Mobile Application Development: JavaScript Frameworks

Enhance your JavaScript skills by venturing into the domain of developing mobile applications

About This Book

• Extend your JavaScript skillset to build, test, and launch mobile apps with confidence
• Follow three sample projects to experience Ionic’s impressive capabilities
• Extend the power of Apache Cordova by creating your own Apache Cordova cross-platform mobile plugins

Who This Book Is For

This Learning Path is for JavaScript web developers looking to develop mobile applications using various JavaScript descendent technologies. It is for anyone who wants to learn how to build fast and stylish native mobile app using the skills they already have. If you are already using React on the web, we’re confident you’ll be able to quickly get up and running with React Native for iOS and Android. See Ionic in action, and find out how it can transform the way you build mobile apps.

What You Will Learn

• Develop, build, run, and deploy great cross-platform mobile applications using Apache Cordova
• Create complete mobile apps using Apache Cordova that runs on Apple iOS, Google Android, and Windows Phone
• Create a neat user interface for your mobile application using jQuery Mobile
• Gain an in-depth understanding of how React Native works behind the scenes
• Write your own custom native UI components
• Develop native modules in Objective-C and Java that interact with JavaScript
• Get to know Ionic by creating three complete mobile applications

In Detail

A great mobile app is rapidly becoming crucial for a huge range of businesses. With a great app, your customers or your readers don’t come to you – you go with them, just a few clicks and swipes away. This Learning Path shows you how to build awesome mobile apps with some of the best tools currently being used by some of the smartest developers in the industry. Taking you through JavaScript impressive development ecosystem – from jQuery Mobile to React, through to Ionic – we’ll show you how to put your skills into practice so you can build your next mobile apps with confidence and style. In this Learning Path, from jQuery to React, to Ionic, we’ll cover everything you need to start

In the first module you’ll learn how to get stuck into Apache Cordova and find out how to use it as the key platform for developing your mobile app. It offers an efficient way to develop hybrid apps, which means you won’t have to connect to platform specific APIs or use their UI framework, and can instead harness your JavaScript web development skills. Make sure you have your HTML, CSS and jQuery skills at the ready.

In Module 2 we’ll show you how to take advantage of React Native. It has a reputation for having a steep learning curve, but we’ll make it easy for you, making sure you make full use of your existing knowledge and getting you up and running with a sample application. You’ll also learn how to create components, how to create multiple screens, as well as using native UI components and accessing native APIs.

In the third and final module you’ll get started with Ionic. With three practical projects you can build yourself, we’ve made sure that you’ll be learning by doing – which means you’ll not only develop new skills much more quickly, but you’ll have produced something tangible at the end of it!

This Learning Path combines some of the best that Packt has to offer in one complete, curated package. It includes content from the following Packt products:

• JavaScript Mobile Application Development by Hazem Saleh
• Getting Started with React Native by Ethan Holmes and Tom Bray
• Ionic Framework By Example by Sani Yusuf

Style and approach

This Learning Path course provides a simple and easy way to build mobile applications in JavaScript descendent technologies such as jQuery, ReactJS, and Ionic.

Table of Contents

1. Module 1
1. An Introduction to Apache Cordova
2. Developing Your First Cordova Application
3. Apache Cordova Development Tools
4. Cordova API in Action
5. Diving Deeper into the Cordova API
6. Developing Custom Cordova Plugins
7. Unit Testing the Cordova App’s Logic
8. Applying it All – the Mega App

2. Module 2
1. Exploring the Sample Application
2. Understanding React Native Fundamentals
3. Beginning with the Example Application
4. Working with Styles and Layout
5. Displaying and Saving Data
6. Working with Geolocation and Maps
7. Integrating Native Modules
8. Releasing the Application

3. Module 3
1. First Look at Ionic
2. To-Do List App
3. Running Ionic Apps
4. Ionic Components
5. The London Tourist App
6. Advanced Ionic Components
7. Customizing the App
8. Building a Simple Social App
9. Connecting to Firebase
10. Roundup