Does WebWorks really work?

Recently we’ve been commissioned to work on a project for well known London based publisher and the brief was a simple one – create a Blackberry WebWorks App for a weekly magazine.

We have experience with WebWorks, it was the environment that we chose for the Shropshire Gold Blackberry App (http://www.shropshiregold.co.uk/apps) and we were confident that we would deliver for our new client… but… is WebWorks *the* way forward?

It’s a BIG question, you see WebWorks is essentially HTML, CSS and JavaScript – stock skills for web developers the world over. You don’t need to know Java - which is the native platform for Blackberry development. This means that you can build a Blackberry Phone App with a web developers skill set.

How this works!
The WebWorks environment exposes a JavaScript API so that developers can get at the native Java code without knowing how to write Java at all. Being able to build mobile phone Apps using common skills that every website developer has; seems like a massive step towards Blackberry being the platform of choice for App builders. And, as more Apps become available you would expect Blackberry to be become even more popular with users.

For example, to send an email from within a Blackberry WebWorks App can be done with just a few lines of simple JavaScript. See below.

   1:  $("#Submit").click(function(){

   2:    var mssg = $("#_MyFunnyQuote").val();

   3:    if(mssg.length > 0){

   4:      var email = SubmissionEmail;

   5:      var args = new blackberry.invoke.MessageArguments(email, 

   6:          SubmissionSubject, mssg);

   7:      args.view = blackberry.invoke.MessageArguments.VIEW_NEW;

   8:      blackberry.invoke.invoke(blackberry.invoke.APP_MESSAGES, 

   9:          args);    

  10:    }else{

  11:      // Throw an alert?

  12:    }

  13:  });

Powerful stuff and a massive plus for web developers who want to expand into Mobile Development.





But, there’s more


Not to be outdone, Apple and Android are also exploring this method of development – encouraging developers to submit Apps written in HTML5, CSS and JavaScript and then compiled to run on the native platforms. Compilers are available within the iPhone and Android SDKs and while they rely on a familiarity with the Command Line Tools at the moment we are sure that there will soon be a GUI available for them.





There are already small but very powerful JavaScript libraries available that can help with most of the framework and much of the nuts and bolts you will need.





Some digging around and you can find lot’s of examples.





In summary


We think that there is a definite case for predicting HTML5, CSS and JavaScript as the future for App development – with every web developer a potential App developer and a shallow learning curve it makes sense to think it will be very popular.





While Blackberry WebWorks is a current forerunner – having already established an API and decent documentation – it faces fierce competition from both Apple and Android as they continue to open up their development platforms.





Exciting times – as  Web Developers come App Developers we are certainly looking forward to what happens next.





Our App should be in the Blackberry App Store very soon.