Which programming languages should be used for healthcare applications?

Is your business in the healthcare sector? If so, it will come as no surprise that an increasing number of your competitors rely on mobile applications. These apps cover aspects such as access to medical services, bill payment, coordination, organizing medical data, and remote monitoring.
And as the pandemic continues to rage among the world's population, the need for mobile health apps will only grow. This means that if you're not already using the latest web development technologies and mobile apps, it's time to adapt to the new world order.

Your business and your clients will thank you for making the change.
However, such a transition can be challenging. You are not only changing the way you do business but also the very nature of how your company functions. But moving from a traditional model to a mobile one isn't as difficult as it seems, especially if you have the talent.
First and foremost, you need to decide on the programming language (see our almost complete list of programming languages) that the application will be built on. Once you've decided, you can ensure you have developers who are fluent in that language. But which languages are best suited for healthcare apps? Let's dive into this topic and find out.

Kotlin

Kotlin development services top the list because it is the new programming language for Android. Why Android, not iOS, leads the list? Simple. Android is the most widespread mobile platform on the planet, holding 70.1% of the market. With that kind of global reach, you don't want to miss the opportunity to work with Android devices. And although Java (the previous default language for Android apps) is more common, by Google's design, Kotlin is meant to replace Java.

Java

We stick with Android (again, because of market share), and while Google plans to phase out Java, it is still a very good option (and it's not going away). Java is already widely used in healthcare (for diagnostic and interventional systems, record keeping, cloud and server applications, and web apps), so using it for a mobile app is a no-brainer. Remember, Android was written in Java, so any apps developed in that language will be high-performing and reliable. However, keep in mind that at some point you may need to transition from Java to Kotlin for Android apps.

Swift

You should also offer your app for iOS. This is especially true for certain markets (e.g., the US and Japan, where iOS dominates the mobile landscape). For iOS app development, you should focus your efforts on Swift, which is the default language for iPhone apps. Like Kotlin and Java, Swift is an open-source language, so it's constantly evolving. And because Swift uses dynamic libraries, developers can easily (and quickly) keep libraries up to date.

JavaScript

JavaScript is the most common programming language on the planet. One of the main reasons is that it allows for developing very complex website functionalities. Additionally, JavaScript is a scripting language that all web developers turn to when adding interactive and interesting features to website front ends.
For mobile app development, there are many JavaScript frameworks such as React Native, NativeScript, Ionic, and Apache Cordova.

XML

When it comes to mobile app development, XML may not seem like the first language that comes to mind. However, XML provides a standardized architecture for encoding documents, so it can be incredibly useful for any apps that require compliance with certain requirements. Any apps dealing with patient records can benefit from using XML.

Python

Python is another language you might not think of when starting a new mobile project. However, if you plan to integrate large amounts of data or plan to use AI or ML, Python could be a good choice. And since Python is one of the core languages for IoT, you can be confident that your mobile app will be able to interact with those devices. Given the proliferation of IoT, this could be a game-changer for your company.

HTML

We add HTML to this list because at some point your web apps will need to interact with your websites. In that case, you'll need developers who can work efficiently and effectively with HTML to create the sites these apps need to interface with.

Conclusion

It is 2024, and the demand for custom enterprise mobile app development will continue to soar. If you want your business to compete in a highly competitive environment, you should consider building a mobile app. If your company is ready to work with one or more of the languages listed above, you should have no trouble developing to meet this ever-growing demand.