Which mobile development open source Framework should I use? [closed]

Question

My company would like to develop a mobile application. Web app, native app or hybrid app ? They actually don't know. In that context, they asked me to make some researches (I'm not a mobile development expert) on open source Framework for mobile development (cross platform Framework btw). I did. Now, I have an overview of what actually exists and have selected 8 of them.

Now, what I would like is your personal feedback (pros/ cons/ like/ dislike/ if you left a Framework for another one, why ? ...) on those Framework/API below :

• Phonegap
• Appcelerator Titanium
• Senta Touch
• jQ Mobile
• Rho Mobile
• Xamarin
• DHTMLX

Thank you very much :)

Answer 1

Related topics

I don't want to repeat my self so here are few of my older answers regarding this topic:

Hybrid vs Native apps

Struggling between native and phonegap, simple app requirements

Use a web mobile framework?

Use a web mobile framework?

Is jquery-mobile “mobile first”

Is jquery-mobile "mobile first"

Mobile App vs Web App - Apple no longer accepting web apps?

Mobile App vs Web App - Apple no longer accepting web apps?

Top 7 mobile application HTML5 frameworks

Link

Top 7 notable less known mobile HTML5 frameworks

Link

Books

Here you will find mobile frameworks enumerated by their popularity with few links related to relevant books and tutorials.

jQuery Mobile

Books recommended by jQuery Mobile developers. They are on a intro level. For everything more come here to Stackoverflow. I found them ok but they are lacking certain advanced topics.

• jQuery Mobile First Look - 2011
• jQuery Mobile - 2011
• jQuery Mobile: Up and Running - 2012
• jQuery Mobile: Develop and Design - 2013

New book is coming soon from Pack Publishing. I will update this post once it becomes available.

jQtouch

• jQuery Plugin Development Beginner's Guide - 2010

Good framework, unfortunately to little good material to start with. Faster then jQuery mobile, optimized for iOS latform.

Appcelerator Titanium

• Appcelerator Titanium: Patterns and Best Practices - 2013
• Appcelerator Titanium Smartphone App Development Cookbook - 2011

This framework is a wildcard. Technically not a HTML5 framework because it used javascript to create a real native app.

Sencha

• Sencha Touch 2 Up and Running - 2013

New material. interesting framework if you have time to master it. Hard but fulfilling in the end. Would be much better if they would offer their builder tool for free.

• Sencha Touch in Action - 2011

Tutorials:

Basics

• Struggling between native and phonegap, simple app requirements
• jQuery performance on various mobile and desktop browsers

Read this just to understand what are you getting into. A lot of developers comes here thinking that HTML5 hybrid mobile apps will solve all their problems. And because you already have an experience with Android development.

jQuery Mobile + Phonegap

Windows

• Building a Native Mobile App with Phonegap and jQuery Mobile 1.4

MacOS

• Creating Phonegap project on MacOS from Command Line

Phonegap:

Intro and installation:

• First-phonegap-app-with-android-using
• How to install phoneGap for Android using Windows and Eclipse

This is an easy how to tutorial how to create a Phonegap app from nothing to first real example.

Usage with jQuery Mobile

• jQuery Mobile, PhoneGap, and the Camera Device
• Sample Application using jQuery Mobile and PhoneGap

While Phonegap and jQuery Mobile is not only existing solution it is probably the most common.

Slightly more advanced

• Phohegap docs
• Building-a-phonegap-android-app-on-windows-cordova-2-2-0-with-eclipse

You will find this link useful after some time of Phonegap usage.

An easy how to tutorial on how to use Phonegap with jQuery Mobile

jQuery Mobile

Intro and basic stuff

• Beginner’s Tutorial Coding Web Apps with jQuery Mobile
• jQuery Mobile Tutorial: Basics
• Beginner guide to a mobile app using the jQuery Mobile JavaScript Framework (with video)

Advanced

• Use jQuery Mobile to Build a Native Android News Reader App

Other platforms

• PropertyCross

This is probably the best thing you can find. Basically this site has the same example created using numerous different HTML5 frameworks. You will find 27 examples, 8 frameworks + native app on 3 different platforms (Android, iOS and Windows Mobile).

To help solve this problem PropertyCross presents a non-trivial application, for searching UK property listings, developed using a range of cross-platform technologies and frameworks. Our aim is to provide developers with a practical insight into the strengths and weaknesses of each framework.

Phonegap

Books recommended by Phonegap developers. They are good but quickly growing old. To be honest, I found much more useful examples here on SO.

• Mobile JavaScript Application Development - 2012
• PhoneGap Mobile Application Development Cookbook - 2012
• PhoneGap 2.x Mobile Application Development Hotshot - 2013