Go HTML5 With Intel XDK
Like I said after every 100 post I like to write some original post,to break in the monotony of links to other cool sites :)
Last post was about Brackets really helpful HTML5 editor. As you may already guess this post is about Intel XDK.
Intel® XDK, a front-to-back HTML5 app development environment for cross-platform apps
This environment is next step in HTML5 development and it is connected with Brackets as you will find out later in text. Here you will find all about features that I found most interesting in Intel XDK v1199. This environment is like Brackets constantly under development and new features are appearing really quickly so definitely go to their page and check out if something new show up, after first reading this text :)
As you may see on the image Intel XDK is offering a few ways to start your project. You can start with blank project or use some of their templates or App Starter for quickly prototype HTML5 apps or App Designer for visual development. But I will let you to explore this part for yourself because this is big topic, there's no quick answer what starter to use and what framework to use.
I will work with demo of hybrid app because you will probably use this environment for hybrid app development. Well you have probably already heard about Cordova, and guess what, you can use Cordova with this environment but not just Cordova you can use much more.
In app development this would not probably be your first step but let’s see project build options. As you may see on image chosen UI framework is App Framework another thing that XDK is supplying you with. More about App Framework you on this link. You can build app in few ways one of the ways is Cordova 3.X hybrid mobile app. For that you can set Plugins and permissions, some build settings, splash screens and icons.
Under plugins and permissions you will find two types of plugins Core Cordova and Intel XDK Cordova plugins, until you project has some strong lines you will have hard time deciding what is best for you. This is a problem in hybrid app development everything is still under development and it’s hard to find best practice, but I’m always for hybrid apps because they are offering easy and fast development, again a topic for itself :). Lets get back to XDK, from this version of XDK you can also use Third-Party Plugins which is great because you will always find some plugin that will save your day. You also can set Permissions for OS that are requiring permission list.
Build settings are general things about your app like name, version, orientation etc. depending on OS.
Now lets go to first tab in XDK “Develop”. Here you can develop in “Code” and “Design” view. Design view allows you to drag and drop components in your app and give them actions. Not really my favorite type of development but great for small basic apps.
Now lets go to Code view, here you can see why I wrote in the beginning that XDK is connected with Brackets, code editor for XDK is version of Brackets cool isn’t it :) with most of the options that Brackets is offering.
Next tab Emulate is first step in debugging your app. Here you can find everything like in Chrome DevTools and a bit more. You can choose device to emulate, use accelerometer, geolocation, set device and network settings, create some events. Also you can use appMobi features, appMobi was origin company that started working on XDK. You can also use integrated Chrome console for debugging. Emulator is great tool for debugging but it will allow you to develop your app to certain point after that you will need to move to next tabs Test and Debug.
Test tab will allow you to push you app to XDK server and then use their app called App preview on your real device. When you start App preview on your device you will get list of all your apps and when you run the app you will get most similar behavior of your app to build version of your app. Also it allows you to use remote debugging. On simple apps you probably won't see differences between App preview and build app but on more complex apps there will be some differences so be careful.
Debug tab allows you similar options like Test one but just for Android devices, and this should be more similar to build app. But again be careful about it.
Profile tab allows you to create profile of your app, you know that option in DevTools well this is it.
Build tab is important one, when you test your app in all previous ways it’s time to build it. You can build it in 3 ways. As Cordova 3.X hybrid mobile app this build is available for Android, iOS and Windows 8. Here you will use Cordova version 3.X (PhoneGap version) in your build and all the options that you set on that screen in the beginning of the text. If you choose Legacy hybrid mobile app you will have more platforms covered but you are going to use Cordova version 2.X and build setting will appear when you start building process. And third possibility is to build web app.
Last tab Services is to add different web services in your app.
Intel XDK is great tool for hybrid app development you can finally have different test and build process in one place. Hybrid apps are still not that popular but with tools like this they spread their popularity. Well this post title should probably be Go hybrid with Intel XDK but still hybrid apps are not enough recognizable.
In the end it would be nice to hear your opinion in comments, do you already heard about Intel XDK, do you know about any similar tools, do you think hybrid apps have future, do you think my english is really bad :)