WIPJam Cross Platform Tools - Dec 2013

Cross Platform Mobile App Development Tools Mark Arteaga | Founder  @RedBitDev  @MarkArteaga mark@redbitdev.com www.markarteaga.com www.RedBitDev.com

WHY ARE WE HERE?

CHALLENGE & GOALS?

Target all relevant platforms Reduce development time Reduce development costs Make end customers happy on all platforms (BYOD) • Share common code across platforms • • • •

MOBILE LANDSCAPE

NATIVE APPS

Defining Native: App Characteristics • Built with standard native UI controls • Conforms to platform‟s design conventions • Optimal performance • Leverages platform level HW acceleration • Access to full platform functionality

• Objective C • Xcode on Mac OS • Free Tools/SDK • $99 Store Fee/yr • C#, C++, VB.NET • Visual Studio/ VS Express • Free Tools/SDK • $19 Store Fee/yr Personal • $99/yr Company • Java, C/C++ • Plugin for Eclipse plus others • Free Tools/SDK • $25 Store Fee (One Time)

TECH APPROACHES TO CROSS PLATFORM

JavaScript Frameworks – What is It? • Mobile optimized website • UI rendered by browser – Safari for iOS – Chrome for Android – IE for Windows • No app store deployment • Standard JavaScript, HTML, CSS • Low barrier to entry

JavaScript Frameworks - Tools • • • • jQuery Mobile Sencha Touch jQT (jQTouch) KendoUI • Many open source

Hybrid Apps – What Is It? • Native apps using embedded web browser • HTML, CSS, JavaScript is used as to render the UI • JavaScript & native “bridge” to access device capabilities – Notifications, compass, filesystem • Leverage existing JavaScript frameworks • Tries to accomplish „write once run anywhere‟

Hybrid Apps – Frameworks • Apache Cordova (PhoneGap) • Others based on PhoneGap

Native Runtimes – What is it? • Compatibility layer that sits on top of the native OS • Attempts to shield app from platform differences • Executes code using different methods – Interpretation – JIT Compiling – AOT Compiling • Compiles to native code

Native Runtimes – Tools/Frameworks • • • • • Xamarin.iOS, Xamarin.Android Appcelerator Corona AppMobi Adobe Flex

REDBIT’S CHOICE

Native Runtimes

• Javascript as the coding language • Compiled down to native app – Javascript is not compiled – Interpreted code • Uses native controls on platform (ie button) • Attempts to have one code base for – business logic code – User interface code • Program to lowest common denominator for one code base

• C# as the coding language • Compiled down to native code – AOT Compiling to binary code for ARM • Does not try to accomplish write once run anywhere – Code sharing of core business logic – Write UI for every platform as every platform has different UI concepts

Our Final Choice

Why ? • Development team had more experience with C# • Compiles down to native code for performance • Does not try to accomplish „write once run anywhere‟ • Can share across iOS, Android and Windows (WPF, Windows 8, Windows Phone)

HOW DO YOU DECIDE?

Questions to ask … • Do you really need a native app? Is mobile optimized satisfy requirements? • Native required then what platforms are your customers on? • Is there a BYOD strategy in your organization? • What are your development teams strengths? Web/.NET/Java etc • Will customers accept an app that „does not feel native to platform‟? • Do you require platform integration such as gestures, notifications, GPS, camera?

Questions to ask … (con‟t) • Do you require offline functionality? • How does your app get discovered? – Enterprise app – you tell them where to get it. – Consumer app – they have to find you, they usually use web • Maintainability – easier to update a web app than a native/hybrid/runtime app • Costs – – – – Least - develop mobile optimized site Mid – develop hybrid app Mid 2 – Runtime app, share code, unique UI Most – Pure native apps (write for every platform)

Thank you & Questions! Mark Arteaga | Founder  @RedBitDev  @MarkArteaga mark@redbitdev.com www.markarteaga.com www.RedBitDev.com

THANK YOU & QUESTIONS!