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Actually most are making native mobile apps. I'm a mobile guy making a cross compatible web app. Why anyone would make a native app in our world of ECMAScript6

by egfx 12y ago

Actually most are making native mobile apps. I'm a mobile guy making a cross compatible web app. Why anyone would make a native app in our world of ECMAScript6 and HTML5 is beyond me.

pikzen 12y ago
Having sane tools, languages and adequate performance maybe. :)
- egfx 12y ago
  The web will eat up everything, watch.
  - joshuapants 12y ago
    "Will" is not the same as "already has."
troymc 12y ago
Where do you get the statistic that "most" HN folks are making native mobile apps? Are you sure it's not server-side software, or machine-independent code, or something else? i.e. [citation needed] Also, the reasons people make native mobile apps rather than hybrid apps (which run inside a mobile web-player component) are speed and reliability. Famously, Facebook switched from HTML5 to native for their iOS app: https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook-engineering/under-the-hood-rebuilding-facebook-for-ios/10151036091753920 https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook-engineering/under-th...
- egfx 12y ago
  Maybe less so the case with HN but certainly the case. Just look at Product Hunt where nearly half of today's posts are mobile native apps. Facebook has since built and released React. I'm willing to bet Facebook will switch away from native again.
  - troymc 12y ago
    Facebook is building something they call React Native, which, as I understand it, lets you code an app using JavaScript and web stuff, but then it transforms all of that into native code that gets compiled to run on the various mobile operating systems. I think it's currently iOS-only. Facebook says they're already using it for multiple production apps, but I don't know which ones. https://facebook.github.io/react-native/ https://facebook.github.io/react-native/
HenryTheHorse 12y ago
There are many reasons to build native apps in the enterprise IT (business software) world. For certain use cases, access to offline data and fast performance become critical requirements. Think of a traveling sales rep who is on the road and needs access to a product catalog and pricing information to take sales orders. HTML5 doesn't quite cut it in such a scenario.
- egfx 12y ago
  clearly you haven't seen Breeze http://www.getbreezenow.com/ http://www.getbreezenow.com/
  - HenryTheHorse 12y ago
    I've not worked with Breeze but have seen a couple of other HTML5-based frameworks that promise "native-like" capabilities. For the data-heavy enterprise world, none of them have worked.
    - egfx 12y ago
      I have used Breeze and it works beautifully. It is a bit complex but the results give you a very native like experience. Ward Bell talks about it briefly here: http://www.viddler.com/v/94a02c0f http://www.viddler.com/v/94a02c0f There are a few google talks about it on youtube too if you look. It's great for enterprise.
      - pc86 12y ago
        The fact that you even have to use phrases like "a very native like experience" should be enough to show you that JS+HTML5 is not yet enough.
        deleted 12y ago
        [deleted]
- buckbova 12y ago
Gurkenmaster 12y ago
Because your web app will appear sluggish to your users compared to a native app. http://blogs.telerik.com/appbuilder/posts/13-11-21/what-exactly-is.....-the-300ms-click-delay http://blogs.telerik.com/appbuilder/posts/13-11-21/what-exac...

by egfx 12y ago

Actually most are making native mobile apps. I'm a mobile guy making a cross compatible web app. Why anyone would make a native app in our world of ECMAScript6 and HTML5 is beyond me.

pikzen 12y ago

Having sane tools, languages and adequate performance maybe. :)

egfx 12y ago
The web will eat up everything, watch.
- joshuapants 12y ago
  "Will" is not the same as "already has."

troymc 12y ago

Where do you get the statistic that "most" HN folks are making native mobile apps? Are you sure it's not server-side software, or machine-independent code, or something else? i.e. [citation needed] Also, the reasons people make native mobile apps rather than hybrid apps (which run inside a mobile web-player component) are speed and reliability. Famously, Facebook switched from HTML5 to native for their iOS app: https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook-engineering/under-the-hood-rebuilding-facebook-for-ios/10151036091753920 https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook-engineering/under-th...

egfx 12y ago
Maybe less so the case with HN but certainly the case. Just look at Product Hunt where nearly half of today's posts are mobile native apps. Facebook has since built and released React. I'm willing to bet Facebook will switch away from native again.
- troymc 12y ago
  Facebook is building something they call React Native, which, as I understand it, lets you code an app using JavaScript and web stuff, but then it transforms all of that into native code that gets compiled to run on the various mobile operating systems. I think it's currently iOS-only. Facebook says they're already using it for multiple production apps, but I don't know which ones. https://facebook.github.io/react-native/ https://facebook.github.io/react-native/

HenryTheHorse 12y ago

There are many reasons to build native apps in the enterprise IT (business software) world. For certain use cases, access to offline data and fast performance become critical requirements. Think of a traveling sales rep who is on the road and needs access to a product catalog and pricing information to take sales orders. HTML5 doesn't quite cut it in such a scenario.

egfx 12y ago
clearly you haven't seen Breeze http://www.getbreezenow.com/ http://www.getbreezenow.com/
- HenryTheHorse 12y ago
  I've not worked with Breeze but have seen a couple of other HTML5-based frameworks that promise "native-like" capabilities. For the data-heavy enterprise world, none of them have worked.
  - egfx 12y ago
    I have used Breeze and it works beautifully. It is a bit complex but the results give you a very native like experience. Ward Bell talks about it briefly here: http://www.viddler.com/v/94a02c0f http://www.viddler.com/v/94a02c0f There are a few google talks about it on youtube too if you look. It's great for enterprise.
    - pc86 12y ago
      The fact that you even have to use phrases like "a very native like experience" should be enough to show you that JS+HTML5 is not yet enough.
      - deleted 12y ago
        [deleted]
buckbova 12y ago

Gurkenmaster 12y ago

Because your web app will appear sluggish to your users compared to a native app. http://blogs.telerik.com/appbuilder/posts/13-11-21/what-exactly-is.....-the-300ms-click-delay http://blogs.telerik.com/appbuilder/posts/13-11-21/what-exac...