Google Web Toolkit for Mobile Applications Development

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Google Web Toolkit is an open source set of tools that allow creating and maintaining JavaScript Front-end applications using Java. These can be supported on any platform with the GWT files. Optimizing complex browser-based applications is also a chief task of GWT. What’s more, it is completely free and constantly improvised by the dynamic open source community.

Google itself puts GWT to use by using it extensively for Google AdWords, Google Wallet, Google Blogger, Google Offers and Google Groups

Developing mobile applications with Java and have them work on iOS, Android and Windows Phone is a a dream come true for many. GWT, Google Web Toolkit is what you are looking for then.

Simply write the Java code that compiles into cross-platform Javascript and HTML, and discover how to take advantage of these features on several popular devices, such as the camera, accelerometer, and GPS using the ingenuity of GWT.

Development with GWT

Using GWT, developers can develop and debug Ajax applications in the Java language using the Java development tools of their choice. When the application is deployed, the GWT cross-compiler translates the Java application to standalone JavaScript files that are optimized. When needed, JavaScript can also be embedded directly into Java code, using Java comments.

GWT applications can be run in two modes, Development Mode for writing the code and debugging and Production Mode to execute the compiled JavaScript for deployment. The various open source plugins available make GWT development easier with other development environments like NetBeans and Eclipse.

 

 

The Application Development Lifecycle with GWT

The application development lifecycle is quite simple and obvious with the GWT.

http://blog.spec-india.com/tag/google-web-toolkit


• Develop    
     A) GWT SDK with core Java APIs and Widgets is used to write the AJAX applications.    
     B) Any of the Java development tools can be put to use to develop the source code.    
     C) A higher level of abstraction on top of common concepts like DOM manipulation and XHR communication is achieved by development in this fashion.    
     D) The developers can mix handwritten JavaScript in the Java source code using the JavaScript Native Interface    
     E) Design and Development is object-oriented because Java is being used.    
     F) Dynamic and reusable UI components speed up the development cycle.

    • Test and Debug  
         A) The GWT Developer plugin bridges the Java code supplied to the debugger and the JavaScript.    
         B) Facilities like inspect variables, set breakpoints, and all the other debugger tools available with the Java environment make aid in testing the code.    
         C) Since the coding is done in Java, tools like Firebug and Inspector can be used.    
         D) The JavaScript generated can be easier to understand or obfuscated and smaller to download.

    • Optimize
    • Code Optimization
         Optimization starts with the GWT compiler across the Javascript code itself by
              o Removing dead code
              o String optimization
              o Inlining of methods and functions

    • Browser layout Optimization and CSS Optimization
              o Speed Tracer is a new Chrome Extension in GWT that enables you to diagnose performance problems in the browser.

    • Execute
              • Just before deployment, GWT complies the Java source code into Java script files.
              • These are optimized, stand-alone files which automatically run across most common browsers and mobile platforms like Android, iOS and Windows Phone.

    As a call of the times, smart developers put in rigorous efforts for platform independent development for both web applications and mobile applications. It is then, but a natural step for them to explore technologies like Google Web Kit for cross platform development.


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