Posts Tagged ‘Cordova’
[DevoxxFR2014] The Road to Mobile Web – Comprehensive Strategies for Cross-Platform Development
Lecturers
David Gageot serves as a Developer Advocate at Google, where he focuses on cloud and mobile technologies. Previously a freelance Java developer, he created Infinitest and co-authored books on continuous delivery. Nicolas De Loof consults at CloudBees on DevOps, contributing to Docker as maintainer and organizing Paris meetups.
Abstract
Developing for mobile web requires navigating a landscape of technology choices—native, hybrid, or pure web—while addressing constraints like network latency, disconnection handling, ergonomics, and multi-platform support (iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone). This article draws from practical experiences to evaluate these approaches, emphasizing agile methodologies, automated testing, and industrial-strength tooling for efficient delivery. It analyzes performance optimization techniques, UI adaptation strategies, and team organization patterns that enable successful mobile web projects. Through case studies and demonstrations, it provides a roadmap for building responsive, reliable applications that perform across diverse devices and networks.
Technology Choices: Native, Hybrid, or Web
The decision between native development, hybrid frameworks like Cordova, or pure web apps depends on requirements for performance, hardware access, and distribution. Native offers optimal speed but requires platform-specific code; hybrid balances this with web skills; pure web maximizes reach but limits capabilities.
David and Nicolas advocate hybrid for most cases, using Cordova to wrap web apps with native shells for camera, GPS access.
Handling Mobile Constraints
Network latency demands offline capabilities:
if (navigator.onLine) {
syncData();
} else {
queueForLater();
}
Ergonomics requires responsive design with media queries:
@media (max-width: 480px) {
.layout { flex-direction: column; }
}
Multi-Platform Support
Tools like PhoneGap Build compile once for all platforms. Testing uses emulators and cloud services like Sauce Labs.
Agile Team Organization
Small, cross-functional teams with daily standups; automated CI/CD with Jenkins.
Industrialization and Testing
Use Appium for cross-platform tests:
driver.findElement(By.id("button")).click();
assertTrue(driver.findElement(By.id("result")).isDisplayed());
Conclusion: A Practical Roadmap for Mobile Success
Mobile web development succeeds through balanced technology choices, rigorous testing, and agile processes, delivering value across platforms.
Links:
Below is a reworked and comprehensive elaboration of the DevoxxFR2014 conference sessions for chunks 111-114, based on the provided documents. Each section provides an in-depth analysis of the lecture content, lecturer background, technical details, and broader implications, while incorporating relevant links and ensuring full sentences for clarity and depth. The focus is on delivering a thorough and engaging narrative for each talk, tailored to the themes presented at Devoxx France 2014.