The Chrome Web Store welcomed a new arrival today, and it goes by the name of appMobi XDK. While the addition is targeted squarely at developers, it's entirely free and packs quite a doozy -- cross-platform HTML5 software development from within the web browser. As you might expect, the tool is perfect for making applications to run within Google Chrome, but get this... it's also capable of creating native apps for submission to Apple's App Store and the Android Market. Like any competent development environment, it features a full set of debugging tools, along with the ability to test your apps via on-screen emulation and directly from your target device. Hardware integration is accomplished with JavaScript hardware abstraction, which enables access to the camera, GPS, accelerometer and the like. Further, the platform boasts full compatibility with PhoneGap, which means you can easily transition if you've got a project in the works. If you're already hooked, be sure to check out the PR after the break, which describes such goodies as in-app purchasing and secure user authentication, which are made possible with appMobi's cloud services.
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appMobi Releases its XDK HTML5 Development Tool Stack on the Google Chrome App Store
Use a single HTML5 code base to create Web apps for Chrome App Store, as well as native apps for Android Market or Apple App Store
LANCASTER, Penn. – MobilityWire® – August 3, 2011
appMobi® (www.appmobi.com) today announced the immediate availability in the Google Chrome App Store of its "XDK" cross platform app development tool. For app developers, the XDK replaces numerous platform-specific development tools with a single HTML5-optimized development interface.
appMobi's XDK combats "fragmentation" in the mobile development space by presenting users with a single, HTML5-based emulation, debugging and cross platform build environment for mobile apps. By making the XDK available on the Chrome App Store, appMobi expects to further its dominance of cross platform HTML5-based app development.
"Most developers want to create apps that can easily be deployed to different platforms with a minimum of rewriting," said appMobi CTO, Sam Abadir. "We designed the appMobi XDK to make it very easy for a developer to check how their app will look and feel on diverse hardware platforms."
The appMobi XDK debugging tools allow testing with on-screen emulation, local on-device and remotely anywhere in the world without requiring ad-hoc builds or security certificates.
XDK apps can of course be deployed to websites or the Chrome App Store. Where the XDK delivers an extra treat is the ability to build the same exact HTML5 code base into native apps for placement in the Apple App Store or the Android Market.
"It's clear that HTML5 has become the unifying technology for the mobile space," Abadir continued. "However, creating great HTML5 apps requires great HTML5 tools and that's exactly what the XDK is. As a 'Web app' itself, the XDK can also be used to create the new breed of 'hybrid' Web apps that perform exactly like 'native' apps, but do not require the approval or financial revenue share of the App Stores."
appMobi offers a number of cloud services that provide functions that are common in smartphone ecosystems, but are not part of HTML5. These services include user authentication, in-app payments, rich media push messaging, user analytics and live app updates. The XDK is fully compatible with the PhoneGap HTML5 cross platform development project, providing many features that are missing from the open source project. The XDK runs on either Mac or PC platforms. There is no charge for the XDK development tool, and it is available today in the Google Chrome Store (http://www.appmobi.com/XDKChrome).
