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I'm looking to build a GWT app targetting mobile browsers. My requirements:

  • Mobile friendly widgets which work across all modern browsers including IE, Firefox (not just webkit).

I haven't found any well supported frameworks for doing this.

I've looked at:

  • mgwt: Supported by one developer, only works on webkit, no common theme across all browsers
  • SmartGWT Mobile: Still in beta, only works on webkit
  • jqm4GWT: Not well supported, JQuery Mobile dev doesnt integrate well with GWT

Its a shame as GWT should be very performant for mobile dev compared to server side heavy when bandwidth is slow (e.g. JSF).

Does anyone have any suggestions for mobile dev with GWT? I'm surprised there isn't more demand for mobile GWT given the massive increase in mobile browsing.

palacsint
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DD.
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3 Answers3

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I decided to use JQM4GWT with some customization. It's not ideal, but here are some of my opinions:

  • The resources behind mGWT are currently too limited compared to JQuery mobile
  • mGWT browser support is not really good
  • mGWT community is small
  • mGWT widgets don't look really good
  • I wasn't a big fan of the default theming, and I prefer having a consistent look and feel across all browsers including at desktop browser.

If we look at the resources behind JQuery Mobile and the amount of testing that goes into all the different browsers its hard to compete. There is a huge community reporting bugs which only improves the framework faster and there is a large team working on the development of the framework.

Hopefully Google will devote more resources to mGWT and it can be a competitive framework but I feel in its current state its not mature enough and its much safer using JQM4GWT for the immediate future.

the.wizard
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DD.
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3

I would still bet on mGWT and PhoneGap combination.

Reasons

  1. mGWT developer is Daniel Kurka who is member Google Web Toolkit Steering Committee and employee @ google.
  2. His StackOverflow Profile.
  3. mGWT is in active development mode - https://code.google.com/p/mgwt/source/list
  4. mGWT is already using GWT 2.5
  5. mGWT is ground up native DOM unlike SmartGWT, Sencha and other libs.
  6. Firefox issues are logged and being worked upon - https://code.google.com/p/mgwt/issues/detail?id=194
  7. A new release for phonegap - http://blog.daniel-kurka.de/2013/03/gwt-phonegap-24-released.html
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appbootup
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  • Not sure there are any plans to support non WebKit. Lack of windows mobile support is an issue. Jquery mobile works on all browsers...why can't gwt? – DD. Mar 29 '13 at 19:01
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    Not sure 1 person working part time is enough support if I decide to build a commercial app using mgwt. – DD. Mar 29 '13 at 19:03
  • I want to see google get up to speed and start working on gwt mobile. – DD. Mar 29 '13 at 19:03
  • You can be sure GWT will be ramping up their efforts on this and Windows mobile has hardly any presence. Firefox/Safari/Chrome have high market share on mobile. – appbootup Mar 30 '13 at 04:22
  • Nokia is pushing windows mobile and has 6% share in the uk. This going to increase. – DD. Mar 30 '13 at 05:04
  • New release for phonegap - http://blog.daniel-kurka.de/2013/03/gwt-phonegap-24-released.html – appbootup Mar 31 '13 at 07:18
3

Interesting development, Daniel Kurka shared a couple of weeks ago that he has been hired by Google. This could be a real boost for mgwt. https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!topic/mgwt/SKcQp408RDg

mojoken
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