This document discusses factors to consider when architecting a mobile application. It outlines different client architectures like web-based, hybrid, and native apps. It also classifies apps based on needs and lists key technical criteria for evaluating architectures like access to hardware sensors, performance, native look and feel, updates, offline capability, and more. The document emphasizes selecting the right architecture depends on an app's requirements regarding these various criteria.

1. ARCHITECTING MOBILE APPLICATION
K Senthil Kumar
Assistant Professor,
Sri Eshwar College of Engineering,
Coimbatore – 641 202

2. ARCHITECTING MOBILE APPLICATION
 Enterprise IT is facing strong demand for New
application to increase customer engagement.
 Enterprise employees also looking for app to perform
day to day activities.
 The first step to create any mobile application is to
select right client architecture. They are
 Web Based app
 Hybrid App(Uses HTML but implements native web
browser to access internal devices).
 Native App

3. CLASSIFYING APP BASED ON NEEDS
 Customer facing vs. employee facing
 Data acquisition vs. data sharing
 Rarely updated applications vs. frequently updated applications
 Textual interface similar to web sites vs. non-standard graphical
user experience
 Standalone vs. connected
 Online only vs. offline support when necessary
 Custom native look and feel for each OS vs. common web look
and feel
 Highly sensitive data vs. publicly available content
 Small set of highly motivated user base vs. large set of
indifferent (mildly interested) users
 App store vs. web based distribution approach
 Rarely updated app content vs. frequently updated app content
 Paid app vs. free app
 Time to market
 For a limited marketing campaign vs. nearly permanent app
associated with the core brand.

4. KEY TECHNICAL CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING MOBILE ARCHITECTURES
Access to Hardware Sensors
 Web based approach not support accessing in built device
capabilities, hybrid apps also support accessing in built device
using third party plug ins, so the best architecture for apps with
hardware sensors is to make use of native IDE’s.
Performance
 Web based approach and hybrid approach uses interpreter to run
the app which consumes more system resource. Native apps uses
in built application that will decrease the resource consumption and
increase the performance.
Native Look and Feel
 There are several webframework that provide libraries to create
web based app that looks like native app but the time for
development is high. The best way to use such approach is to
create multi platform app.

5. KEY TECHNICAL CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING MOBILE ARCHITECTURES
Search, Distribution and Upgrades
 Update is not required for web app but it is required for native app,
if app is frequently updated then web app model is best. If app is
not updated frequently then native app is best.
Offline Capability
 If app requires offline capability then native app is best option,
otherwise web app is best
Development & Testing
 For a typical native application, roughly 20% of the effort is user experience
design, 20% is requirements and design, 40% is development and 20% is
testing . It is same for web app or hybrid app. But if the app is targeted towards
multiple platforms then the time is divided into multiple time in native app but it is
same in web app or hybrid app

6. KEY TECHNICAL CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING MOBILE ARCHITECTURES
Time-to-market, Budget and Life
cycle
 Time to market and budget is lower for native app if our app is
targeted to single platform. If it is targeted for multiple platform
then web app is easier.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
 Total cost of ownership is cheaper in web apps
Consumer Perceptions
 Consumer perception is very important because the main
purpose of the app is to keep customer engaged with company.
A badly designed app will create bad name to the brand. So app
should be developed based on customer level

7. KEY TECHNICAL CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING MOBILE ARCHITECTURES
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD):
 If your app is going to used in enterprise with BYOD policy then
hybrid will be best option because many employee will bring
multiple devices with multiple platforms, creating app for all platform
is practically not possible.
Key Challenges
 Performance, Usability, Data Access, Security, Connectivity