DEV Community: Dreamsoft4you

React Native or Swift: Which to Choose for Your iOS App

Dreamsoft4you — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 09:56:15 +0000

A large portion of our lives revolves around mobile apps. Alongside more sophisticated useful, well-liked, and functional applications. While iOS has an percentage of 27.83 percent, and Android maintains the majority in the range of 71.45 percent, the number of apps in the app store at the time of writing exceeds 3.9 million, as compared to 2.59 millions on Google Play.

Due to their tendency to pay higher wages and excellent in-app purchases, iOS can be the preferred platform businesses decide to build their apps. It's not difficult to understand why businesses first decided to create iOS apps, since revenues are among the most important goals in app creation. Swift is often the first thing that comes in discussions regarding the development of iOS apps.

Swift is a programming language. Swift allows you to build native iOS solutions. React Native is known as a JavaScript framework to build mobile apps that run across platforms is described. We'll look at Swift as well as React Native more in depth to assist with iOS creation in the following article along with their strengths and weaknesses the most important features and practical applications. For more information about the subject, let's examine React to Swift.

What exactly is Swift?

Programming language Swift creates programs for various platforms that include iOS as well as macOS. In order to substitute Objective-C, Apple introduced Swift in 2014. Swift is a programming language that has the support of Apple is fast being recognized as one of the most important languages for iOS programming. The process of creating an application in Swift that is able to run on different platforms is known as [cross-platform development]. Tools such as Xamarin, React Native, and Flutter are available to accomplish this. They both iOS and Android allow the app's deployment. Swift is supported by 59.7K toks, and has 60K stars in GitHub. It is imperative to hire ios developers who have demonstrated proficiency of this language. Swift programming language in order to build an efficient robust, reliable and scalable application.

After we have become familiar with it, we can look at the benefits and drawbacks of the rapid programming language.

The benefits of making use of Swift

Scalability
Improvement in performance
There is no memory footprint whatsoever
Automatically managing memory
Simple to master
Support across platforms
Free software
A rapid development

Limitations of using Swift

Smaller community
Incompatibility issues
A lack of skilled workers
A language that is fresh and comparable to the rest of the world.

Popular apps designed using Swift

Airbnb
Twitter
Test Center
Lyft
Slideshare
American Airlines
Uber
Cred
Asana

What is React Native?

This is where the JavaScript framework ReactNative is the framework used. With the assistance of this framework that Meta developed as well as supports, programmers can develop cross-platform mobile applications which can use up to 70 percent of their code across platforms such as iOS or Android. A wide range of technical support is offered to users of React native. Programming across platforms is quicker and more affordable due to features such as code sharing. For instance, on GitHub, React Native has 22.2K forks and the number of stars is 104K. It's recommended to hire react native developers for if you're planning to build a complex and widely-used product. The React Native is recommended when you are planning to build both a desktop and web-based application.

Benefits of using React Native

Hot Reloading
Modular Architecture
Cost-Effective
Libraries with rich libraries support
Native-Like Feel

Limitations of using React Native

Not recommended for applications that require a lot of resources.
Fairly New
Security Issues
It is dependent upon the Native Language
Questions regarding Licensing

Popular apps created using React Native

Walmart
Bloomberg
SoundCloud
Instagram
Wix

Swift Vs. React Native: Comparision

In creating a solid application, you need to be aware of a few things. Let's now compare React Native with Swift.

Performance
Performance of Swift as well as React Native is a must first. Swift applications usually outperform frameworks when compared. React Native provides a for the integration of native scripts in apps because the process of creating graphical effects using the framework is a burden. The developer can produce various tools and assets using this technique to handle work on development. Frameworks-based applications generally perform less well than the ones created with Swift. In contrast to React Native applications, Swift Apps perform exceptionally well despite having relatively high processing capability.

UI/UX
The UI components of React Native emulate native programs. Because React Native is in charge of native components, application components should also be upgraded every when a platform updates its OS. The whole program UI can fail if there's an issue that is fatal. Material design components should be used through third-party libraries , if developers need to implement a uniform experience across different devices and OS versions. Alternatives include Swift the application that Apple Inc. created for native platform development. This is why it makes use of UX concepts and seamlessly incorporates iOS UI designs. The UI elements have to be developed independently and the development on Switch has to start by starting from scratch.

Coding speed
The speed at which the code is written is also to be considered in this. On one hand it is concise and simple to learn and less prone to errors over objective C. The language embraced the legacy of Objective C simplifying the process and removing limitations. Swift is the most efficient method of building iOS applications by starting from beginning to finish.

The JavaScript React Native framework makes it easy to build complicated mobile apps. The process of learning React Native is straightforward and a variety of help from third parties is offered.

Stability
Despite being controlled through one of the popular language of programming, React Native. But, it doesn't produce actual native react apps. It uses internal APIs and libraries. This means that putting in an interface with the program and the platform is required. Swift however, on contrary, is able to create native applications that take advantage of all features on platforms. In the case of applications that consume a lot of resource, Swift performs better. Swift is an excellent choice for using the platform.

Curves of Learning Curve
The popular software programming language JavaScript is used by the program called react Native. In turn, anyone who is familiar using Javascript could begin to create React Native apps immediately. Swift is however, like Javascript, has some learning curves however it's quite simple to master.

Time-to-market
Since react native is based on JavaScript It leverages the power of developing easy-to-use but powerful web-based applications. It is simple to master and comes with a variety of resources to developers. With these options, developing with react Native is easier and speedier. But, rapid developers have limited resources and must to begin most of their projects completely from the ground up. Swift is speedy because it's derived from objective-C. Its ease to develop makes Swift an ideal option for iOS app development.

When should you make use of React Native?

When developing cross-platform applications.
Find an application that fits your requirements and is cost- effective.
If Live and Hot Reloading are needed for your application, they are
Create applications that must be completed quickly.

When should you utilize Swift?

Create applications that incorporate intricate user interfaces as well as problems with managing memory.
The development of software to work on one device (ios).
Create software that makes use of native iOS APIs and features.
Create apps that require maintenance and updates in the near future.
Develop financial apps that meet high memory management and security requirements.

Conclusion

Each of Swift along with React Native are great platforms to build mobile apps. The main factor to consider however, is the needs of your business. A few scenarios where Swift and React can prove useful are discussed in the previous paragraphs. When choosing the right framework, the requirements of your project are essential.

13 Upcoming UI & UX Trends in 2022

Dreamsoft4you — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 10:14:13 +0000

User Interface & User Experience Design is becoming increasingly important, as they are critical parts of the online journey. The demand has been steadily increasing over the years. As such, the trends in these industries change rapidly to meet the needs of their users.

Those willing to take advantage of these trends will create a better user journey. To help prepare your business for these developments, we'll share our thoughts on what UI/UX company need to prepare and how they can take advantage of these upcoming changes.

1. Corresponding Desktop And Mobile Apps

The latest trend shows that every web application now comes with a mobile app counterpart, even the most complex ones. I think very soon these applications will exist on mobile phones as well. That will make UI/UX even more important than it is today. SaaS apps in particular will be expected to have this down cold.

2. UI And UX For Hybridized Environments

As the world continues to come back from the pandemic, businesses must deal with new challenges. One of these is that they need to rely on UI and UX designers differently as they interact with people in new ways as part of their business.

It's clear that technology has changed the future of restaurants and how they provide menus. Thankfully, digital technology has also made it easier to incorporate a physical space.

3. Experimentation With AR, AI, And ML

Augmented Reality is becoming more prevalent in UI design. Using artificial intelligence and machine learning, UX designs will be better tailored to their users. This allows for a more immersive experience whilst also providing information that is relevant to the user's needs at any given point in time.

You should explore how AI tools (particularly for prototyping) can give you a competitive edge. Instead of waiting until "the next transformation wave,” experiment with new tech to stay ahead of the curve.

4. Inclusive Design

Inclusive design has been growing in popularity over the past few years. The key benefit of this type of design is being able to carefully consider different types of users and how they might engage with your experience. This often results in a better, more accessible overall experience for everyone. You can identify areas in your design that are exclusive and not optimized for an explicit group of users.

5. Keyword Optimization For Voice Search

Make sure to keep SEO keywords in mind while you're writing. Voice search is gaining popularity, so optimizing your content for these users will increase the likelihood of them coming back to your site. I suggest writing high-quality, conversational blog posts for more voice search visibility by including your keywords.

6. Larger Typography

More and more organizations are using larger font sizes than in the past to simplify their messaging and make it easier for people to navigate their sites.

Companies should still provide as much detail as possible, such as credibility, Search Engine Optimization(SEO), and engagement; however, they must be done in a way that is accessible to users. This can often be accomplished by using detailed summaries to hold the user's attention while providing links and tags for relevant articles.

7. 5G’s Impact On JavaScript Frameworks

As we move to 5G, the data usage will increase by 100 times. All of the existing frameworks you see on mobile apps are built with 4G bandwidth in mind. If you expand the bandwidth by 100 times, these JavaScript frameworks may not be compatible.

A frontend framework can be a big factor in the user experience. For example, if you change the underlying JavaScript library (like React), chances are it will look completely different.

8. Micro-Interactions

The goal of user interface design is to deliver the same quality of service as a normal store and this often includes micro-interactions. Throughout the industry, subtle design choices such as autofill and time reminders are emerging, giving users an optimized experience. The little things, like well-designed micro-interactions, can make or break a user's experience with the site.

9. Generative Design And AI

The future of UI/UX design and development will be about co-creating with users and listening to their needs & concerns. Generative design and AI will take website interaction to the next level, allowing them to respond in real-time. Website user experience is more than just fun - it's a personal & a unique opportunity for clients to come into contact with your company.

To successfully manage the effects of AI on society, you should invest in it. For example, by investing in ethical AI systems or by carefully designing for emotions and understanding diverse cultures.

10. Self-Guided Wizards And AI Recommendations

Newer and newer apps use self-guided wizards and context-driven AI recommendations to improve the UI/UX experience. It is becoming more common for apps to have reduced training time that focuses on providing simple text callouts.

This quick explanation can help users find new information easily. Embedding AI agents and providing recommendations will help drive the adoption of the services on the right side of screen panels.

11. Transparent Interfaces

UI/UX experts have been on the hunt for a transparent interface for a while. They're close to figuring it out and this will mean that users won't have to adjust to the interface when using new tools or services. It'll be as intuitive as other human movements and interactions.

An algorithm will customize your experience to suit your needs and suggest solutions. This is changing how we work: marketing, product development & business models.

12. Voice Activations

Speech is a natural way for humans to interact, and the tech powering it is getting better. Companies should make a plan on how they want people to interact with their products via voice and explore existing tools to help them accommodate it.

13. Immersion Technology

More viewers are looking to interact with the things they're viewing. Your company may want to give customers more immersive options that allow them to feel as if they're there. Companies in the VR space should keep an eye out for Virtual Reality innovations that could be relevant to their business.

Final Thoughts

In 2022, focus on creating an inclusive experience for every type of user. This means that while you might know your app needs to span multiple regions and specific uses, you also need to aim for better experiences for users of all physical abilities and ages. Keep your on-screen space interesting and engaging by using animated and bold fonts with simple designs.

Angular 14: All the Important Features and Updates

Dreamsoft4you — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 10:50:45 +0000

Globally recognized brand as the most trusted angular web development company. The company has the most versatile AngularJS development team that sorts all your AngularJS development service’s needs.

Google's Angular is a web application framework that uses typescript and is one of its most brilliant inventions. It released Angular 14, its latest version. We'll be discussing what Angular 14 means for Angular developers in terms updates and new features. Let's start immediately.

What's New in Angular14?

Let's first see what the Angular 14 update has to offer for us all:

Standalone components will make Angular Development easier

The standalone component simplifies the authoring process for Angular applications and reduces the need for NgModules. Developer preview of angular 14 includes standalone components. These components can then be used in your exploration and development applications.

API could be unstable and subject to change, even if the backward compatibility strategy is followed.

The cross platform framework will continue to create schematics (such ng new). -Standalone), and document the learning journey and use cases for this updated mental model.

Typed Angular Forms

Angular 14 ends the top GitHub Issue that Angular is implementing strict typing to the Angular Reactive Forms Package.

Typed forms ensure that all values within form controls, groups and arrays are type-safe across the API surface. This makes it possible to create safer forms, particularly for complex and deeply nested cases.

This feature was created based on public requests for feedback and design reviews. It is a result of the previous prototyping, work and testing by Angular community contributors such as Sonu Kapoor and Netanel Basel and Cédric Exbrayat.

Update schematics facilitate progressive migration of typed forms. They allow you to add typing to existing forms easily and maintain complete backward compatibility.

Extended Developer Diagnostics

Extended diagnostics provide more information about your templates and ways to improve them.

Diagnostics provide compile-time warnings and specific, actionable suggestions to your templates. This allows you to catch bugs before they become serious.

Streamlined Best practices

Angular 14 has everything you need to make your life easier.

Angular v14 includes new change detection instructions from angular.io. Developers can build premium-quality apps using Angular v14's built-in tools. These include routing and code editors.

Streamlined Title Accessibility

Another recommended best practice is to ensure that the page titles of your application communicate clearly.

This is made easier by the new Route.title attribute of the Angular Router v13.2 The addition of a title doesn't require any extra imports, and it is strongly typed.

"Banana in a Box” Error

Common developer syntax error is to flip brackets and parentheses when using two-way binding. This means that ([]) should be used instead of [()].. Because () looks like a banana, and [] looks like an ordinary box, this error was called "bananas in a box". The banana should be in the box.

This syntax error is technically correct and the framework's CLI can recognize that it is not what developers are planning for. The introduction to v13.2 included detailed messaging about the error and guidance on how it can be fixed. This was all done within the CLI and your editor.

Tree-shakable Error Messages

Angular 14 now includes new runtime error codes. The robust error codes make it easy and quick to identify and provide reference information about how to debug any failures. This allows you build an optimizer that will keep error codes and long strings of tree-shaking errors messages (long strings) out of production bundles.

Angular recommends that you consult the Angular reference manuals to find the entire text and reproduce the error in a development environment. To make it easier to use the updated format in future versions, developers will continue to correct current errors.

Coalescing on Values Other Than Null

Extended diagnostics can also lead to errors in nullish coalescing operators (??). in Angular templates. This error occurs when an input is not "nullable", meaning that it does not contain null or undefined.

Extended diagnostics are displayed as warnings during ng create, ng serve and in real time with the Angular Language Service. You can configure the diagnostics in tsconfig.json. Here you can specify whether diagnostics should be considered a warning or an error.

Additional Built-in Improvements in the Angular 14 Release

Angular 14 supports TypeScript 4.7. It now targets ES2020 as a default. This allows the CLI to ship smaller codes without lowering its level.

Angular 14 should also highlight three additional features:

Members bound to Protected Components

Angular now allows you to bind protected components directly from your templates.

This gives you greater control over the public API surface for your reusable parts.

Optional Injectors for Embedded Views

Angular 14 adds support for passing an optional injector while developing an embedded view through ViewContainerRef.createEmbeddedView and TemplateRef.createEmbeddedView.

The injector then enables the dependency behavior to be personalized within the specific template.

NgModel OnPush

Last but not least, a community contribution ends a top problem and ensures that NgModel modifications are reflected in UI for On Push component components.

Angular CLI Enhancements

Standardized CLI argument parsing ensures consistency across all Angular CLIs. Every flag now uses -lower skewer-case format. Angular 14 has removed support for deprecated camel-case arguments and added support for combined aliases.

ng completion

Angular 14 now offers real-time auto completion for commands like ng serve. Typos are the main contributors to errors in command lines. Angular 14 has introduced new ng completion and real-time type-ahead automatic completion to address this problem.

This is to make sure that all Angular developers know this. The CLI will prompt for you to opt in to autocomplete when you execute your first command in Angular 14.

ng Analytics

You can control your analytics settings using the CLI's Analytics command. This detailed output communicates your configurations effectively and provides telemetry data for our project prioritization.

ng cache

You can control and print cache information using ng cache. You can enable, disable or delete from the disk and print statistics.

Angular Development Tools is Offline and Available in Firefox

The Angular DevTools extension for debugging has been made available offline. All credit to Keith Li, a community contributor. Firefox users can find the extension in the Extensions for Mozilla.

How do I install Angular 14?

npm install --global @angular/cli@next

You can install Angular v14 using npm, by simply employing the following flag. Next, open a new command line interface and execute the following command to install Angular v14.

This command will allow you to install the latest version of Angular CLI on your development computer.

How do I Upgrade to Angular14?

This source allows you to upgrade from Angular 13 or Angular 14

Concluding statement

We have arrived at this point by using the features of Angular 14. You must be excited to use these in your development process. This is where we will be when Google surprises us again with another version of Angular.

6 Best Backend Frameworks For Web Development in 2022

Dreamsoft4you — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 13:13:31 +0000

Wherever the demand and market's growing, web developers are expected to grow and meet the demand by creating frameworks that will help in developing efficient and robust web apps.

Web development can be very helpful in building platforms to reach more people, but that's not the only thing they do. They also play a crucial role in the development of User Interface (UI) design. While the front-end designs work on the site or app, developers focus on developing and updating back-end code.

There are a variety of frameworks out there for backend development that might leave you in doubt about which one to choose. To avoid all the confusion, we started with this list of top 6 backend development frameworks.

1. Django

The popular Python web framework Django was released in 2005. It is open-source and scalable, customizable, and contains the required functionalities of a developer's framework.

It is a popular open-source web application framework that makes it easier to develop web applications without setting up infrastructure. It is based on an important principle called DRY, which means it's often built with reusing code in mind and structurally follows the MVC pattern. You can use the framework for developing JSON, XML, and HTML websites.

It is a web app that deploys in Python and comes with admin interfaces for CRUD operations. Popular applications using Django are Google, YouTube, Instagram, Spotify, Pinterest, DropBox, Mozilla, and National Geographic.

Features of Django

Secure Authentication
Batteries included
Support of middleware
SEO Optimized
Huge community support
Easy integration with third-party applications

2. Laravel

Laravel PHP framework was released in 2011. Its MVC architecture consists of libraries and extends the idea of a database structure with an intuitive interface.

WordPress is a free open-source content management platform that provides website owners with blogging tools like blogs and e-commerce websites. They also offer database tools like ORM (Object Relational Mapper) via their Laravel framework. Their advanced custom web apps use their expressive and elegant syntax. Some companies using Laravel are 9GAG, Pfizer, Crowdcube, and Razorpay.

Features of Laravel

Own CLI (Command Line Interface)
Integrates with MySQL, SQL Server, SQLite, and Postgres.
Migration of database
Simple API
Template Engine

3. Express

Express is a framework that makes it easier to create web applications using Nodejs. It provides support for REST API applications and is also part of the MEAN and MERN stack that is used in mobile apps on both Android & iOS devices.

JS developers are using Express because it's a flexible framework for NodeJS. It allows developers to build single-page, multi-page, and hybrid applications. Express can handle GET, PUT, POST, and DELETE requests and is typically used by companies like Accenture, PayPal, Twitter, Myntra, Uber & IBM.

Features of Express:

Routing
Middleware
Debugging
Plugin support
Extensive templates
HTTP utility methods

4. Spring Boot

Spring Boot is a lightweight & open-source Java framework that is used for creating easy application. It has a spring core container, which provides the basic core elements of Spring, like the module that provides containers.

It is one of the most popular frameworks, following MVC architecture, and performs CRUD operations. It also has extensions for creating web applications and configurable security methods. It is easy to create beans using the Spring Framework. It has many useful functionalities like transaction management, monitoring, caching & security.

Spring Boot is becoming a popular framework for companies seeking microservices that are built on Java. It's easy to set up and faster than other frameworks like Kubernetes.

Features of SpringBoot

Simple API
Dependency management
Avoids Complex configuration of XML
Microservices

5. Ruby on Rails

Ruby on Rails is an open-source and server-side framework that works with the standard MVC architecture. It provides a structurally bug-free database to work with through HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

The concept behind the DRY motto is to avoid repetition in coding and the idea that Conventions over Configuration can lead to maximum ways of solving problems. Companies using Ruby on Rails are GitHub, Shopify, Netflix, Airbnb, and Crunchbase.

Features of Ruby on Rails

Good community support
Reliable and high-quality
Simple testing
Scaffolding
Localization

6. Flask

Flask is an open-source, lightweight framework that can be used for creating web applications. It takes minimal effort to learn how to work with it and it doesn't have any external dependencies, making it easy for beginners.

It supports unit testing and secure cookies, like any other framework. It also has an object-relational mapping tool that helps make any code database compatible.

LinkedIn and Pinterest are two famous companies that have used Flask as their backend framework to create both small-scale and large-scale applications.

Features of Flask

Unicode backend
Development server
Rapid development
Minimalistic
Good documentation

How to Use the Best Python Frameworks for Mobile Development

Dreamsoft4you — Wed, 18 May 2022 13:56:09 +0000

In this blog: You will learn how to create an iOS app using Python frameworks. Get our "Mobile Development" Build to obtain a Python 3.7 version complete with the mobile development frameworks described in this post.

There are many libraries in the Python app development ecosystem that cover nearly all aspects of software development. It is especially interesting that many of these libraries include tools to compile Python into native code for specific mobile platforms, such as iOS and Android. You heard it right! You can use Python to build native mobile apps.

Why Python? Python's ease-of-use and readability are a major advantage in mobile development, where speed to market is crucial to maintaining and gaining market share. However, iOS and Android don't support interpreted languages so they cannot natively run Python applications. A number of frameworks exist to bridge this gap and allow Python apps to run on mobile devices that have a native appearance.

This tutorial will show you how to:

• Find the most used frameworks for cross-platform mobile app
development in Python
• Create a simple iOS app using Python frameworks
• Learn the pros and cons to using a Python framework instead of
native iOS or Android tooling

Let's get started.

Cross-Platform Mobile Frameworks for Python

There are two options when it comes to cross-platform mobile apps that can be used on both Android and iOS using Python: Kivy or BeeWare.

Kivy

Kivy is an open-source Python library that allows rapid development of cross platform UI applications. It uses OpenGL graphics engines, which allow it to handle GPU-bound workloads. You can also port Python apps to Android with the Python-to-Android project. Although packages can be created with Python 2.7, it has a like toolkit.

BeeWare

BeeWare, another popular tool, allows you to write Python applications and cross-compile them on a variety of operating systems including macOS and Windows, Linux GTK and macOS. It can also be used for mobile platforms such as Android app development and iOS app development.

Briefcase is an example of a tool that allows you to create boilerplates for native applications. Rubicon C and Rubicon Java provide bridge interfaces that allow you to use Python to call Objective C and Java bindings, respectively.

BeeWare seems to have a main repository that is updated frequently. They also offer commercial support, which includes consulting, training and technical support.

Python Mobile Application with BeeWare

Let's make a simple mobile app to test the BeeWare toolkit. It will select today's cafeteria special randomly from a pre-populated listing.

We start by creating a new development environment for python3.

$ python3 -m venv .env

Install the briefcase software that will allow us to create the boilerplate code for the project.

$ pip3 install briefcase

We will use the briefcase to create a brand new project.

$ briefcase new

Briefcase is an interactive tool that allows you to create your project. It prompts you for key information.

Formal Name [Hello World]: FoodTracker
App Name [foodtracker]:
Bundle Identifier [com.example]: com.thdespou.foodtracker
Project Name [FoodTracker]:
Author [Jane Developer]:
Author's Email:
Application URL:

Select one of the following:

[1] Toga
[2] PySide2
[3] PursuedPyBear
[4] None

GUI Framework [1]: 1

After completing the project, you can launch it to view the native app (Mac and Windows) representation. An empty modal window will be displayed in this instance.

$ cd foodTracker
$ briefcase dev

We want our app running on an iOS device so we must use the following command within the project:

$ briefcase create iOS

To proceed, we will need to install Apple's app development tools (Xcode).

Once Xcode is in place, we can edit the file src/foodtracker/app.py and replace the boilerplate with code that implements our "daily special" app:

"""
Keep my favourite meals
"""
import toga
import random
from toga.style import Pack
from toga.style.pack import COLUMN, ROW, LEFT

class FoodTracker(toga.App):

recipes = ["Baked chocolate orange cheesecake", "Baked Brie", "Chicken Tikka Masala", "Grilled Chicken Salad"]

def startup(self):
    """
    Construct and show the Toga application.

    Usually, you would add your application to a main content box.
    We then create a main window (with a name matching the app), and
    show the main window.
    """
    main_box = toga.Box()
    message_box = toga.Box()
    message_input = toga.TextInput(readonly=True)
    message_label = toga.Label('Todays special: ', style=Pack(text_align=LEFT))

    def button_handler(widget):
        message_input.value = random.choice(self.recipes)

    button = toga.Button('Get Recipe', on_press=button_handler)
    button.style.padding = 50
    button.style.flex = 1

    message_box.add(message_label)
    message_box.add(message_input)

    main_box.add(button)
    main_box.add(message_box)
    main_box.style.update(direction=COLUMN, padding=20)

    message_input.style.update(flex=1)
    message_label.style.update(width=150)


    self.main_window = toga.MainWindow(title=self.formal_name)
    self.main_window.content = main_box
    self.main_window.show()

def main():
return FoodTracker()

You can see that the elements of the window are constructed using imperative-style code. To hold all the child elements, we added a main element. We created composition by adding a button and a message box that contains a read-only text field. The button will display a random recipe when clicked.

In the final 3 lines of the startup procedure, we define the main windows and their properties.

We are now ready to build our project.

$ briefcase build iOS

We can see how our app looks on our desktop by using Xcode. This will open the project and allow us to run it in an iOS emulator.

You just need to tell it which folder to use:

./foodtracker/IOS

This is what you will see when the emulator is run:

To see the changes in our code, you will need to run these commands every time.

$ briefcase update iOS
$ briefcase build iOS
$ briefcase run iOS

Python Mobile Tooling Vs Native Tooling

We have now seen examples of simple Python mobile apps being built. Now, let's ask the important question:

Why not invest in Python mobile apps instead of standard mobile languages such as Java or Swift?

We will answer this question by discussing the pros and cons associated with using Python for mobile development.

Pros:

• The Power of Python: We can harness the power of Python with the Kivi or BeeWare frameworks. This is a great advantage for those who are familiar with Python and have the ability to port existing applications to mobile platforms.

• Cross-Platform Support: This means we create our application once, and then compile it on different platforms. This promotes reuseability.

Cons:

• Slower Compilation: This is likely due to the extra tools we need when changing code. This could be corrected with automation scripts and tooling integrations.

• Less Supported features: Google will always favor their native tooling over any other. Non-native framework users will be restricted by the latest version of Kivy/BeeWare. To resolve any issues that you are seeing, you will need to keep up to date with the issue list as well as the limitations of the current version.

• Inconsistency: Because not all features are available on every platform, there may be some inconsistencies. You might have a different layout on iOS than Android. You may need to find many ways to keep the designs consistent.

In general, using imperative code to describe user interfaces requires more effort. These workflows are usually easier to implement in Apple's Xcode and Android Studio's builtin editors.

There are many Python applications that can be used as examples and you have the opportunity to reuse code.

Before you decide to write Python applications and cross-compile them into native platforms such as iOS or Android, it is important that your organization carefully consider the pros and cons.

Next steps

Create a Free ActiveState Platform account to get started with our "Mobile app Development" build. This build includes Python 3.7 and all the frameworks mentioned in this post, so you can try them out yourself.

NOTE: The easiest way to install an environment is to first install ActiveState Platform's command-line interface (CLI), or the State Tool.

If you’re on Linux or Mac, you can use curl to install the State Tool:
sh <(curl -q https://platform.activestate.com/dl/cli/install.sh)

After the State Tool has been installed, you can run the following command and it will automatically install the build into a virtual environment.

State activate Pizza-Team/Mobile-Development