Cross-platform Development

This month we are going to look into the options of real cross-platform development. The potential solutions are numerous and almost every month there a new possibilities. Our meetup will be focused on a selection of approaches and products.

HTML5/JavaScript/Kendo UI on Cordova

A fantastic and easy approach for web developers to extend their deep knowledge of designing and implementing web sites into the world of smartphones and desktop applications. The Cordova toolset provides the necessary APIs and a complete toolset and the right hosting environment to create sophisticated mobile apps. Frameworks like AngularJS, Ionic and MeteorJS are quite handy, too. Get some input here: https://cordova.apache.org/

Telerik NativeScript

Apart from offering Kendo UI since a couple of years, the developers at Telerik went for another route and a new product - NativeScript. Which allows you to develop native apps based on the same JavaScript source code for Android, iOS and (soon) Windows 10 (Windows Phone). More details here: https://www.nativescript.org/

Xamarin

Are you more familiar with writing source code in C#? Then Xamarin is the technology to go for. Derived from the long year established Mono development, Xamarin provides true, strong-typed development of native applications for Android, iOS, Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. You can either work in a familiar environment like Visual Studio or use their own Xamarin Studio to develop your apps. More info on their site: http://xamarin.com/

Universal Windows Platform (UWP)

With the recent launch of Visual Studio 2015 and the new Windows 10 universal platform you will be able to write your applications once for Windows environments. No matter whether it's for the desktop, the mobile experience, Xbox One or future HoloLens the Universal Windows Platform has all under one roof. And with App Bridges it opens your world to Android and iOS devices, too. Check out the guide to UWP: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn894631.aspx

Electron

Did hear about the Atom.io text editor or the new Visual Studio Code editor? Yes, then you're in good company of using the Electron shell for true cross-platform development on the desktop. With Electron, JavaScript or TypeScript you'll be able to write your software for Mac OS X, Linux and Windows sharing the same source code. And best of all, Electron itself is open source: http://electron.atom.io/

Networking among IT professionals...

And of course, let's have a good time exchanging latest experience and news about the ICT sector in Mauritius and world-wide.