PhoneGap is open source framework for mobile application development. In October 2011, PhoneGap became part of the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) and now is also known as Apache Cordova. It is free and easy in exploitation software. It becomes more and more popular and grows quickly. PhoneGap contains huge set of plugins and tools that allow shifting between native platforms. It is cost-effective framework that is compatible with number of other toolkits and will take advantage of every available feature and function.
PhoneGap’s main features
Cross-platform support
One of the biggest pitfalls on the way to ideal mobile application is platform. They are multiple and you can’t predict their popularity. Almost each of them has special coding language and building apps on each of one is time-consuming and expensive. It is easier to build application only once with one code and then make minimal changes in order to be compatible with several platforms.
PhoneGap is helpful and rewarding framework when you need to build application that will work on various platforms with the same efficiency. Without any difficulties, PhoneGap applications will be suitable for Android, iOS, BlackBerry, webOS, Windows Phone,Symbian OS. According to the latest surveys, even if you cover only iOS and Android, it is 92% of the market. As was mentioned before, PhoneGap allows to use the same code on various platforms and applications feel native to all of them.
HTML- and JavaScript-based apps
PhoneGap made HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS3 a bigger part of native mobile app development. The outcome application will be hybrid. PhoneGap acts like bridge between different languages and chooses best one for each part of application development and performance process.
PhoneGap has the advantage of new plug-in architecture. Basic plug-ins, that enable access to native features are built-in. But this framework can be extended with a set of other plug-ins. As a result, you will receive reliable and functional application.
Access to mobile device capabilities
HTML5 gives opportunity to use native mobile devices features (e.g. camera, address book, GPS, storage, file system, accelerometer, compass) irrespective of the operating system and manufacturing platform. It is valuable feature. You can add more functions to your app and have access to different types of user data. Users hate when they have to fill in the same things repeatedly. So they like apps that are intelligent enough to know when and how to use their personal information.
Obstacles in mobile web apps development
The only drawback of PhoneGap is that it is only wrapper framework. This means that it is ideal base for application development, but to build more powerful ones you will need additional and more specialized sources. For example, you can use jQuery Mobile as more JavaScript-centered framework.
Need your own mobile application?
We’ll be happy to share our experience and knowledge with you. Contact us to learn how PhoneGap can lead your mobile web to success.