Cross Platform Mobile Applications

• Why build Cross Platform ?

• What are Cross Platform Mobile Applications ?

• What are the most popular development frameworks available ?

• Which framework do I use ?

Desktop App Evolution- an analogy

Command Line Native Apps Web Apps Rich Internet Apps

Mobile Web applications

• The number of people accessing the mobile Internet is growing fast and is expected to overtake the PC as the most popular way to get on the Web within five years.

• Many mobile Web users in emerging markets are mobile-only.

• Most consumers prefer browser to apps for most mobile activities.

• Limited access to complete hardware potential in a smart phone.

Mobile Web frameworks

JQuery plug-in Mobile counterpart of JQuery UI

Mobile counterpart of EXT JS

Progressive Extensive approach

Progressive Extensive approach

DOM based on JavaScript objects.

Limited UI widgets and controls

Extended UI widgets and controls, more web standards compliant

Very extensive UI components.

Limited Support and ongoing development

Good community support Good community support.Paid enterprise support available

Cross Platform applications• Doesn’t bet on a particular smart phone platform to succeed.

• Leverage existing web app expertise.

• Doesn’t compromise in use of powerful native (hardware) features.

Cross Platform Frameworks

Phone Gap

• A Web Application in a native wrapper.

• Completely built using web technologies (HTML, JS and CSS)

• API provides bridge between JS and native device APIs.

• Look and feel identical to Web App

Titanium Appcelerator

• Native application developed using web technologies, compiled into appropriate Native binaries for respective target runtimes.

• UI components can be built using HTML and CSS, however Appcelerator also provides a JS API that provides access to native UI components.

• Native looking apps can be built using Appcelerator.

Rhodes

• Similar to Titanium- built using web technologies and compiled to native apps.

• MVC framework allowing all business logic to be separated, written in Ruby.

• Rhohub – Hosted development environment

• Rhosync – Data sync framework using web services for enterprise class applications.

Phone Gap vs. Appcelerator vs. Rhodes

Phone Gap Appcelerator Rhodes

iPhone Yes Yes Yes

Android Yes Yes Yes

Blackberry Yes Limited Support Yes

Symbian Yes No Yes

Windows Mobile Yes No Yes

HP / Palm WebOS Yes No No

Platforms Supported

Phone Gap vs. Appcelerator vs. Rhodes

Phone Gap Appcelerator Rhodes

Native hardware features

Yes Yes Yes

Enterprise sync No No Rhosync, PAID

Multi-threading No No Yes

Application Distribution support

No No Yes, RhoGallery

So.. What do I choose ?

Phone GapPros– Supports many platforms.– Completely FREE. – Looks completely like a Web Page

Cons– Limited Plug-ins– No access to Native UI components

So.. What do I choose ?

Appcelerator TitaniumPros– Powerful API allows apps that are almost identical

to native apps.

Cons– Support mainly for iPhone and Android.– Only the basic features are free.

So.. What do I choose ?

RhodesPros– Enterprise class framework- MVC, Rhosync,

rhohub, etc.– Large number of platforms supported.

Cons– Ruby– Only the basic features are free.