Mobile JavaScript Application Development

Chapter 7. Conclusion

Phew, what a ride! I hope that this book served as a good introduction to the world of modern mobile web app development.

Sencha Touch and jQuery Mobile are, at the time of this writing, the most serious options available. They both complement each other, providing software developers with serious options and an effective trade off:

Table 7-1. Comparison between Sencha Touch and jQuery Mobile

Library	Pros	Cons
Sencha Touch	Professional widgets	Webkit-only
	Complete toolkit	Heavyweight
	Enterprise-level support	Learning curve
	MVC Architecture
jQuery Mobile	Broad browser support	Few widgets
	Lightweight	Younger code base
	Progressive enhancement
	Easier to learn

jQuery Mobile is dual licensed, with the MIT or GPL version 2; Sencha Touch is available under the GPL version 3 license for open source projects, and a paid commercial license for companies not willing to be subject to the terms imposed by the GPL.

Finally, using PhoneGap (or “Apache Cordova” as it is known now), developers can deploy their application not only through the web, but also in the corresponding marketplaces of several different mobile platforms.

All of these options turn mobile web apps in an extremely serious options, chosen by more and more companies and individuals every day for offering value added services and products. The tremendous evolution of the mobile web has made this a reality, and there is a bright future forward.