Building cloud and API driven mobile apps introduces numerous complexities around syncing, caching, and securing data. In this presentation Alex Gaber explored numerous tools and frameworks including best practices around building HTML5 cross-platform hybrid native applications.

1. Cross Platform Mobile Apps with APIs
Qcon 2012
Alex Gaber, Layer 7 Technologies

2. What Does a Cross-Platform Native App Get Built With
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3. Mobile Apps in the Enterprise – The Philosophical Debate
Use only for development, not for
Mobile Web
production.
Pros + Cons need to be considered.
Hybrid Native: HTML5 +
Faster iteration. More platforms.
PhoneGap
BYOD.
Leverages Native UI Controls, Uses
Hybrid Native, Runtime
a Framework and Build Engine
Best performance, most time to
Full Native
develop and maintain.
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4. What Has Happened with Prominent HTML5 Apps?
 February 2012
- "We think this experience can be as good or even
better than the native platforms,"
- Bret Taylor, CTO Facebook, Mobile World Congress
February 2012
 "The biggest mistake we made as a company was
betting too much on HTML5 rather than native”
- Mark Zuckerberg, CEO Facebook, Tech Crunch Disrupt
September 2012
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5. Cloud Integration Considerations
• HTML5 for Mobile:
• Trough of Disillusionment?
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6. Mozilla’s Take on HTML5: Performance
Comparing an HTML5 application’s
performance with a native App is
comparing a tailored suit with one bought
in a shop.
- Mozilla.org Oct 2012
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7. Building an App – Define Requirements
APIs for data? Read / Write?
Cloud Integration
Oauth? Offline Caching?
Need any Native Camera, Bar Code Scanning, Push
Functionality? Notifications, Contacts, etc.
Managing development budgets.
Cross Platform Support
How? OS^x + 3x = Cost
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8. The Cloud Driven Mobile App
SOA Adapters SDK
Partner Connector
Mobile Connectors
Cloud Connectors
Social
Application
Connectors
Firewalling
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9. Mobile App Development Tools
Browser-based cross platform app development tool.
Simplifies usage of JQuery Mobile, HTML5, Javascript and
PhoneGap, with an excellent interface to include APIs.
www.tiggzi.com - use code “AlexLayer7” for 2 months free.
Client-based development, using Javascript. Compiles
native apps leveraging native UI components.
www.appcelerator.com
Mobile back-end as a service platform. Database, push
notifications, user management. www.parse.com
Quickblox.com
Mobile back-end as a service platform. Database, push
notifications, user management. www.stackmob.com
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10. HTML5 UI vs. Native
DEMO
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11. Tools to Explore and Test APIs
HTTP Scoop - basically a live scan of HTTP requests to give
you insights into API headers, parameters, and more.
www.tuffcode.com (Mac Only)
REST Console is a chrome extension, that is an HTTP
visualizer and constructor tool, helps developers build, test, and
debug APIs.
SOAP and REST web services testing and debugging
tool, provides extended functionality for functional testing.
www.soapui.org
Browser development tools, Firebug for Firefox, and Inspect
Element for Chrome
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12. The Layer 7 API Delivery & Management Platform Includes
Transformation Routing Traffic Control Composition
Authentication Entitlements API Keys Single Sign On
Throttling Prioritization Caching
Security Token Service OAuth 1.x OAuth 2.0 OpenID Connect
API Gateway API Identity Broker
Health Tracking Performance Global Staging Config Migration Developer Plans API Explorer API Docs
Enrollment
Workflow Patch Management Policy Migration Reporting Quotas Rankings Analytics Forums
API Service Manager API Developer Portal
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13. What Makes Us a Good Partner
Global Call Support with 3 NOCs In House PS Support API Design & Architecture Specialists
Under API Academy
Tiger Engineering Team Focused on Dedicated API Evangelists & Commitment to Telecom Category
Rapid Feature Introduction Outside Developer Strategists To Help Win
Regular Product Cycle Developers
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14. Over 250+ Global Customers
Financial Services Communications Public Sector Select Others
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15. The Only Category Vendor To Have Been Named a Leader
By Both Forrester & Gartner
The Forrester Wave: Gartner Magic Quadrant
SOA & API Application Gateways, Nov 2011 For SOA & API Governance Technologies, Oct 2011
Risky Strong
Bets Contenders Performers Leaders challengers leaders
Strong
Intel
Vordel Software AG
Forum Systems
IBM Oracle
IBM
HP
Progress Software
ability to execute
Layer 7
Progress Software Tibco Software
Vordel
Current Software AG SOA Software
Offering Crosscheck Networks
Mashery
Bee Ware Managed Methods
WS02
Tibco Software Intel
Market Presence
Weak
Weak Strategy Strong niche players visionaries
“Layer 7 SecureSpan is strong across the board. SecureSpan SOA Gateway “[Layer 7 has a] …. complete offering, with good coverage of general SOA
scored well in all of the major functional evaluation categories…It has the governance (on-premises and in the cloud), B2B, ESB and API management
broadest array of form factors and one of the strongest strategies for functionality…[The Company is] fast-moving, well on its way to implementing
virtualization and cloud-based deployment.” its good vision for SOA governance and the related marketplaces.”
Additional Notable Recognition
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