Other App Frameworks

Reactive Native

• The latest and greatest mobile framework
• Based on JavaScript and React
• Not really a hybrid framework.  You use JavaScript and JSX (adds XML syntax to JavaScript) to create a fully native mobile application
• Open souce
• https://facebook.github.io/react/​
• https://facebook.github.io/react-native/

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Runs fast
• Open source
• Uses native architecture and concept
• You can only use components available to native application platforms
• Excellent error reporting
• CSS Flexbox is used for layout design
• Ever growing community plus large 3rd party support
• Learn once, write anywhere

Pros and Cons

Cons

• Because of different OS flows, it's not a write-once-run-anywhere framework
• Need to understand that iOS platform uses different layout flow, components, design patterns compared to Android. Because of this it’s impossible to create one solution to cover everything.
• Need to be pretty strong at JavaScript
• Currently it only supports two major platforms, iOS and Android.

React Native Demo

Ionic

http://ionicframework.com/

• Is an HTML5 SDK that helps you build hybrid apps with web technologies (UI framework)
• Helps create visual elements- UI and design
• Still use PhoneGap, HTML, CSS and JavaScript to build out your app

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Open source and free
• Helps aid in the front-end development of hybrid apps
• Lots of documentation and support
• Lets you write the same app once and distribute across multiple platforms
• Uses the angular.js framework which can help speed up development
• Supports Cordova and PhoneGap
• Large number of 3rd party plugins

Pros and Cons

Cons

• Runs slower since it's not completely native
• Need to know HTML 5/CSS/JavaScript to take full advantage of Iconic
• Doesn't have as many features as other frameworks
• Need to know Angular.js to do anything complex

Sencha Touch

https://www.sencha.com/products/touch/#overview

• HTML5 mobile app framework
• Has a native look and feel
• Can be used with Cordova/PhoneGap or it's native framework to package apps
• Good for enterprises 

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Sencha has produced various different products
• Can start for free
• Good documentation
• Has a UI and theme library
• Can package using PhoneGap or Cordova
• Helps create hybrid apps using HTML, CSS and JavaScript

Pros and Cons

Cons

• Slower
• Commercial, not open source
• Cost
• Doesn't have 3rd party plugins

Appcelerator Titanium

• JavaScript framework used for mobile development
• Write a native app using JavaScript
• Similar to PhoneGap in a way because it attempts to offer a cross-platform approach using wen technologies

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Faster
• Uses UI native components
• Uses JavaScript to code across all platforms
• Good documentation
• Has a market place for 3rd party plugins and add on apps
• Popular

Pros and Cons

Cons

• Cost
• Commercial - not open source
• Can be complex, steep learning curve
• Need to have expert knowledge of JavaScript

Framework 7

• Popular framework for building iOS apps
•  Uses CSS, JavaScript and HTML
• Has a native look and feel
• Provides iOS features out of the box
• Access to a UI library  that includes list views, side panels and modals that can be used without JavaScript
• Free and open source

http://framework7.io/