Cross platform mobile application development with enterprise systems

With the increase in different kinds of mobiles and smartphones in the market and multiple mobile platforms, mobile developers are faced with the challenge of meeting the demands of millions of mobile users. There are various mobile operating systems in vogue, most notably iOS, Android, Blackberry, and Windows. Developers tend to choose a single platform and create apps based on the platform. But the hitch is that one can develop applications through a single development package for a single platform.

Here is why cross-platform mobile application development assumes importance. One can develop applications in a common language for multiple platforms. The cross-platform technologies can be used in multiple devices & platforms writing source code for just one application.

There are many advantages with cross platform development. Robust mobile applications can be developed by taking advantage of industry best practices and a single standard technology. There are many highly skilled cross platform mobile developers who are good enough to build secure mobile applications at a quick pace. Demand is huge for rich experienced cross platform mobile developers who are adept in developing powerful mobile apps using HTML, CSS and Javascript. We are always in the process of creating powerful cross platform mobile applications using diverse technologies which are well known including PhoneGap, Rhomobile and Titanium.

There are various issues associated with some development languages including multiple languages support and the presence of multiple code bases which becomes uneconomical for enterprises in the long run. Mobile applications which are based on web technology supports different devices with limitations related to native features and also related to network connectivity. There is this need of an application development framework which makes sense of ‘Write once and deploy anywhere.’ It is essential for mobile applications to support web technologies for mobile application development though.

A typical cross-platform mobile framework ensures a software framework which can support the development of smartphone applications which are mostly written dynamically for optimal utilization and leverage of important native phone capabilities including GPS navigation data or personal contact lists. There are various types of the cross-platform technologies in vogue which include the Ruby based MVC framework which includes HTML, Ruby, and CSS. The framework ably supports native features like including the geo-location feature, accelerometer, camera  and the like.

The second framework used for cross platform mobile development is a web-based framework which efficiently uses JavaScript.

The third framework and technology which supports cross-platform mobile development is PhoneGap  which is a popular tool which combines HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. PhoneGap efficiently supports native features including geolocation, accelerometer and other such features.
Titanium is a good competitor to PhoneGap and developed by Appcelerometer. It combines various technologies HTML, JavaScript, and CSS for creating apps. It is deeply integrated with Apple libraries and provides extensive support for native features.

WidgetPad is not used much but is slowly getting popular. It combines the web technologies including HTML 5, CSS3 and JavaScript for web development as well as cross-platform mobile app development. QuickConnect on the other hand uses VB .NET, PHP, JSP, JavaScript, Java and the like for the same.