Appcelerator Titanium Lets Web Developers Write Native Software
Appcelerator Titanium is an API that empowers web developers to create native applications for multiple platforms. A large percentage of developers are web developers, strong in Javascript, HTML, and CSS. If these developers are looking to develop native applications, they would have a pretty steep learning curve ahead. With Appcelerator, you can take your basic web development skills and create applications that will run on just about any system, including iPhones and Android:
- Most full-featured application development
platform on the market (announcing iPad support) - iPhone without Objective-C / Android without Java
- Windows, OSX and Linux apps on a single code base
To start, Titanium is Open Source. This not only means that it’s free for you to look at the code, but there is also an entire community of developers and users for you to engage with in creating your own products. Titanium is also modular. This means that, if there is something that Titanium doesn’t do or could do better, it’s possible for you as an individual or the community as a whole to add it.
Titanium acts as a layer between you and the gory details of application development in native languages. You don’t have to worry about the specifics of how each user interface works on each platform you’re developing for, the Titanium compiler figures that all out for you. Even if you are a hardcore developer and know Objective-C or Java, you can use it alongside your basic Javascript code. This means that Titanium is great for your average web developer, as well as more advanced developers who want to get a native application done faster.
With the recent launch of the iPad, I’m sure developers are chomping at the bit to get their app on this new platform. Titanium fully supports development on the iPad and, since all you have to know is Javascript, you can get your apps done fast and without a lot of overhead. Not to mention the fact that you can tap the iPhone and Android markets easily using the same code. To say it another way:
- Develop your apps using the simple Javascript Titanium API
- Compile your app for iPhone and/or Android
- Compile your app for the Windows, Mac, or Linux Desktop
- Achieve infinite riches and success
Ok, maybe that last step is going a little too far, but you get the point. To get started with Appcelerator Titanium, download and install the free software. It will also walk you through joining the community. To build mobile software, This is still beta software, so there are still some bugs. Titanium stores your data in their cloud, which is free storage during this beta period. Because of the limitations on distribution of the iPhone SDK, you can’t build iPhone apps if you don’t actually have a Mac.
Category: Reviews | Tags: android, appcelerator, Development, iPad, iPhone, javascript, titanium
About the Author Rahsheen has been a certified geek since before it was the thing to do. He started programming and tinkering in the 4th grade. Now, Rahsheen mostly writes on various sites about technology trends in social media and mobile. . He is also a musician, singer, rapper, writer, and producer. @rahsheen - +Rahsheen Porter - coachrah.com
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What's about the nimble kit? Please suggest me.
Sweet! Can't wait to create my first app with Appcelerator. It's just what I've been looking for.
Thanks for saying so. I try to make sure everyone can follow along because, even though you may not be that techy yourself, it may still come in handy to know what might be useful to you or your business.
Thanks for saying so. I try to make sure everyone can follow along because, even though you may not be that techy yourself, it may still come in handy to know what might be useful to you or your business.
There are other free game engines out the this one is cool but not for the average joe…..my fav right now is nimble kit…..
Hey there, this post was a bit over my head, but you write so well that I actually understood it. Thanks for taking the time to explain things the way you do and remembering that some of us are less tech savvy than others.
This is something that a lot of my Twitter followers will be interested in so I will spread the word.
Thanks.
@Ileane
Titanium is *hot*.
Thanks for the post, Rasheen. We have a ton of improvements coming up in a release late this month that will increase the speed by at least 3x. Our goal – native objective-c/java speed from the comfort of your javascript knowledge.