titanium - Appcelerator vs Android SDK -
i have been looking @ appcelerator seems pretty fine! without doubt, 1 of advantages of appcelerator support multi-platform. interested in building android app , maybe iphone app later on. not crucial support multiple platforms @ moment.
if disregard supporting multiple platforms , focus on android development. appcelerator still advantageous? lack features of "android sdk"?
(when "andorid sdk" mean development eclipse native android sdk, if makes sense)
we looked @ appcelerator when starting our android project. knew have ios client next, appcelerator enticing.
we decided not go route because doesn't support native features of each device.
for example, decided on our user interface in android need widget. no support in appcelerator, it's specific android. [this few months -you may want check again].
compromising on user interface us. decided go c/c++ app logic , use android sdk user interface.
our apps have 2 pieces: c/c++ as possible "brains" , native (android/cocoa touch) ui take advantage of ui experience.
works of course platforms can integrate c/c++.
the parting advice: design user interface first, find tool can implement it. users have high expectations of ui in portable devices. compromising on on may kod project.
[edit] every see upvote question. update learned in past 2 years:
- using c/c++ common parts of our application has paid off. require more complicated build process, savings gigantic if piece of code being shared complex (as in our case).
- for user interface piece beginning hybrid apps (some ui elements in html). there still debates out there html interfaces (facebook , linkedin 2 move native code ui), reports when chosen works. there great talk flipoard on that; slides here.
update oct/2014
in march/2014 smashing magazine published excellent article comparing native ios, native android, phongegap (cordova) , appcelerator titanium. show development of simple app in each environment.
this the last part of series. @ top of part there links previous parts of series , @ bottom there comparison of approaches. there interesting comments readers @ end.
update may/2015
still upvote question every often, share have done since wrote first part of answer.
we working on project has web client. have ios client, android client, plus web client.
javascript natural choice web client.
since want share code (at business logic layer) across these clients, means need find way run javascript code in ios , android.
and that's ended doing.
this summary of how handle it:
- for clients: data structures defined google's protobuf. allows automatically generate serialization/deserialization code ios , android.
- ios: run javascript code of javascriptcore (a overview here).
- android: run javascript code of google's v8 engine.
the bridge between javascript , ios/android layer can bottleneck, serialization of objects. had optimize few things , learned few lessons stay out of trouble.
generally experience has been positive. saved significant amount of time sharing code across clients.
if had start project 1 (that requires sharing code web , mobile clients), take @ what google did inbox. wasn't available when started. looks promising.
update august/2015
and world keeps turning...
i take @ react native if had start new mobile app now.
it's based on javascript, bridging web , mobile development more easily.
there great tutorial in ray wenderlich's site.
update february 2016
my shortlist cross-platform development down two:
i've been paying more attention ionic because our web app uses angularjs , ionic (cordova + angularjs). react native force team learn framework (of course argument opposite if web app uses react).
nevertheless, i'd consider react native, having learn framework, because of reported performance , look-and-feel of app. react native's site:
with react native, can use standard platform components such uitabbar on ios , drawer on android
if starting now, recommend take time @ minimum complete tutorials better feeling of each framework. each tutorial can complete in 1 2 hours:
for simpler approach: smashing magazine published (at time wrote update) a article showing how use native navigation elements make app feel (well...) native, while using web views render content. article goes details of how make html/css usable in mobile devices (it's not pushing html/css have).
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