topic Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex in ArcGIS JavaScript Maps SDK Questions

Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

JayKappy — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 15:15:59 GMT

I am looking to create a few web apps but must also be cognizant of the fact that my users will be using a varying degree of hardware (ie. tablets, phones, PCs etc). With that being said it pretty much rules out using Silverlight.

But what about Flex and Java Script...I assume this will run fine in a mobile environment?
Is there an HTML API coming?

If I am concerned with PC and Mobile devices whats my best option? Is there something on the horizon that I should wait for?

I want to be ready for the changes that are coming, and realize that we are moving towards a mobile platform. Wanting to make sure that the time and resources invested are going to be able to be utilized in the next few years...looking to get off to a good start and work with a technology that will be around

Thanks....hope to get some good feedback....cheers

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

ManishkumarPatel — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 15:30:27 GMT

Hi Jay,

If you consider the mobile environment for the application then even Flex application might face issues to run on an apple device. So I think Javascript would be a better option until ESRI comes with some cross-platform compatible API that can be utilised on any device.

Regards,
Manish

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

JayKappy — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 16:25:41 GMT

So I would be alright to start dev in Javascript and should be alright on IOS, Android and PC?
Any other thoughts, comments, pitfalls?
Thanks

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

JonathanUihlein — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 16:37:22 GMT

The Javascript API is what you are looking for.

Javascript generally works in any (modern) browser on any device.

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

JayKappy — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 17:52:19 GMT

Thanks for the info.....diving in head first.....
Cheers

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

JonathanUihlein — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 19:48:23 GMT

Good luck Jay!
If you have any additional questions, comments or concerns, feel free to bring them up in a new thread or private message. We'll help as best we can.

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

StephenLead — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 23:51:37 GMT

...until ESRI comes with some cross-platform compatible API that can be utilised on any device

This may be the ArcGIS RunTime, which was mentioned at the UC this year. I haven't used it yet, but the promise is that it will allow the same app to run on any supported device. I'm not sure whether it's actually released yet or is still in beta.

In the meanwhile, the JS API is your best option to ensure your app can run on any advice.

In terms of designing the user interface, you should look at responsive web design, to allow your application to resize dynamically for any device and orientation.

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

SunilPalkar — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 05:35:53 GMT

Hi Jay

We are using JSAPI at our end. It works well for all OS.

-Its lightweight than FLEX.
-We customized layout which has responsive design.
-Only thing look and feel (if you compare with Flex)

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

JeffPace — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 17:17:04 GMT

Agreed on Javascript.

Flex ruled and by security and being dropped on mobile anyway
Silverlight was a non-started.

The whole web is migrating to JS/HTML5. I get calls (frequently) that start with

"we our migrating our app from <flex/silverlight> to javascript and... "

Just glad I got ahead of the curve.

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

TracySchloss — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 17:47:50 GMT

I developed in Flex for a few years before the writing on the wall made me switch to Javascript. I never looked at Silverlight because in the ESRI community it always seemed to be in 3rd place among the 3 APIs offered. The only scenario I might go back to FLEX/Flash is for the development of a mobile app, which is supposedly possible, although I've never tried it. Although I have created a mobile friendly web page that works just fine on a phone, I continue to hear "But we want an app, not a web page".

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

JonathanUihlein — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 17:54:15 GMT

Although I have created a mobile friendly web page that works just fine on a phone, I continue to here "But we want an app, not a web page".

Is there any reason they would want a native app over a webapp, technically or functionally?

There are several frameworks that can wrap your webapp in a native-esque shell which then lets you deploy your webapp through the various AppStores (iOS, Android, etc).

These are two examples of such Frameworks:
http://www.appcelerator.com/titanium/
http://phonegap.com/

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

TracySchloss — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 17:59:30 GMT

No good reason to have an app, no. In general, people just want to be able to say "go download our app", or "we have an app for that". I haven't been pressed lately, so I stopped pursuing the 'wrapper to make an app' approach. Mostly I'm holding out for every type of phone so I can properly test on all basic phones on the market. 😄

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

JeffPace — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 17:59:37 GMT

i would/will never write a native app.

1. Licensing
2. Multiple code bases to maintain
3. Testing constraints
4. etc..

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

TracySchloss — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 18:03:15 GMT

It sounded like a nightmare to me too, which is why I left it as a mobile friendly web page.

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

ChristopherBlinn1 — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 18:55:11 GMT

I wish I was in Jeff's shoes.. I have clients that really loved the Flex Viewer and 3 years ago, it was the hottest solution available. The support and popularity really took off (just look at all of the version updates to the Flex Viewer over the past 24 months compared to any other API or viewer). Web apps were being pushed left and right.

Now, here I am looking at 15+ applications that I have thousands of man hours invested into running on an API (FLEX) that appears to be losing steam quickly. I too saw the writing on the wall and Javascript is now engulfing my life.

Save yourself the trouble of future migration and go with Javascript now.

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

TracySchloss — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 19:01:18 GMT

I have about a dozen very well received FLEX sites that are 4-5 years old now. There's no way I'm going to be able to rewrite these in Javascript to be as nice. I can only hope that eventually there will be more JS equivalents to replace the components that were standard in the FLEX libraries.

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

JonathanUihlein — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 19:06:51 GMT

No good reason to have an app, no. In general, people just want to be able to say "go download our app", or "we have an app for that". I haven't been pressed lately, so I stopped pursuing the 'wrapper to make an app' approach. Mostly I'm holding out for every type of phone so I can properly test on all basic phones on the market. 😄

Thank you for the genuine answer. I figured it was something like that.
I was in the same boat at a previous employer. They wanted a native solution, while most of the devs wanted to stick with our polished webapp.

We didn't have enough time to do native and creating a mediocre hybrid solution just to please upper-management seemed like such a waste of time overall when we had a fully functioning webapp already.

Thanks again for the answer 😃

*edit

I have about a dozen very well received FLEX sites that are 4-5 years old now. There's no way I'm going to be able to rewrite these in Javascript to be as nice. I can only hope that eventually there will be more JS equivalents to replace the components that were standard in the FLEX libraries.

I've never had the pleasure of using the FLEX library; is there any particular feature or component you'd miss after migrating entirely to JS? (Pure curiosity at this point).

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

ChristopherBlinn1 — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 19:14:31 GMT

There's no way I'm going to be able to rewrite these in Javascript to be as nice.

I said the same thing 6 months ago.

But I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised with what I could do with CSS3 and HTML5. Animations, transitions, styles, map tools and components, all of these I have been able to recreate in JS (but I must say, I use jQuery as my framework, and VERY little Dojo).

With enough time and money, anything is possible. :cool:

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

TracySchloss — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 19:32:43 GMT

Styling was way easier, the code assist was more robust, you could see exactly what properties and methods were available for any object I created, without having to have another window open constantly reviewing the API reference. If I needed to add an event listener, for instance, I could just specify a function name and if it didn't exist already it would offer to set up some stub code for the new empty function. Since you were developing in an environment where the IDE and the API library were meant to go together, the design environment was much more transparent.

Writing this is sounds like my main complaint is not the way it functions for the end user. Maybe I need to search around again for a different IDE. I'm using Aptana because that's how ESRI laid it out in their getting started. Plus it looks somewhat like FLEX in the way the tools at the top are laid out, creating projects etc. I don't like Notepad ++ because what I'm needing is more of a design environment. I did recently get DreamWeaver, maybe I should try that again. I had an older version, but I never got any good at it.

As far as the HTML 5 comment - if we could ever get there, my life would be easier. Our default browser is IE 8. When you're working with an org that has tens of thousands of computers, any upgrade is an ordeal

Re: Java Script vs Silverlight vs Flex

MattLane — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 19:48:00 GMT

As far as IDEs, you might try Microsoft's WebMatrix

One of the nice features are the emulators for mobile development. Also has template starter sites.