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We are planning to build a web application for a client which is initially going to be accessed via Desktop Browsers. But later on we need to have the same application available on Mobile Devices (mobiles/tablets) on IPhone and Android.

The web application is a typical inventory management clubbed with billing and is data intensive. About 30-50% of the web application will be accessed via the mobile devices by the top level management.

We plan to use ASP.NET Web Forms, jQuery, AJAX for the Desktop version for application and build a hybrid app using PhoneGap for the mobile devices (the app may use the camera in certain situations).

Now we are in the planning phase and would like to architect the web application is such a way that we can REUSE most of the code OR at least REDUCE the effort as much as possible.

We are all well versed with ASP.NET Web Forms, jQuery & AJAX. The desktop application will be designed like a SINGLE PAGE application. We will use jQuery & AJAX to pull content from the server and embed in the existing page so there is no page refresh.

We are new to hybrid mobile development. So a couple of questions on that:

  1. Going by what I have read so far on this site and other sites, we will need one main index page which will call the other pages via AJAX… is this correct?
  2. Now PhoneGap basically packages HTML, JavaScript & CSS file, so how does PhoneGap work with ASP.NET Web Forms, as the HTML, JavaScript & CSS is actually coming from the server.
  3. I have read somewhere that on IPhones you are only allowed to communicate with the server for data. If you are trying to pull/generate layout on the server (HTML as in the case with ASP.NET) the app will be rejected.
  4. Our main intention is to reuse & reduce effort. So is ASP.NET Web Forms, jQuery, AJAX advisable as a technology to build for both Desktop & Hybrid Mobile apps or do you suggest some alternative technology.

CAN THE EXPERTS IN THIS FIELD PLEASE HELP ME OUT HERE.

Yuvi Dagar
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  • Have you considered Twitter Bootstrap? It's got built-in support for mobile devices now. http://twitter.github.io/bootstrap/ – Netricity Apr 30 '13 at 08:17
  • Netricity, I will have a look at bootstrap. Thought I am not sure how will it help me to build a Mobile Hybrid App. – Yuvi Dagar Apr 30 '13 at 08:38
  • There may be no need to build an app at all, if you can do it with responsive HTML and CSS. That's where Bootstrap can help. Whether it's sufficient for your project will depend on your specific requirements. – Netricity Apr 30 '13 at 09:09

2 Answers2

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1: If you're making a single page application that will likely be the setup. The ASP.NET and Web Tools 2012.2 update shipped with a template for building such single page applications. If I were doing this project, I would create controllers responsible for certain functions, and then consume them via jQuery and Javascript in the main index page.

2 & 3: I suggest that you keep the application entirely web based, where the user interacts with the page via their web browser.

4: Foundation is an amazing open-source framework for agile desktop/mobile hybrid development with many great features. It allows for the easy creation of grid layouts which adapt to mobile/desktop displays.

HennyH
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  • HennyH, thanks for your suggestions, I will look into Foundation. Referring to your point 2 & 3, we need a Hybrid App as there may be need to interact with the camera in the future on the mobile device. – Yuvi Dagar Apr 30 '13 at 08:36
  • Ah, alright. I'm not aware of any technologies which will make that significantly easier. I think you'll end up having to write an application for mobile which leverages some web service that you can also use on the desktop version. – HennyH Apr 30 '13 at 08:46
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One can also look into the PhoneGap competitor Ionic 4 which is actively maintained and have huge support of the community. In Ionic, you could also use new technologies like React/Vue/Angular, Cordova/Capacitor etc. Apps generated via Ionic 4 can be used in Android, iOS, Desktop Software and as mobile/desktop Site (PWAs).
You could also use new libraries for hybrid apps and PWA like react-native-web.

Detailed comparisons and more alternatives are explained in this answer.

GorvGoyl
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