App Development Arkiv

What is the Best Place to Learn PhoneGap App Development?

12.13.2014 by Adam //

Mobile app development has come a long way since it’s inception with the first iPhone, and later the flood of Android devices. Originally the only way to make an app for either of these frameworks was to design “native” apps that used the software that Apple or Google released to build them with. Today, however, there are a plethora of other third-party platforms with which to develop apps on. PhoneGap is one of these platforms, and is gaining popularity, especially amongst those with prior experience in web development.

PhoneGap is a platform that allows users to write applications in languages that are used in web-development, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It allows web developers to design an app using existing web technologies and “jump the gap” from web to mobile app on a mobile platform. The people that will have the greatest advantage on this platform are, of course, are those with any sort of previous experience in web development. Newcomers will likely have an easier time learning to develop on this platform than trying to build a native Android or iOS app, too, since HTML and CSS are relatively simple to learn. Building apps with PhoneGap will also require less overall knowledge of Java than would be required to design a native Android app. Oh, and did I mention that this service makes apps available on all major mobile platforms?

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So what are some of the best places to go to learn to develop on the PhoneGap Platform?

The PhoneGap website is, of course, a good place to start. Phone Gap has a professional blog that is constantly updated with tips and tricks about using PhoneGap. They also have a very useful getting started tutorial that introduces newbies to the platform, as well as detailing everything it takes to get started developing with PhoneGap.

Another great resource to get started with PhoneGap is on Christophe Coenraets personal blog. Christophe Coenraets is an experienced web-developer, and actually worked with Adobe and the PhoneGap team to teach others on how to design and implement their own PhoneGap apps. His tutorial on developing PhoneGap applications is insightful, technical, and extremely detailed, with plenty of pictures to illustrate the code as the program is built.

One of the greatest resources aspiring newcomers to app development can have is an extensive community of others to help encourage and teach them about their platform. Raywenderlich is such a community. They have a massive library of over six-hundred free tutorials on all sorts of development, including app development with PhoneGap. Here is a good tutorial to get started with PhoneGap. This starts by teaching you how to set up PhoneGap on your computer to creating a fun and simple app, perfect for your first PhoneGap project.

PhoneGap is a tremendous resource for those looking for a hassle free way to develop applications across all mobile platforms – including Android and iOS. The learning curve is less steep than with native apps, especially for those with previous web-development experience.

Hybrid App Development Using HTML5

12.12.2014 by Adam //

Since the beginning of the smartphone, the field of app development has grown into something much larger than most people probably imagined could happen. Every quarter smartphone sales go up and up, and its become abundantly clear that Android, iOS, and Windows phones are here to stay, and along with them, mobile applications and app development. As more and more people flock to the mobile marketplace, either to buy apps or to sell them, more and more fresh new ideas take pop up. Perhaps the most important idea to hit the digital marketplace in recent years is the idea of hybrid app development.

Hybrid apps are mobile apps that are built using HTML5, and are becoming an ever popular way to create mobile apps. This new technology has spurred some debate over what kind of app development is best: native apps built specific to their respective platforms (Android, iOS, or Windows), or hybrid apps available for distribution over all of the mobile platforms. Many claim that native apps are superior simply because each app is built to the fullest capabilities of that platform – an app that utilizes Siri on iOS, for example. Others claim that Hybrid apps built with HTML5 offer a bigger bang for the buck since you can spend half the time creating an app that will reach twice the market.

What are the main differences between native and hybrid apps? Native apps are applications built using the standard technologies for their specific platforms – such as the Android SDK being used to develop and app for Android. Native appsare downloaded through app stores and are installed directly onto their system. HTML5 apps are built using HTML5 and other standard web development technologies, such as JavasScript, CSS, and of course HTML. HTML5 apps are cross-platform apps that can only be accessed through a web-browser. Hybrid apps are apps that are built like an HTML5 app, and then wrapped around a native shell. This allows them the flexibility of being cross-platform and internet based, andto be downloaded and even partially installed on the system.

It can be argued that native apps are still second to none, even when put through its paces in comparison to hybrid apps. While hybrid apps take a shotgun approach to development, it requires much more of HTML5 to accomplish what could be done just as well – or even better – on a native app. As well, a hybrid app cannot take advantage of platform-specific features, such as Siri voice command. However, hybrid apps are by far the most cost effective way to create an app for multiple platforms – both in terms of time and labor. A highly specialized type of knowledge is required when making native apps, a specialized knowledge that is not needed when creating hybrid apps.

Hybrid apps are the newest of technologies in the app development field, and while there may be an argument over which is superior, native or hybrid apps, on thing is for certain: hybrid apps will not be disappearing anytime soon.

How Much Java do I Need to Learn if I Want to Learn Android App Development?

12.11.2014 by Adam //

Developing an app on the Android platform, while easy, does require some elbow grease and a little bit of know how. The most fundamental aspect of programming an Android app is the language you use to program it in. For Android, this is Java. So just how much Java do you need to know in order to successfully create (and sell) a fully functioning and polished Android app? The answer may surprise you.

The official language for developing on the Android platform is Java. The majority of any Android app is Java, with a sprinkling of XML tossed into the mix. This means that, of course, it helps to come into Android app development with prior experience in programming with Java. The most important aspects of programing with Java to know includes control flow structures, data types, and Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) concepts – basically the fundamentals you would learn when programming in any other language.

Two other concepts important to app development includes Event Listeners and Threads. Event listeners are what “listen” to what’s going on in an app. For example, you would employ a listener to “listen” for when a button is pressed. Once your Event Listener “hears” the button being pressed, your code would then execute what ever is supposed to happen when that button is pressed. Threads are the tools that allow your apps to process tasks in the background, which is important for a fluid, enjoyable experience for your app users. You would use a Thread process things like images in the background so that when your user presses a button that displays a certain image, there is no noticeable “hang time” between the button press and the loading of the image, because your Thread has already loaded up the image!

There are numerous free tutorials floating on the web in order to learn the Java language and these concepts, such as this one published by Oracle, the company that distributes the Java language. If you’re looking for something a little more comprehensive and don’t mind shelling a few bucks, this Udemy course is a popular one, and is designed specifically to teach you Java for Android App development.

Now, there are ways around a lack of Java knowledge, too. There are numerous platforms that allow you to create fully functional Android apps with little to no Java knowledge at all! One of the more powerful platforms is called the Corona SDK. Corona uses a high-level SDK that is built with the Lua programming language, which is much simpler to learn than Java. The developer that chooses to go this route will perhaps lose an amount of agency over the finished product. However, professional looking and functioning apps can be created with little to no Java knowledge using such platforms.

While having a knowledge of Java will certainly help you in developing apps for Android, it is, surprisingly, not necessary for creating less complex apps that look professional and function perfectly well. Many people are surprised to learn that, in some cases, developing apps for Android requires no knowledge of Java at all.