Search code examples
cordovamobile-application

PhoneGap - how native can apps created with PhoneGap be?

I've done plenty of searching around, looking into PhoneGap, but I'm still none the wiser as to whether I can achieve what I want to achieve with it.

Basically, my requirements for an app I want to create include the following:

  • Required for Blackberry and iphone
  • Once installed, the app needs to be started every time the phone is switched on and run in the background.
  • Regular call to a web service to check for content to download.
  • A desktop icon for the application, which will show some kind of alert when the the web service has indicated that content is waiting to be downloaded (highlighted, or flashing or something).
  • Clicking the icon then allows the user to download the content.

I guess the thing that I'm not sure about is the stuff related to running the application in the background and having the desktop icon etc. I keep reading conflicting comments about whether PhoneGap applications are actually native or web applications...

My question is simple ... can I achieve what I have outlined above with PhoneGap, or am I barking up the wrong tree?

Thanks in advance for any help/useful pointers.

Solution

  • The basic idea behind PhoneGap is that one can use the existing Web Technologies to write native application which can be installed on user phone. In a way PhoneGap is a combination of Web application and Native application.

    Answer to your points:

    • PhoneGap has support for both BlackBerry and iPhone. Although there will be difference in functionality support
    • Running the application in background is more of a platform specific part which you need to look into further. Android supports Background processes, BlackBerry also has some support for background processes, however iOS does not fully support background processes but all three devices support push notifications which can be used for such scenarios
    • Possible
    • Possible (local notifications), but there will be visual/functional differences depending on the device platform
    • Possible, although this is purely an application feature

    All major devices has their own standard UI presentation due to which you might not find certain things visually/functionally similar on all.

    Also major cross-development frameworks has good support for Android/iOS due to similarities in hardware/software features but lacks support for BlackBerry or WinMo (like local storage) due to various reasons. So if you are targeting for specific devices please also go through the feature supported list for each device/platform.