The term "cross-platform development" involves creating software applications that can run on multiple operating systems and devices without the need for extensive platform-specific modifications. This approach allows developers to write code once and deploy it across various platforms, such as iOS, Android, and the web. Technologies and frameworks like React Native and Xamarin facilitate this process by providing tools that support shared codebases and platform-specific functionality. Cross-platform development not only reduces development time and costs but also broadens the audience reach for applications, making it a popular choice in today’s diverse tech landscape.