CODEWITHSUNDEEP
google-chromeweb-applicationsair
dallin
dallin

Reputation: 9426

Packaged Apps vs Adobe Air vs Others

I have been given the task of taking our existing web app and converting it to a desktop app that can work with a local database or a database over the network. I was hoping to rewrite the app as little as possible, so I started looking at things like Google Packaged Apps and Adobe Air. My app is HEAVILY reliant on jQuery, but not so reliant on PHP, especially on the front end (as in rewriting html via php). Here are my questions:

  1. With Google Packaged Apps, are you required to have Chrome installed before installing the app?

  2. With Google Packaged Apps, can you package everything you need to install and run the program in a single installer (in other words, can you install it without an internet connection?)

  3. Performance is a huge factor - it has to run as well as it does on the web as a desktop app. Does Adobe Air, Google Packaged Apps, or any of their competitors cause a drop in performance? If so, which one(s) have the best performance?

  4. What product would work best given the things I've outlined for my purposes: Google Packaged Apps, Adobe Air, or another competitor (some I've heard of but aren't sure if they do what I'm looking for are Titanium, Prism, app.js, etc.)

Upvotes: 1

Views: 806

Answers (2)

user3154142
user3154142

Reputation:

Few unanswered queries

I have been given the task of taking our existing web app and converting it to a desktop app that can work with a local database or a database over the network.

Here's a link which could solve your local dB problems:
posting data into database-web sql chrome extension

I was hoping to rewrite the app as little as possible

JS is dynamically typed. But since google has put a lot of restrictions, you app development could be slower than a regular web page development in javascript. Restrictions such as: http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/contentSecurityPolicy.html

My app is HEAVILY reliant on jQuery

Yes, you can use jQuery, provided you know how to include it.

Performance is a huge factor - it has to run as well as it does on the web as a desktop app. Does Adobe Air, Google Packaged Apps, or any of their competitors cause a drop in performance? If so, which one(s) have the best performance?

AIR apps are slower than Chrome extensions as the js engine in chrome[V8] is faster than one used in air which uses webkit. You can test it yourself by making a slideToggle() method in both the environments and your observation will be that it is a lot smoother in chrome. This is just one example and you could find many you research through adobe developer n/w.

What product would work best given the things I've outlined for my purposes: Google Packaged Apps, Adobe Air, or another competitor (some I've heard of but aren't sure if they do what I'm looking for are Titanium, Prism, app.js, etc.)

I am not Google person but look no further than Chrome app/extension. As after a thorough research on Adobe AIR apps, app.js, titanium, etc. I've found this to be the most secure, performing, feature rich and platform independent. Adobe has stopped releasing newer AIR versions for linux whereas chrome still is making an effort to push the platform. The list goes on and on.

Upvotes: 1

numan salati
numan salati

Reputation: 19494

With Google Packaged Apps, are you required to have Chrome installed before installing the app?

Yes but once packaged apps are officially launched if you have chrome browser installed on any device you should have the runtime to run packaged apps.

With Google Packaged Apps, can you package everything you need to install and run the program in a single installer (in other words, can you install it without an internet connection?)

Yes you have to package them (they are offline by default). If the user is on a chrome browser , you can have them one click install (without going through webstore) from your website.

What product would work best given the things I've outlined for my purposes: Google Packaged Apps, Adobe Air, or another competitor

Both Adobe AIR and packaged apps should work. But note that packaged apps haven't officially launched yet. From the announcement in Google I/O expect it to land in windows in version 29 (sometime this summer) and then on mac and linux (and of course chrome os).

Your biggest advantage over AIR is going to be that packaged apps will work on mobile too.

Upvotes: 2

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