Hybrid APPS Why I am optimistic about you - a tribute to front-end engineers

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At the very beginning, the Web used the simplest method of HTML tags to build portals and forums. At that time, it felt very cool to be able to build a website. Later, Ajax was developed, which could dynamically obtain data and update web pages without refreshing. Then HTML5 was developed, which reached another level by combining JS and CSS3. Through the Web, good functional effects can be achieved in a very cool way. This was the PC era; now it is the mobile Internet era. Some people are pessimistic about the Web, while others are praising it. In any case, the Web is growing wildly in its own way. The way of growth is not based on our subjective will, but on the need for the Web in this era, and the need for this method to achieve some things. People hope that there is such a thing that can be like a tree, providing a shade in this hot summer, and are willing to fertilize and water it to make it bigger and taller. It is created because of need, not available because of existence.

1. Reaching an inflection point

Technically: From the original one-track mind to the current two-pronged approach. At the end of October 2014, W3C announced the official finalization of HTML5. This time is neither too late nor too early, with stronger hardware performance and slower iteration speed of mobile OS. The advantage is cross-platform and timely updates. It can be combined with native code to implement mutual calls, which is completely possible in terms of mechanism. It just depends on whether you use it or not. OS X Mavericks and iOS 7 introduced the JavaScriptCore library, which encapsulates WebKit's JavaScript engine with Objective-C, providing a simple, fast and secure way to access the world's most popular language. Whether you love it or hate it, the ubiquity of JavaScript has led to a significant increase in the use of programmers, tools, and resources in super-fast virtual machines such as OSX and iOS.

Ecologically: Many companies and individuals have been contributing to the Web field. Whether it is Cordova, AppCan, ApiCloud, trigger.io, node-webkit, ReactNative, etc., they are breaking through from various directions, giving everyone hope.

Hardware: The system version and browser can already support HTML5 and CSS3 hardware acceleration. In Android 4.4 released by Google at the end of 2013, the built-in Webview is no longer the crappy Android WebKit browser, but Chromium, which has greatly improved performance. Starting from the latest Android 5.0, Webview can be updated in real time through the Google Play Store, consistent with the upgrade of Chrome, so users can enjoy the latest browser engine without flashing the phone; looking at Apple, after the release of iPhone 5 in 2012, the performance of HTML5 on iOS has been satisfactory, and Safari's exclusive JavaScript acceleration engine Nitro is no longer so important. However, after the release of iOS 8, Apple still tactfully cancelled the restrictions on third-party programs calling Nitro. Now any browser or application that calls iOS's UIWebview can use Nitro acceleration, so it is also possible to use JS for large-scale calculations on the front end.

Implementation: Specifically at this level, the initial approach was to embed web pages directly; later, JS, HTML, and CSS were packaged locally; both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages, and cannot meet our requirements for fast loading and real-time updates. So a third approach emerged, which can use incremental updates of zip packages to achieve the purpose of local loading and fast updates. These have been implemented on super apps and have worked very well, as described below.

2. Demand requires this

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As for developers, why are they reluctant to develop WP versions? Often it is because the workload is too heavy. In addition to version adaptation, resolution adjustment, etc., once a new version is released, developers have to wait up to two weeks for review in native apps. In addition, content maintenance is also very troublesome, which is why some media have begun to abandon native apps and encourage readers to use WebApps. In addition, cross-platform gives developers a very painful experience in the multi-screen era. People are looking forward to the ideal situation of Java once compiled and run everywhere. HTML5 is currently playing the role of a developer savior.

The era of the new Internet portal Super App + WebApp is coming

How many apps do you have installed on your phone? Which ones do you use most often?

Perhaps the most common answer is that I use "WeChat, QQ, or other browsers" and other so-called super apps.

The Web is playing an important role in super apps, leveraging its fast, cross-platform and lightweight features.

3. Has been verified

The core businesses of QQ Mobile include group tribes, food, drink, entertainment, theme centers, etc. WeChat’s [Discover]. The new version of Alipay’s [Merchants], e-commerce companies such as JD.com and Taobao are used everywhere. These super apps have been used happily in certain scenarios, giving full play to the advantages of the Web and making use of them for our benefit.

4. Surround the cities with the countryside

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From the PC to the mobile Internet era, the Web is growing in line with the needs of the times. No language is like the Web, which is constantly revised with the development of the times and can keep up with the speed of development of the times. Java can't do it, and Objective-C can't do it either. Although it comes from the grassroots, it is like water, moving with the shape and full of vitality. Let us embrace the changes and embrace the grassroots Web.

Dedicated to the engineers who have been working on the Web front end