iOS and Android, the default design leans heavily towards iOS, which might require extra customization for Android-centric apps.
  • Performance Overhead
    The extensive feature set can sometimes introduce performance overhead in less optimized use cases.

NativeScript features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Development
    NativeScript allows developers to write code once and deploy it across multiple platforms, including iOS and Android, which saves time and resources.
  • Native Performance
    Since NativeScript directly uses native components, it delivers high performance comparable to native applications, unlike some other cross-platform solutions.
  • Rich Ecosystem
    NativeScript offers a rich ecosystem of plugins and modules, making it easy to extend functionalities and integrate with various services.
  • Single Codebase
    Maintaining a single codebase for both iOS and Android reduces development and debugging efforts.
  • Open Source
    Being open source, NativeScript has strong community support and continuous improvements driven by developers around the world.
  • Access to Native APIs
    NativeScript allows direct access to native APIs, giving developers more flexibility and control over platform-specific features.

Possible disadvantages of NativeScript

  • Steep Learning Curve
    The framework requires an understanding of native development concepts, which can be complex for new developers or those not familiar with mobile development.
  • Lack of Third-Party Components
    Compared to more mature frameworks, NativeScript has a limited number of third-party libraries and UI components available.
  • Performance Overhead
    Despite high performance, there is still some overhead compared to fully native applications due to the abstraction layer.
  • Limited Community Support
    Although the community is growing, it is still smaller compared to mainstream frameworks like React Native or Flutter, which might result in slower issue resolution and fewer resources.
  • Maintenance and Updates
    Keeping the framework and its plugins up to date with the latest iOS and Android releases can be challenging and resource-intensive.

Analysis of Framework 7

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Framework 7 is a robust and reliable choice for developers looking to build feature-rich, mobile-focused applications. Its ability to deliver a native-like experience on web applications makes it particularly appealing for creating cross-platform apps.

Why this product is good

  • Framework 7 is considered a good choice due to its comprehensive set of features designed specifically for building mobile and web applications with a native look and feel. It offers a high degree of customization, a responsive interface, and is highly optimized for performance. Additionally, it provides extensive documentation and a vast array of UI components, making development faster and more efficient.

Recommended for

    Framework 7 is highly recommended for developers and businesses seeking to create hybrid mobile applications, progressive web apps (PWAs), or feature-rich web apps that require a seamless, native-like user experience. It's also suitable for those who are familiar with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS and wish to leverage their skills across both mobile and desktop platforms.

Analysis of NativeScript

Overall verdict

  • NativeScript is considered a good choice for developers seeking to create cross-platform mobile applications with a native look and feel while using web technologies they are already familiar with. It balances the flexibility of web development with the performance and capability of native apps.

Why this product is good

  • NativeScript is a popular open-source framework for building native mobile applications using JavaScript, TypeScript, Angular, Vue.js, or Svelte. It allows developers to write and maintain a single codebase for both iOS and Android, which can significantly reduce development time and effort. NativeScript provides access to native APIs, ensuring that apps can leverage device capabilities to deliver a truly native user experience. Additionally, the community and plugin ecosystem offer resources and tools to enhance app functionality and streamline development processes.

Recommended for

  • Web developers looking to leverage their existing skills to build mobile apps.
  • Teams that need to maintain a single codebase for multiple platforms.
  • Projects that require deep integration with native device features.
  • Developers familiar with frameworks like Angular, Vue.js, or Svelte who want to build mobile applications.

Framework 7 videos

Geometry Framework 7 - Review part 1

NativeScript videos

NativeScript VS React Native 2019 | performance | community | plugins

More videos:

  • Review - Which one is best for you? Flutter, React Native, Ionic or NativeScript?
  • Review - 7 Things to Know When Learning NativeScript

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Framework 7 and NativeScript)
Development Tools
51 51%
49% 49
JavaScript Framework
51 51%
49% 49
Javascript UI Libraries
51 51%
49% 49
Developer Tools
46 46%
54% 54

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Framework 7 and NativeScript

Framework 7 Reviews

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NativeScript Reviews

Top 10 Flutter Alternatives for Cross-Platform App Development
With the framework, developers get the option to craft a completely native experience even without interfering with the user interface. Those who are familiar with JavaScript can leverage NativeScript to its fullest.
Top 5 Flutter Alternatives for Cross-Platform Development
NativeScript is a powerful framework that empowers developers to build Web, iOS, Android, and Vision Pro apps on a single codebase. If youโ€™re comfortable with web development, especially Angular or VueJS, youโ€™ll find NativeScript accessible.
Source: www.miquido.com
10 Best Open Source Firebase Alternatives
The native apps you develop use the richness of the mobile platform and offer the performance you need for mobile devices. NativeScript uses native APIs and controls to render, allowing you to create more sophisticated apps compared to using a hybrid approach.
10 Best Tools to Develop Cross-Platform Desktop Appsย 
NativeScript doesnโ€™t require Angular or Vue.js but works better when used together for cross-platform app development. This runtime framework implements JavaScript, its superset TypeScript and Angular Native, and can render a variety of apps, be they gaming, streaming, geolocation, or chat apps. The user interface is in XML and CSS. A single, reusable codebase can be applied...
Top JavaScript Frameworks For Mobile App Development
NativeScript is an open-source, cross-platform, free mobile framework that assists in the creation of a truly native Android and iOS mobile apps. These apps can be built with JavaScript, Angular, Vue.js or TypeScript. Programming using NativeScript reduces the development time and lines of code, to a large extent. Many organizations globally have been implementing it because...
Source: medium.com

Social recommendations and mentions

NativeScript might be a bit more popular than Framework 7. We know about 21 links to it since March 2021 and only 16 links to Framework 7. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Framework 7 mentions (16)

View more

NativeScript mentions (21)

  • Top 10 Frameworks for Hybrid Mobile Apps in 2026
    NativeScript is a hybrid mobile app framework that allows developers to build truly native iOS and Android apps using JavaScript, TypeScript, or Angular. Unlike frameworks that rely on WebViews, NativeScript provides direct access to native APIs, ensuring apps perform like native applications. It is ideal for developers who want the convenience of JavaScript while leveraging full native functionality. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • What are JavaScript Engines?
    NativeScript is a good example of a runtime built specifically for cross-platform native mobile application development built using JavaScript. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Gio UI โ€“ Cross-Platform GUI for Go
    A long time ago, nativescript[1] seemed to be a strong alternative to reactnative. Is that still the case? [1] https://nativescript.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Ask HN: Flutter or React Native?
    I'm curious about this topic as well. I would also add NativeScript[1] in the comparison. [1] https://nativescript.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Svelte Native: The Svelte Mobile Development Experience
    This is not so much the Svelte equivalent of React Native as it is just NativeScript (https://nativescript.org). - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Framework 7 and NativeScript, you can also consider the following products

Apache Cordova - Platform for building native mobile applications using HTML, CSS and JavaScript

React Native - A framework for building native apps with React

PhoneGap - Easily create apps using the web technologies you know and love: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Ionic - Ionic is a cross-platform mobile development stack for building performant apps on all platforms with open web technologies.

Onsen UI - HTML5 Hybrid Mobile App UI Framework - work with Angular, React, Vue, Meteor & pure JavaScript. Material & Flat design.

jQuery Mobile - jQuery Mobile