App developers today face challenges that they rarely had to confront until not too long ago. Gone are the days where simply having a website was enough – consumers now expect to be able to access content and services from anywhere, using their mobiles and tablets in addition to their PC, and they expect their optimal experience in each device. API-oriented principles combined with mobile web platform come to the rescue, enabling efficient and quick creation of flexible and easy to maintain cross-platform products. This session will highlight the benefits of API-oriented mindset, explain why it’s worth investing in web mobile apps, and give a brief overview of new tools and initiatives supporting best practices.

1. API-oriented development and
web mobile apps
to conquer multi-platform world
Natalia Bartol

3. The
Company

4. The
Company

5. The
Company

6. How
API-oriented development
and
web mobile apps
can help to overcome the challenges of
mobile development ?

8. Mobile = multiplatform
Different contexts:
Mobile - speed of access
Web - researching, exploring
3rd party access - integrations

9. Mobile = multiplatform

10. Mobile = multiplatform
frontend = Android, iPhone, Windows
Phone; Java, Objective C, C#... specialised developers
needed; it’s costly to maintain different stacks for platforms

11. Mobile = multiplatform
frontend = Android, iPhone, Windows
Phone; Java, Objective C, C#... specialised developers
needed; it’s costly to maintain different stacks for platforms
backend = how do I know my server API is good and
suitable for my app on different platforms

12. API 1st!
Think about your API first, then create client
apps.
Model your domain in a device-agnostic way.
Use well-established RESTful (hypermedia)
design model.

13. API 1st!
•
•
•
•
•
reusable
evolvable/extensible
helps with continuous deployment
scaling only what you need
smaller applications are easier to test and
maintain

14. ...API 1st!?
Caution: Can we design good API without
thinking of what clients actually needs?

15. ...API 1st!?
Caution: Can we design good API without
thinking of what clients actually needs?
Use quick
prototyping!
Client prototype should be developed in parallel
to API.

16. Mobile = multiplatform
Can I avoid writing frontend many times for
different platforms?
Solution known from desktop world:
portable platform

17. Portable platform
What we’ve learnt about UX from Java?
emulated vs. native controls

18. Mobile = multiplatform
Why does the Web as a portable platform
work?
Different expectations
Users already know the web style on mobile devices
Device builders do the work of porting the web platform

19. User experience
Affordability
native vs. hybrid vs. web apps

20. Hybrid
Web Mobile apps rule
● write once run everywhere - web is the only real
multiplatform
● independece from screen resolution and form
factor
● transferable skills of web developers
● low costs
● short time to market
● analyse the demand and then decide which
platform to target

21. Web Mobile apps rule… but are a
trade-off; native experience and
performance is still better.

22. Mobile development with Zend
Cloud Connected apps in Zend Studio
API 1st

23. Mobile development with Zend
Cloud Connected apps in Zend Studio
Quick prototyping

24. Mobile development with Zend
Cloud Connected apps in Zend Studio
integrated Apache Cordova and native tools
Hybrid apps

25. Mobile development with Zend
Zend Server

26. Mobile development with Zend
Apigility = streamlined interface for APIenabling your code
http://www.apigility.org

27. Thank you!
Natalia Bartol
natalia.b@zend.com
@nataliabartol