I am new to mobile phone development. I've been asked to develop a cross-platform app based on our software infrastructure' s WCF services (or web services if need be).
I realise that there are many cross-platform SDKs out there so I want to ask a few questions before trying to evaluate all of them.
My first question, is are the SDKs thick client, or thin client?
Let me qualify that question further. So, if I write a native app for an iPhone that consumes our app's web services, it will be a thick client. I assume that the platform Xamarin for example would do the same thing, compile the .Net code down to native code for the various platforms, and then that app would run as a thick client.
But how about running as a thin client? I mean, basically have a browser wrapped in a app installation that would be something like Safari in disguise? Is this possible? Is there perhaps a Safari control for iOS that would just go directly to our web app and possible resize the app to fit the iPhone correctly? Do people do this? Is it a good idea? Are there tools for this?
I downloaded the Intel XDK which is HTML/JavaScript based. Is that just a thick client written in HTML/JavaScript that gets compiled to native code? Or does that actually run inside a browser like Safari or Chrome or whatever?
If it turns out that thick client is better, which cross-platform thick client SDK is the best? There seem to be so many right now, it's hard to choose one.
I realise that there are many cross-platform SDKs out there so I want to ask a few questions before trying to evaluate all of them.
My first question, is are the SDKs thick client, or thin client?
Let me qualify that question further. So, if I write a native app for an iPhone that consumes our app's web services, it will be a thick client. I assume that the platform Xamarin for example would do the same thing, compile the .Net code down to native code for the various platforms, and then that app would run as a thick client.
But how about running as a thin client? I mean, basically have a browser wrapped in a app installation that would be something like Safari in disguise? Is this possible? Is there perhaps a Safari control for iOS that would just go directly to our web app and possible resize the app to fit the iPhone correctly? Do people do this? Is it a good idea? Are there tools for this?
I downloaded the Intel XDK which is HTML/JavaScript based. Is that just a thick client written in HTML/JavaScript that gets compiled to native code? Or does that actually run inside a browser like Safari or Chrome or whatever?
If it turns out that thick client is better, which cross-platform thick client SDK is the best? There seem to be so many right now, it's hard to choose one.
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