Would you choose native development or a cross-platform framework like Flutter or React Native for a new app? What would drive that decision?

What the interviewer is looking for

• This question tests mobile ui & app architecture. Structures apps with a clear pattern, separates interface from logic, supports different screens, dark mode and accessibility settings.
• Strong answers: Team skills, performance and platform feature needs, time to market, long-term maintenance, and a balanced view without dogma.
• Likely follow-up: What signs would make you revisit that choice later?

Another way it may be asked: A startup asks you to build their first app for both iPhone and Android. How do you decide how to build it?

A structure to follow: Answer, explain, example, limits

1. Step 1

   Answer

   Give your direct answer in the first sentence so the interviewer knows where you are going.

2. Step 2

   Explain

   Say how it works or why you would do it that way, in plain words before jargon.

3. Step 3

   Example

   Anchor it in something you have actually done or seen, with the detail that shows hands-on experience.

4. Step 4

   Limits

   Say when your approach would not be the right one. It shows judgement.

This is guidance on shape, not a script. Use your own real experience and facts; never invent details to fill a gap. See the STAR guide and answer frameworks.

Common slips

• Reciting a definition without showing you have applied it.
• Using terms you cannot explain if asked a level deeper.
• Claiming experience beyond what you can discuss in detail.

How to practise it

Say the answer in 90 seconds, then answer the follow-up as if it were a new question.

Related questions

• How do you make sure your app's screens adapt to different screen sizes, dark mode and larger text settings?
• What architecture pattern do you use to structure your app's screens and logic, and why that one?
• Can you explain the lifecycle of a screen in an iOS or Android app, and why it matters when you load data?
• Imagine a user opens your app on a subway with no signal. What should the app do, and how would you build that?
• How would you build a scrolling list of thousands of items so it stays smooth on an older phone?

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