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I've already read this:

IBM Worklight - Which features a Native app cannot use?

but it's a little old now and I'm asking:

  • what kind of features are still missing while developing a native cross-platform mobile app in the realm of business applications & banking tools using Worklight (are JSONStore and Direct Update still unavailable? There are further features missing?);

  • what are the CONs, in general, of working with such framework despite of using native SDKs (like the cross-platform struggle to keep up with the native platform roadmap, framework infrastructure weight, performance issues, general trade offs, etc.).

Any reference to Worklight documentation is welcome.

Thank you in advance

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Gargaroz
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1 Answers1

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The essence of native development differs greatly than that of hybrid development.

  • In native development Worklight provides a set of APIs that allow you to work with the Worklight Server and the features that surround it (as listed in the question you've linked to),
  • Whereas in hybrid development you also get features related to the client-side. These client-side related features are meant for web development, so there is no correlation between the two (native and hybrid).

what kind of features are still missing while developing a native mobile app in the realm of business applications & banking tools using Worklight (are JSONStore and Direct Update still unavailable? There are further features missing?);

So the list has not changed much:

  1. Starting Worklight 6.2, JSONStore is supported in native development as well

  2. Push Notifications in WP8 is now supported in native development as well

As for Direct Update... this feature is meant to update web resources, not native resources. Also, such updating of native resources is not allowed by the platform so there is no Direct Update support in native development.

what are the CONs, in general, of working with such framework despite of using native SDKs (like the cross-platform struggle to keep up with the native platform roadmap, framework infrastructure weight, performance issues, general trade offs, etc.).

You handle native development as you would always handle it. The framework only provides you with the tools to use what Worklight provides on the server-side.

Idan Adar
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  • I forgot to say that the business and banking mobile app to be developed must be NATIVE and CROSS-PLATFORM. What kind of CONs and trade-offs arises this specific request? – Gargaroz Nov 21 '14 at 10:55
  • Well, you can't be both native and cross-platform. iOS apps are developed in Objective-C, whereas Android apps are developed in Java. So while Worklight offers the same API for both platform, it *is* written in different languages, so you need to implement it for each platform... – Idan Adar Nov 21 '14 at 10:56
  • Xamarin provides some form of cross-platform in native apps, and also provides Worklight SDK compatibility, so you can check that. You'll still need Worklight, of course, in order to access all those server-side features. – Idan Adar Nov 21 '14 at 10:58