BlackBerry® All-in-One For Dummies®

Chapter 1. Getting a Start in BlackBerry Application Development

In This Chapter

• Knowing what you need to know before you develop an app

• Choosing the right development platform

• Getting to know the tools for each development platform

• Creating BlackBerry smartphone themes

So you're ready to develop an application for the BlackBerry? Great!

Three platforms are available for developing BlackBerry smartphone applications. Each platform has something different to offer, so in this chapter, we help you choose which platform is the best fit for your application and skill level.

Note

Building apps isn't something you should consider unless you feel fairly comfortable with coding. Even the drag-and-drop tools work better if you understand what's happening under the hood. Also, a background in user interface design, an understanding of basic Web development concepts, and some fundamental knowledge of graphics editing programs can't hurt.

If you're not sure what kind of application you want to develop, you can start by building a BlackBerry smartphone theme. A theme controls the look and feel of the smartphone interface. By changing the icons, colors, fonts, and arrangement of all the items on the Home screen, you can create your own personalized BlackBerry smartphone experience.

Tip

If you're creating applications for use on a BlackBerry Enterprise Server, or BES, you're likely to collaborate with BES administrators in deploying apps. To find out the ins and outs of the BlackBerry Server environment, ...