A Guide to Mobile App Development Platforms

Often a developer has a great idea they can visualize but a gauntlet to run through before they see it climb up the bestseller list on Google Play or the App Store. Here’s your bold statement of the day: History will judge this time period as the golden age of app development.

Now, you’re either scoffing at the audacity of that statement or thinking, “Yeah, it just might be the golden age.” Think about it. It’s a maturing market where the possibilities are seemingly endless–there’s money, opportunity and mainstream appeal. What is great about this field is also what is daunting. The possibilities aren’t literally endless but they can be overwhelming in their scope.

Let’s start at square one. Which framework do you use to build the darn thing? The following six programs aren’t the only dev tools on the market, but they should give you a basic starting point for your great idea. Just remember us when you’re making your millions, mmkay?

One of the most popular mobile development frameworks is PhoneGap. This free, open-source framework utilizes many easy and common coding languages, such as HTML, Javascript, and CSS. There are also a lot of choices for plug-ins. Because of the nature of open-source platforms, some plug-ins are out-of-date and buggy.

You can, of course, create your own plug-ins, but if you’re using PhoneGap, you might not have the most experienced programmers in the first place. And if those programmers don’t have knowledge of mobile-friendly UI frameworks, the app may run slowly.

Pros: One of the easiest design frameworks. Possible limitations: UI and function limitations.

When using Appcelerator Titanium, your developers will program in Titanium API using Javascript syntax. UI can only be done through hard coding, which can often turn into a time-consuming process. Appcelerator Titanium does, however, use native UI components and generally has excellent performance overall.

Titanium is free to all, though there are “value-adds” such as Backend-as- a-Service, code analysis and the like.

Pros: Relatively easy language, UI abstraction, fairly popular. Possible limitations: Lag time after OS release, complex native code integration.

Adobe Air’s strength rests in its ability to create incredible graphics for your app. It has a GUI editor in the IDE. One of the biggest drawbacks is that the only language Adobe Air utilizes is ActionScript.

Unlike other frameworks Adobe Air allows you to program for Black- Berry and OSX.

Pros: Powerful tool for graphically pleasing apps on many different platforms. Possible limitations: Uses proprietary language and may not be a good long-term solution.

If you plan on bringing your app to many different countries, Qt might be one of the better options. Qt Linguist enables translation and internationalization in apps.In Addition, Qt offers solid development tools and code profiling. It also features a large set of libraries containing intuitive APIs.

Like many of the other tools on the list, Qt is free.

Pros: Strong development tools, internationalization, provides native look. Possible limitations: Minimal support, promotes vendor lock-in.

Telerik is all about the cloud: you store everything in the cloud, you write the code in the cloud, you host it in the cloud. The GUI editor also has drag and drop widgets, and the framework supports KendoUI and jQuery. Telerik’s biggest issue is that the interface can be buggy. In addition, interface options are relatively limited compared to other frameworks on the list.

Telerik costs $40/month/user.

Pros: Easy languages, cloud storage. Possible limitations: UI and functional limitations.

Xamarin features a true, native UI for iOS, Android, and Windows. Xamarin 3 also has some of the easiest iOS coding. If you are developing only for iOS, this framework is a strong choice. However, if you plan on developing for Android and Windows, the process might turn into a time sink since you will have to build individually on each platform (even though your app might have many similar non-native features). Xamarin creates apps using C#, so it is a great choice for companies that exclusively use Microsoft products.

Xamarin is also one of the more expensive frameworks on our list. The limited version is free, but additional features will run you between $300- $1,900 per platform, per developer, per year.

Pros: Powerful, stable, creates true native apps. Possible limitations: Can be time consuming and costly.

LANGUAGE HTML, Javascript, CSS Titanium API using ActionScript QML (CSS/Javascript- HTML, Javascript, CSS, C# Javascript syntax like), C++ Native

HTML CSS JS JS AS QML C HTML CSS JS

GUI No GUI editor provided, but No GUI editor provided. UI Has GUI editor in the IDE. Has GUI Editor that emulates Has GUI editor to drag/drop GUI Editor with native UI can easily be done using web editing is through coding only look of each platform widgets development tools. (relatively uneasy)

UI CONTROLS Not native (jQuery UI & jQuery Native Flash UI Native Native and Web Native mobile are alternatives)

PLATFORM

PRICING Free Developer version is free. Free Free $40/user/month Free for limited, Enterprise and Add-ons Costs range from $300/ available for a fee platform/dev/yr to $1900

0 0 $ 0 0 $ 0 $

API DOCUMENTATION Cordova Documentation Titanium Documentation Flash Builder Documentation Qt Documentation Telerik Icenium Documentation Xamarin Documentation

BOTTOM LINE • Very popular • Relatively easy language • Powerful tool for graphically • Strong development tools • Easy languages • Powerful • Easy coding languages • UI abstraction pleasing apps on many and provides native look • Cloud storage • Stable • Easy to learn • Fairly popular, different platforms • Internalization • UI/functional limitations • Creates true native apps • UI limitations • Lag time after OS release • Proprietary language and • Minimal support • Good for Microsoft • Functional limits • Complex native code may not be a good long • Promotes vendor lock-in loyalists integration term solution • Can be time consuming • Costly www.logicsolutions.com ©2014 Logic Solutions, Inc. @LogicSolutions About Logic Solutions

Logic Solutions builds mobile apps.

We come to work every day with a passion to help clients solve problems with intelligent and innovative web and mobile solutions. Our experts will work with you to get a solid understanding of what is needed so that you have peace of mind knowing that your project will be delivered to your satisfaction on time, on budget, and on target.

Logic is a full-service custom web and mobile application development firm, specializing in content management, eCommerce and mobile app technology. Our services include web and mobile programming, business analysis, consulting, user interface design, UI/UX analysis, solution architecture, application integration and deployment. Logic was founded in 1995, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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