Tag Archives: ipad

Mobile frameworks review

I have necessity to create a mobile app to test one startup idea which I’ve been working during @garage48 in Kiev this year.
Basically there are requirements:

1. Application need to work on tablets: iPad and android based. This is the largest market for the users so we need to support it.

2. I don’t know iOS and don’t have devices to develop app on it. Therefor need to have a framework to “convert” or “adapt” some king of generic solution to iOS platform.

3. We optionally need iPhone/android phones support, so people with phones can use application as well.

4. Need to support both phones/tablets layouts.
I have reviewed next options.

1. Android bootstrap: this is native fantastic android framework with lots of features. Cons: no port to iOS.

2. HTML5 options, major option is JQuery Mobile. Official website is not working so this is the link to their github repository. Has a few fantastic options, here is some tutorial (in russian!) I have used: http://habrahabr.ru/post/109739/

3. With HTML5 option need a framework to port to other phones. Phonegap is good choice. I’ve looked at number of frameworks but only here I have found real life examples which are looking very nice on iOS/Android platforms and pretty fast. Good framework to port application.

Therefore here is conclusion (can still be changed in future):

To use HTML5 as frontend (jquery-mobile) and wrap as phonegap application.