[ZDNetKorea] "A suite of codes that delivers in every mobile web and app screen"
"A suite of codes that delivers in every mobile web and app screen"
Cho Chang-hoon, Head of Research Center, TOBESOFT
Unlike Windows-centered personal computers, the mobile environment requires a variety of software programs, which is a burden to enterprises the world over. When making an application, companies need to provide multiple apps corresponding to different devices, which is equivalent to developing several apps at the same time.
?Under such circumstances, it is no surprise that a company like TOBESOFT that helps enterprise users utilize the software’s user interface in a more efficient manner is attracting attention. Since last year, TOBESOFT has marketed its “Cross Platform” know-how which focuses on compatibility across platforms including those for personal computer and mobile devices.
?Earlier, TOBESOFT had supplied MiPlatform and XPLATFORM, UI platform products for personal computers. Last April, it launched “nexacro platform” to support the mobile environment. Its focus was to respond to multiple screen sizes and browsers for desktops, smartphones, and tablets with a single suite of source codes.
?How much do you think it is worth for a mobile UI platform development tool like nexacro platform to become the standard in a conservative enterprise environment like Korea’s? What kind of advantage would it confer to developers? What future market trend do you expect to see following the introduction of nexacro platform? We received answers to these questions by asking Mr. Cho Chang-hoon, Head of the Research Center at TOBESOFT.
According to Mr. Cho, the primary reason for his company to opt for JavaScript as the basic development language for its nexacro platform was to help the company’s developers in raising their productivity. His company’s future development direction includes a simplified tool for app packaging included in the nexacro platform to be available in the second half of the year.
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The following are questions and answers in an interview with Mr. Cho:
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- How different is the nexacro platform from existing UI platforms?
?It allows output that runs seamlessly on any environment based on a single development source. It doesn’t just mean things work on any platform; it goes way beyond the “cross platform” approach to deliver detailed performance.
?By platform, I mean platforms using different operating systems or cases in which web or native functionality is needed on the same operating system. Depending on the type of work, we may need both. This approach was used in the desktop area in the past.
?To manage the mobile environment, the smaller screen size must be considered. It’s not based on the device’s model but the screen size. The nexacro platform enables OSMU development that handles cross-platform, cross-browser, and multi-screen environments.
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- In what area are enterprise users most interested?
?Let’s say real OSMU? Realizing a real OSMU is our big goal. If we can provide optimal view and user interface in diverse environments, customers get real value. That means users simply use the same things over and over again after a single round of development.
?In addition to making it work on diverse environments, it is important that each and every page looks good and fits the screen. For example, a combo-type menu on a desktop could be rendered as a select type on a mobile device. Or grid-type contents on a desktop could be made into a card-type design on a mobile screen instead of the same grid type with a smaller size.
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- Why do you think your company needed to address these needs?
?Our original intention was to apply the desktop UI platform source technology to mobile. We wanted to provide technology that would support corporate users in any way they want.If the user wants the mobile browser environment, then we will provide it on the web. If the user takes performance more seriously, we will let him have output in native.
?The main mobile requirement demanded by enterprises is being able to use mobile devices under smart work scenarios. To realize this requirement, it is necessary to develop a UI development platform capable of supporting OSMU for both desktop and mobile environments.
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- Were all components of nexacro platform developed in house?
?Most of them were. One exception is the open source JavaScript engine V8 mounted on the nexacro viewer. We did this to eliminate the need for frequent updates or renewal with the latest version. But it is not a critical component affecting the overall performance of nexacro platform or its output.
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- Can I call it a “hybrid app” development method in that it makes use of web technology?
?When we talk about hybrid among IT professionals, we usually mean wrapping ‘Web View’ (browser embedded with an operating system) with a native app when creating mobile apps for iOS. Web View shows records of operating system fragmentation in the case of Android. It may contain issues that enterprise customers may be sensitive to in terms of performance and security.
?But we are different. We support the nexacro browser providing web output called ‘nexacro View.’ Although it works like Web View, it is really something else. It can be used on the nexacro platform to create apps to wrap on the web like Web View as demanded by developers. Or it can be used to make output to create apps that work like natives.
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When you use the nexacro browser instead of Web View on a hybrid app-like enterprise mobile app, the problem of fragmentation disappears. You gain efficiency by reusing existing output instead of developing new things from scratch. The only difference from Web View from the developer’s perspective is that it shows JavaScript process output rather than HTML tags.
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- Usually expressions like HTML5-based or web standard for hybrid app development tools...
?Strictly speaking, the nexacro platform is not HTML5 based. HTML5 can be used when you use tags as web standards. But it is realized with the web browser only, which is its limit. It was hard for nexacro platform to use HTML tags only in supporting cross browser and cross platform operations.
?We are responding to the OSMU scenarios as demanded by the market. It’s more appropriate to call it JavaScript based. But to lead this trend, it was not possible with JavaScript alone. That’s why the nexacro platform provides a JavaScript framework “Unified.js.”
?By using JavaScript, we could approach it more easily. For those web developers familiar with JavaScript, it was easy to create a JavaScript-based UI with WYSIWYG tools. For native app developers, it was possible to do mapping within a single source by each of the output versions in terms of operating system features, API change, and its feature differences with JavaScript codes.
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- Please explain in more detail about how nexacro browser would be accepted by developers.
?We usually divide developers into two groups, one who deals with web contents including JavaScript and HTML and the other who connects back-end interface and develops native apps. We provide the nexacro browser to both groups so they can take advantage of their working knowledge in nexacro platform development.
?If the final output demanded of the developer is native apps, for example, he doesn’t need to worry about the nexacro browser at all. All he needs is the platform’s integrated development environment (IDE). From the viewpoint of existing native app developers, it is easy to approach without being intimidated. For them, the main task is connecting the interface according to browser processing results and wrapping them up in natives.
?But the division of labor involved in UI design, business logic, and back-end interface connection can’t be precision work but depends on the project’s type and size. In a large-sized project, the publisher takes charge of design work, with separate roles for developers who clothe business logic on the surface of the app and developers who handle server-side data. In a small project, however, one person may take charge of everything.
?We administer separate training for developers and designers who deal with the nexacro platform. If the project assigns different roles for multiple people, we administer training separately. If one person has to take all the responsibilities, we give all the training to that person.
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- Why don’t you tell us about your company’s future development plans?
?Since we launched the nexacro platform last April, we have supplied actual products. The current version is 14.0. We expect to hold a business promotion event in the second half of the year following one in the first half. We plan to provide an improved version of IDE nexacro Studio and launch a Package Builder that makes it easy for app packaging.
?Package Builder is a tool to make it easier for any manager without technical background to package source codes with native apps. We will try to make it easy for freelancers and individual developers to do it, all the while creating a technical ecosystem for professionals using the nexacro platform.
?We will also make it available as a cloud-based service. Although we have completed the first-stage development, the final launch date has not been set. We will launch the on-demand service first, followed by a product that can be installed on-premise without additional cost.