Hybrid App Development

Patrick Brückner

 

 

March 24, 2015

Agenda

  1. Issues with native app development
  2. Can hybrid apps be a solution
  3. Conclusions

1) Issues with Native App Development

Android OS

iOS

Windows Phone

Java

Objective C
or Swift

C# (.NET)

10,000$

10,000$

10,000$

Hard to find experts in all the required programming languages

2) Solution: Hybrid App Development

  • App is developed in one programming language for multiple platforms
  • Different approaches:
    • native transpilation (e.g. NativeScript, RoboVM)
    • non-native wrapping (e.g. Cordova)
  • Downside: Development and Performance overhead

Apache Cordova

  • Oldest hybrid concept, first published in 2009
  • Supports Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Symbian, Bada, Blackberry, WebOS, Tizen, Ubuntu Touch and Firefox OS
  • Implements a browser window inside the application that has access to hardware (such as sensors etc).
  • Ionic (still beta) offers nice-looking UI framework for Cordova

RoboVM

published March 10, 2015

  • Java Programming Language
  • Separation of UI and logic using common MVC patterns
  • Create separate UI for Android/iOS
  • Share logic modules in both

NativeScript

published March 6, 2015

  • JavaScript Programming Language
  • Code is partially transpiled into native code and then compiled
  • Native UI

Remaining issues

  • Hardware access can be tricky (file system, sensors)
  • Compatibility between the various systems
  • Most solutions target Android/iOS, other systems still not supported

Conclusion

  • App development is required due to high diversification of operating systems in use
  • Solutions to make App development more cost-effective are blooming and we should make use of them

Thank you

Hypothesis

Conventional computers will slowly but gradually disappear, first from private households, a bit later from businesses aswell.

Developing Apps for mobile devices should be focused on, whether the target is private or business use.

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