Tech Talk presented by Visual Schedule

Hello

The Browser Wars

• There were no standards, so each browser required it’s own special coding to get your web page to display properly

W3C Standards

• The W3C came in and implemented standards that every browser had to use, this solved the problem.

The Mobile Browser Wars

• The problems of multi-browser support has come back for phones

• Most of the market is now Droid and iOS, which simplifies things,

but doesn’t solve them

A Solution

• jQuery Mobile is a cross device package that simplifies creating web apps for mobile devices

• Before getting too much into the details though, we need to give an overview of how javascript libraries work

JavaScript Libraries

jQuery

• jQuery is a multi-browser JavaScript library designed to simplify the client-side scripting of HTML.

Write Less, Do More

jQuery

jQuery Mobile jQuery UI

TouchPunch

jQuery Mobile Overview

What is jQuery Mobile?jQuery Mobile is a web UI development

framework that is touch-friendly. It allows you develop mobile web applications that work across basically all smartphones and tablets.

jQuery’s motto is “write less, do more” and jQuery Mobile certainly follows this trend

Why should I use jQuery Mobile?

• It is easy to use!– The hard coding has already been done, all that is left

is the implementation• It is already debugged!– Any errors that occur are in a very limited area, making

debugging much easier (also, moves work from coding to declaring, which is both good and bad)

• Maintainability!– The simplified code makes it easier to edit and update

jQuery Mobile Overview

The jQuery Mobile

framework builds on top of the jQuery

core, providing a number of additional features

HTML and XML document object model

(DOM) traversing and manipulation

Event handling

Communication with the server (via Ajax)

Animation and image effects for web pages.

• jQuery Mobile supports both high-end and less capable devices

jQuery Mobile Overview

• jQuery Mobile focuses on creating a framework that is compatible with a wide variety of smartphones and tablet computers.

• The JQuery Mobile framework is compatible with other mobile app frameworks and platforms:– PhoneGap– Worklight

jQuery Mobile Overview

Advantages• General simplicity: – The framework is simple. You can develop pages

mainly using markup with little to no JavaScript.• Small size: – The jQuery Mobile framework is only 12KB for the

JavaScript library and 6KB for the CSS.• Theming: – It also provides a way to create your own application

styling.

jQuery Mobile Overview

Advantages• Accessibility – jQuery Mobile is built with accessibility in mind. It

supports Accessible Rich Internet Applications which help make web pages accessible for assistive technologies.

• Progressive enhancement: – While implementing the latest HTML5, CSS3, and

JavaScript, the jQuery Mobile philosophy is to support both high-end and less capable devices.

jQuery Mobile Overview

Why it is Important?

Multibrower Support

“Graceful Degradation”

• jQuery Mobile implements an idea called graceful degradation.– If a browser does not implement certain features,

jQuery Mobile uses alternate methods or simpler versions rather than breaking

What does jQuery do by itself?

Java Script/jQuery code comparision

Java Script/jQuery code comparision

Java Script/jQuery code comparision

What does jQuery Mobile do?

• It adds tons of easily usable elements most of which are based off data-*

What it looks like

Coding Demo

• The code is editable here:http://jsbin.com/enayan/1/edit

• A more complex layout:http://jsbin.com/welcome/32654/edit

jQuery mobile code!

• Brief jQuery Mobile Tutorial: http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/css/jquery-mobile-need-to-know/

• jQuert Mobile Tutorials: http://jquerymobile.com/demos/1.2.0/

How it applies to us

• Our app needs to have two distinct parts– Reading (jQuery UI and Touch Punch):

• Only able to pull the schedules that have been made from the server, and drag/drop tasks from “to-do” to “finished”

• Only used on an iPad

– Authoring (jQuery Mobile):• Able to push and pull from the server and create a

variety of different schedules/schedule types• Needs to be functional from any device with an internet

connection

jQuery

jQuery Mobile jQuery UI

TouchPunch

jQuery UI?

• jQuery UI is more similar to the jQuery Core than jQuery Mobile is; jQuery UI still primarily uses JavaScript rather than HTML additions.– Like jQuery Mobile it adds many new features to

the jQuery Core– However, despite having a greater variety of

added function, it lacks one key component: innate touch recognition

Touch Punch!

• Touch Punch is an add on to jQuery UI that adds touch functions– It was originally made by one guy in about an

hour, so he could show his friend how to do it– After he started getting a flood of requests for the

code, he decided to clean it up and share it with the public

– The website has a good demo of the added functions: http://touchpunch.furf.com/

Which to choose?

jQuery UI/Touch Punch• Larger library, including

smoother drag and drop• Looks more like coding you

are already used to• jQuery Mobile themes can

look odd when not on mobile devices

jQuery Mobile• Smaller file size• Easier coding/debugging,

once you get used to it• Easier set up• More Native feel on mobile

devices• Only one file• Features “graceful

degradation”

Conclusion

• jQuery Mobile helps ease cross platform coding– This saves you from the hassle of dealing with a variety of

different browsers at different functionality levels• jQuery Mobile helps simplify the coding process by

having a lot of pre-made, easy-to-use functions– This will save you time, effort and a lot of frustration

during your build process• jQuery Mobile incorporates a wide variety touch

events– This allows you to fully utilize the touch screen capability

of mobile devices

QUESTIONS?