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I'm pretty excited about Firefox OS, but I think they need to lay out a clear path for developers. The "use html5, dummy!" battlecry falls short. What is html5

I'm pretty excited about Firefox OS, but I think they need to lay out a clear path for developers. The "use html5, dummy!" battlecry falls short. What is html5 and where do I download it? Which frameworks do I use (there are literally hundreds of them), which toolchains work best? How do I handle multitouch? I know I can use whatever I want, but I want them to a) obviously continue to allow me to use whatever I want, and b) tell me what way they think I _should_ do it.

diggan 14y ago
Think web, it's exactly like the web. To see a example workflow for developing a application: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Apps/Tutorials/Weather_app_tutorial https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Apps/Tutorials/Weat...
ngokevin 14y ago
I know you want them to tell you, but I'll tell you a bit. HTML5 isn't downloaded, it's just like HTML with some extra features that are now supported by browsers (Canvas tag, local storage, audio/video) that you actually don't have to use. You can continue to use whatever web frameworks you want, and unfortunately the way they want you do it is however you want to do it.
- kennywinker 14y ago
  Sorry if my tone wasn't clear. I know html5 isn't something you can "download". I'm just comparing a beginner developer experience for iOS/Android/Firefox OS. iOS -> download Xcode, install, new project, build and run. Android -> download Android SDK installer, install eclipse plugins, install eclipse, install current SDK, create new device for emulator, create new project, run on device. Firefox OS -> ??? google "html5" I would like to see them field a framework along with their OS. Even if it just means partnering with an existing framework. Make it a 1st class citizen on the OS so you don't need to include your own copy of all the .js files. If that's not possible, even a simple "here are frameworks we like for Apps: x,y,z Games: j,k,l" would help set people on the right path.
  - diggan 14y ago
    There is a Open Web App Bootstrap that is being used by Mozilla to develop web applications. They are of course open source and you can grab them yourself. If you had read my previous comment, you would have seen it by now. "This is a basic template that includes jQuery, require.js, volo, Mozilla Marketplace libraries, and other helpful things. A game template and others will be available soon." It's called Mortar and can be downloaded here: https://github.com/mozilla/mortar/ https://github.com/mozilla/mortar/ I will link the same guide I gave you before, read it because it will teach you the basics you'll need: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Apps/Tutorials/Weather_app_tutorial https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Apps/Tutorials/Weat... Edit: While I'm at it, I might as well link a introduction to the basics of developing Open Web Apps since it might be new to some people: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Apps/Tutorials/General https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Apps/Tutorials/Gene...
    - jlongster 14y ago
      Thanks for providing those links! I work on mortar and wrote the weatherme tutorial. We just released a new version of mortar on Friday, with all new templates that should be easier to use. I'll be updating the tutorials soon. The developer hub will be the place devs go to learn about building apps for Firefox OS. We know it's just HTML5, but we are also aware there are many other questions regarding app development, so we fully intend to fill those gaps. It's not quite as simple as "just" building an HTML5 site. EDIT: Forgot link to developer hub: https://marketplace.firefox.com/developers/ https://marketplace.firefox.com/developers/
  - polshaw 14y ago
    There is a clear framework for existing mobile platforms, but IMO the whole process is WAY more frictionless with the web (FFos) side. >download Android SDK installer, install eclipse plugins, install eclipse, install current SDK, create new device for emulator, create new project.. It is easy to forget once you have done it, but that is a pretty daunting process for a newcomer. In reality the web side will evolve, starting with editing some existing files in notepad-- much lower barrier to entry. Not to mention that they will have the established webdev community to draw on.

diggan 14y ago

Think web, it's exactly like the web. To see a example workflow for developing a application: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Apps/Tutorials/Weather_app_tutorial https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Apps/Tutorials/Weat...

ngokevin 14y ago

I know you want them to tell you, but I'll tell you a bit. HTML5 isn't downloaded, it's just like HTML with some extra features that are now supported by browsers (Canvas tag, local storage, audio/video) that you actually don't have to use. You can continue to use whatever web frameworks you want, and unfortunately the way they want you do it is however you want to do it.

kennywinker 14y ago
Sorry if my tone wasn't clear. I know html5 isn't something you can "download". I'm just comparing a beginner developer experience for iOS/Android/Firefox OS. iOS -> download Xcode, install, new project, build and run. Android -> download Android SDK installer, install eclipse plugins, install eclipse, install current SDK, create new device for emulator, create new project, run on device. Firefox OS -> ??? google "html5" I would like to see them field a framework along with their OS. Even if it just means partnering with an existing framework. Make it a 1st class citizen on the OS so you don't need to include your own copy of all the .js files. If that's not possible, even a simple "here are frameworks we like for Apps: x,y,z Games: j,k,l" would help set people on the right path.
- diggan 14y ago
  There is a Open Web App Bootstrap that is being used by Mozilla to develop web applications. They are of course open source and you can grab them yourself. If you had read my previous comment, you would have seen it by now. "This is a basic template that includes jQuery, require.js, volo, Mozilla Marketplace libraries, and other helpful things. A game template and others will be available soon." It's called Mortar and can be downloaded here: https://github.com/mozilla/mortar/ https://github.com/mozilla/mortar/ I will link the same guide I gave you before, read it because it will teach you the basics you'll need: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Apps/Tutorials/Weather_app_tutorial https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Apps/Tutorials/Weat... Edit: While I'm at it, I might as well link a introduction to the basics of developing Open Web Apps since it might be new to some people: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Apps/Tutorials/General https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Apps/Tutorials/Gene...
  - jlongster 14y ago
    Thanks for providing those links! I work on mortar and wrote the weatherme tutorial. We just released a new version of mortar on Friday, with all new templates that should be easier to use. I'll be updating the tutorials soon. The developer hub will be the place devs go to learn about building apps for Firefox OS. We know it's just HTML5, but we are also aware there are many other questions regarding app development, so we fully intend to fill those gaps. It's not quite as simple as "just" building an HTML5 site. EDIT: Forgot link to developer hub: https://marketplace.firefox.com/developers/ https://marketplace.firefox.com/developers/
- polshaw 14y ago
  There is a clear framework for existing mobile platforms, but IMO the whole process is WAY more frictionless with the web (FFos) side. >download Android SDK installer, install eclipse plugins, install eclipse, install current SDK, create new device for emulator, create new project.. It is easy to forget once you have done it, but that is a pretty daunting process for a newcomer. In reality the web side will evolve, starting with editing some existing files in notepad-- much lower barrier to entry. Not to mention that they will have the established webdev community to draw on.