Mobile app

Often referred to as a mobile application or just an app, a mobile application is a computer programme or software application that is intended to operate on a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, tablet, or wearable. When compared to desktop apps, which are intended to run on desktop computers, mobile applications are generally seen as a step up from web applications, which are designed to run on mobile web browsers rather than on the mobile device itself.

Apps (apps) were originally intended to be used for productive output functions such as email, calendars, and contact databases; however, public demand for apps resulted in rapid expansion into other areas such as mobile game play, industrial automation, GPS and location-based services, order tracking and ticket purchasing, with the result that there are now millions of apps available. Many applications require the use of the internet. Downloading apps is usually done via app stores, which are a kind of digital distribution platform.

The word "app," which is short for "software application," has gained widespread popularity in recent years, and was named "Word of the Year" by the American Dialect Society in 2010.

Apps may be divided into three types: native apps, hybrid apps, and web apps. Native apps are the most common kind of software. Native apps are those that are created especially for a mobile operating system, most often iOS or Android, and run on that platform. Web applications, which are built in HTML5 or CSS and run via a browser, are becoming more popular. Developed utilising web technologies like as JavaScript, CSS, and HTML 5, hybrid applications operate similarly to web applications but are housed in a native container.