This document compares mobile web, native, and cross-platform/hybrid approaches. It notes that with cross-platform/hybrid approaches, developers can write once using a single language like JavaScript, and deploy to different platforms, reducing development time and costs compared to native or mobile web. It also discusses Titanium, an open source cross-platform framework that uses JavaScript to build native mobile apps, and its benefits like large community and commercial support.

2. Approach Mobile Web Native Cross –
platform/Hybrid
Language HTML5, CSS, Platform dependent. Write using one
Javascript Objective C for iOS language. “Compiled”
Java for Android or “Interpreted” to native
J2ME for Blackberry code for the platform.
Native UI No. You can “fake it” with Yes Yes
a less rich experience
Server Yes Yes Yes
communication
Access to native No Yes Yes
APIs and features
(Photo gallery, Phonebook,
etc.)
Access to Hardware No Yes Yes
(Accelerometer,
GPS,Camera,etc)

3. Develop for multiple platforms:
 Using the same Technology and same codebase.
 Team with the same skillset, expertise.
 Write once run anywhere.
Which leads to :
 Reduced development time
 Reduced development cost
 Reduced development effort

4.  Free
 Open source
 Use Javascript to write native applications
 Active and big community
 Commercial support, custom development and
modules are available from Appcelerator.
 Companies using Titanium

5. Compile time :
 Pre-compiler:
JavaScript code is optimized, dependency hierarchy of APIs used is
created.
 Front-end compiler:
The appropriate platform-specific native code is generated along with
projects and specific code is built to compile Titanium for a given
platform compiler.
 Platform compiler & packager:
Using native tools for the particular platform , code is compiled and
application is packaged.
Runtime :
Javascript is interpreted at runtime with hooks to execute native code
(Javascript bridge)

6.  Standard and familiar web model (MVC)
 APIs:
 UI APIs
 Phone APIs
 Media
 Database
 FileSystem
 Network
 Accelerometer
 Geolocation
 Many more …

7.  Native UI components
 UI Components are:
 Windows (Hosting views)
 Views (Draw conent on
screen, Ex. Image View)
 Widgets (Views with actions,
Ex. Button)

9. Video
Sound
Camera

10.  Accelerometer
 Maps

11.  The same code renders differently depending
on the platform

12.  Build and test the application on multiple
platforms from day one if possible
 Separate business logic from UI construction
 Component Oriented design
 Your application is a library of Application specific
components
 Use custom events instead of component and
platform specific events.
 Use built in Titanium features to handle multiple
platforms, screen resolutions and densities