{"id":8713,"date":"2013-07-09T18:00:11","date_gmt":"2013-07-09T18:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/cross-platform\/"},"modified":"2024-05-13T16:15:25","modified_gmt":"2024-05-13T16:15:25","slug":"cross-platform","status":"publish","type":"definition","link":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/17056\/cross-platform","title":{"rendered":"Cross-Platform"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is Cross-Platform?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Cross-platform is the ability of software<\/a> applications to operate on multiple operating systems<\/a> (OS) or hardware<\/a> platforms with little or no modification.<\/p>\n

For example, a cross-platform program can run on Windows<\/a>, macOS<\/a>, and Linux<\/a> using the same codebase<\/a>. This is also true for mobile operating systems like iOS<\/a> and Android<\/a>, and gaming platforms like PlayStation<\/a>, Xbox<\/a>, and Switch<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This is achieved through the use of universal coding languages<\/a> and development environments that abstract away the underlying differences between operating systems.<\/p>\n

This approach is great because it eliminates the need to develop and maintain separate versions of an application for each platform, leading to major resource savings and simplification of the software development<\/a> process.<\/p>\n

It also opens up the app to a larger user base because, regardless of their device or system, they have access to the same application functionality and user experience<\/a> (UX).<\/p>\n

Techopedia Explains the Cross-Platform Meaning<\/h3>\n

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The layman’s cross-platform definition is when software is designed to operate on multiple computer<\/a> operating systems, such as Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. This allows a program to reach a broader audience without separate development for each system.<\/p>\n

To clarify, cross-platform is often used interchangeably with terms like multi-platform and platform-independent, but there are subtle distinctions:<\/p>\n