Rhodes vs Phonegap

Creating native apps across devices in minutes

Ankit Shandilya

Cell phones are the next major computing platform

Today's Smartphone have equivalent capabilities to high-end computers 5 years ago.

Paradigm shift from to convert major web apps to mobile apps.

Why mobile apps

Source : http://www.gigaom.com

Options for mobile appsWeb Apps Native apps

Use of advance browsers.

Requires very little knowledge related to device.

Works on all devices irrespective of OS.

Make use of device characteristics.

Potential to have offline capabilities.

Better usability coz’ its device specific.

Too many kinds of devices. Varied user interface styles: resolutions,

input modes. Very little penetration in enterprise

solutions like email.

Why native apps are less popular

Solution on next slide …

Rhodes

Rhosync

Rhohub

Rhogallery

Rhomobile Products

• Create client application

•Includes sync capabilities

• Build apps in cloud

• Managing your apps

Cross platform: write once, run on any device

Works anywhere: when connected, when disconnected

MVC : Model View Controller architecture

Rhomobile is better Rhodes Legacy Providers Other Framework

Support all Smart Phone Yes No No

Native UI Yes Yes Yes

App Language Standard Proprietary Standard

Model View Controller Yes No No

Barcode/Signature Capture Yes Yes No

HTML5 Yes No Yes

Support all OS Yes No No

MetaData Yes No No

Sync Yes No No

Native Push API Yes No No

Hosting Facility Yes No No

Source : www.rhomobile.com

Architecture

Install Rhodes

Generate Rhodes controllers for your data models

Edit the views for your controller actions

Test your application

The Rhodemap

Application in 2mins

Connecting rails & rhomobile

Agile application using Metadata

Demo Apps

25 mins to go ;)

A platform to create native apps using web technologies A JavaScript library A native library for every platform Compilation helpers

PhoneGap

Open Source Multi-platform Latests -even future- standards First class apps

Features

PhoneGap is not a UI framework PhoneGap doesn’t compile Every platform need its own compilation HTML5/CSS3 compatibility varies PhoneGap doesn’t include a browser and or a rendering engine

Warning!

iOS (iPhone y iPad) Android BlackBerry 4.x, - 7 webOS Symbian Samsung Bada Windows Phone 7.5

Compatibility (official 1.2)

BlackBerry PlayBook

Meego 1.2 Harmattan (Nokia N9)

Compatibility (non-official yet)

Apple AppStore Android Market, Amazon AppStore AppWorld AppCatalog Nokia Store Samsung Apps Windows Marketplace

Stores

Accelerometer Camera (video/photo) Compass Contacts File Management

Abilities

Geolocation Multimedia Network Information Notification Storage

Abilities

Abilities

Simulators and Emulators (www.mobilexweb.com/emulators)

Real devices

Ripple Simulator

Can we use a desktop browser?

To test

Challenges & Questions

we are using the browser engine... So why package it?

is it safe to use an embedded web view?

.

Screen sizes & orientations DPIs User Interface - should we emulate native

UI? Performance & JavaScript Best Practices

Challenges

Native code to add more support

Every platform should have its native code

We need a plugin community

Plugins

Advices

Advices Try to maintain one source code Embrace differences Best experience for every platform Define CSS and JavaScript per platform for porting

I am Done Thank You