Mobile App Development and Xamarin as a Complete Mobile Solution

By
Mukteswar Patnaik
Lets have a Fresh thinking about…
Mobile App Development
Why to switch from traditional/web development to App Ecosystem?
Available Approaches & challenges.
Leading towards Xamarin.

What we will talk about…
• How we reached to Mobile Era & Why to Go Mobile?
• The challenges of Going Mobile.
• Development Approaches
• Silo, Web/Hybrid, Crossplatform
• Exiting solutions for Crossplatform development
• Leading towards Xamarin
13-May-17 2

How we Landed to Current Era?
13-May-17 3

Why to Go Mobile?
• Your customers expect it
• (Service exactly when the customer need)
• Your competitors already did
• (Assumption to beat the competitors)
• You’ll enhance communication in the field
• (All in the same page)
• You’ll collect better analytics
• (All live statistics without huge expenses)
• Your sales team will be more responsive
• (Opportunity strikes likes lightening & lightening never strikes twice at same place)
• You can’t afford not to
• (“going mobile” is a profound benefit in the long-term.)
13-May-17 4

The challenges of Going Mobile
• Vendor / Platform Fragmentation
• Google (Android), Apple (iOS), Microsoft (WinPhone) and BlackBerry
• Which vendor/platform to target?
• If Multiple platform, How to get the time & funds?
• Device Fragmentation
• 10+ variants of iPhone with different OS versions & hardware
• 10+ vendors manufacturing WinPhone with various hardware
• N-Number of Vendors, Unlimited types of devices with wide range of OS
version
• Development Approach
• Native, Web(HTML5/CSS/JavaScript), Hybrid, Crossplatform
13-May-17 5

Development Approaches
Silo vs Web vs Hybrid
Cross-Platform
Native to All Platform
[SIMULTANEOUSLY]
vs
13-May-17 6

Development Approaches: Silo
• Purely Native, leading to Max Performance
• Same functionality developed multiple times
• Preferably one team for each platform
• Feature & performance may differ platform
to platform
• Tough to Sync Development life cycle in
between all platforms & teams
• Difficult to extend & provide
support/maintenance
• High development cost
• Less knowledge sharing & least Code sharing
13-May-17 7

Development Approaches: Web
• Features / Pros
• Developed using mostly HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, JQuery
• Runs in browser, Hence highly portable
• Apps are executed on the Web servers and accessible via Mobile Web browsers
• Better manageability due to web server based deployments
• Higher ease of code maintainability and reuse
• Decrease in total cost of ownership
• Limitations / Cons
• Lack of Native UI feel & fails to access Platform features
• Lower performance due to browser based dependencies
• Highly dependent on native browser implementation for access to device
capabilities
• Unpredictable performance due to higher dependency on Internet connection
13-May-17 8

Development Approaches: Hybrid
• Combination of both web based and native app development.
• Applications are built using web technologies like HTML5, CSS3 and Java Scripts
and involve the native APIs for access to device specific capabilities.
• These apps are resident on the devices as they are packaged within the browser
control of the platform and compiled using the native SDK
• Features / Pros
• Access to limited native device capabilities
• Very good portability across platforms
• Good ease of deployment like Native apps
• Decrease in total cost of ownership
• Limitations / Cons
• UI better than mobile web apps, but not on par with native
• Possible lower performance due to browser based dependencies and the extent of the web
dependency
• Dependency on the hybrid platform provider capability for native API extensions
“Facebook’s biggest mistake was
betting too much on HTML5
as opposed to native app development.”
~Mark Zuckerberg [Facebook CEO]
13-May-17 9

Development Approaches: Crossplatform
• Transform the source code compiled into the native device specific platforms,
deployed directly on devices
• Provide specific APIs that leverage deep native integration capabilities and the
apps developed through this method have a rich user experience that closely
mirrors the native UX [User eXperience]
• Features / Pros
• Richer UX like native apps
• Leverage platform specific capabilities
• Can be ported to multiple platforms though development in a single language
• Deployment on the popular app stores ecosystems is high
• Limitations / Cons [Exception: Xamarin]
• The ability to develop the app is governed by the limitations of the platform APIs
• Certain native capability usage inhibits seamless portability of the app
• Not available for all platforms and are limited to certain/few [Xamarin: iOS, Android,
WinPhone, UWP, Silverlight]
13-May-17 10

Thinking Crossplatform:
Xamarin, The most matured one till date…
• Almost 100% Code/UI sharing
• 100% API access to all
platform
• Open source & now Microsoft
owned
• Comes with Visual Studio and
a complete solution
• Assured Day-1 support for
upcoming devices & platform
releases
13-May-17 11
• Xamarin vs Hybrid-HTML
• As tested & said by Kevin Ford,
Mobile Practice Lead, Magenic
• 62% Faster in Loading large
datasets
• 50% less memory used
• 76% less CPU cycles
• 22X Faster CPU intensive

Few Questions before you switch to App…
• Are we building applications that are graphics intensive? [Native]
• Are we building applications that need a lot of algorithmic computation? [Code Sharing]
• Does the application need integration to device specifics? [Native]
• Is app security a high priority? [Security features]
• Do we need to deploy the app on multiple platforms? [Crossplatform & its support]
• What changes do we anticipate in the app and can this be addressed on a chosen
development model?
• Is there an immediate need to deliver the app to the market? [Time Factor for release]
• Are the chosen tools mature enough to provide sufficient support for development?
• Does the app need to sync with back end systems and data sources? [Compatibility]
• How frequently do we need to upgrade the app and does the app storefront deployment
plan support this requirement? [Playstore/AppStore plans]
13-May-17 12

Xamarin, a complete solution
Xamarin Native/Traditional Approach
Xamarin.Forms Approach
Code Sharing Strategies
By
Mukteswar Patnaik

Xamarin Agenda
• Going Cross platform, I Prefer Xamarin
• How Xamarin is a complete Solution for Mobile platform?
• Xamarin Studio & VS2015 with Xamarin
• Getting it, Prerequisite, Installation
• Configuring & Checking the readiness of IDE
• Xamarin.Native / Traditional
• Xamarin.Forms
• Code Sharing Strategies
• PCL & SAP in detail with Pros & Cons
• [Libraries] [NuGet, Xamarin Components]
13-May-17 14

Over 15,000 companies rely on Xamarin
13-May-17 15

Xamarin – A Complete Mobile Solution
• Open Source & Acquired by
Microsoft
• Native as well as Cross platform
Mobile Application Development
• 100% API support for all
platform[iOS, Android, WinPhone]
• Support from Day-1 for iOS, Android
& WinPhone
• Available with All edition of Visual
Studio 2015 onwards
• Test Cloud & Hockey… for testing &
Monitoring Mob Apps
Not just a platform, rather a Complete Mobile Development Solution
13-May-17 16

• Enroll/Login to https://university.xamarin.com/
• Free trial, learn A-Z of Xamarin
• Live, online classes
• Self-guided learning
• Guest lectures
• Affordable tuition
Learn from Xamarin University
Earn the Xamarin Certified
Mobile Developer designation13-May-17 17

• Xamarin apps look and feel
native because they are
• Native UI, API Access,
Performance
• More Types, Less Typing
• Stronger Types, Smarter Tools
• Language-level Async
• First-class Functions
• Share code/UI everywhere
[SAP/PCL/Forms]
Deliver Native Android, iOS, Windows using existing skills and code.
13-May-17 18

• Xamarin enables you to develop a single solution and deploy it to Android,
iOS, and Windows devices.
• After you define three [Each for every platform with all configurations / customization]
CI builds, you can build the app whenever your team checks in code.
• Upload your Xamarin solution to VSTS or your TFS. Either push your code to
Git or check in your code to TFVC[Team Foundation Version Control].
TFS / VSTS – CI Build
13-May-17 19

• Automate your app testing on 2,000 real devices in the cloud.
• Use any device feature[GPS, Camera, sensors]
• TestRecorder : test everything your users can do, from pinching and swiping
to double-tapping and scrolling. Trigger Test from CI Builds too.
• Analyze detailed reports with results, screenshots, and performance metrics.
• Learn more on https://www.xamarin.com/test-cloud
Xamarin Test Cloud [XTC] - Mobile app testing made easy.
13-May-17 20

• Bring Mobile DevOps to your apps with beta distribution
• crash reporting, user metrics, feedback, and powerful workflow integrations
• VS Mobile Center (In Preview state) combines the features of HockeyApp with
cloud-based development, testing, and analytics
Xamarin.Insights + HockeyApp
13-May-17 21

• Learn >> Develop >> Build Automation >> Auto Testing >> Mobile DevOps
Xamarin - A COMPLETE MOBILE SOLUTION
13-May-17 22

About XS & VS2015 with Xamarin
VS2015(U3)
• If you have VS, stick to it as this
gives much more i.e. WinForms
/ WPF, ASP.NET, Cordova, and so
on…
• On windows you can develop
UWP, Android and iOS(With Mac
Agent)
• VS Preview on Mac, Expecting
production release soon.
Xamarin Studio
• XS, cross platform for iOS,
Android and UWP
• XS for Windows further
production stopped.
• On Windows only Android &
WinPhone apps supported
• On Mac, Android & iOS can be
targeted
13-May-17 23

Prerequisite for VS with Xamarin
• A Xamarin Sign-in ID at https://www.xamarin.com/ [Free]
• A Physical Computer [Not VM] either with
• Windows
• Preferably Windows 8 or Later with Hyper-V enabled
• A Mac on Network to be used as an Mac agent for building iOS apps
• Mac : With OS X Yosemite running OS X 10.10.5 or later with Apple-ID
• Preferably Visual Studio 2015 (Update 3) or Later
[Community/Professional/Enterprise]
• Make sure to Check for the internet connection with needed whitelists
13-May-17 24

Installation
• Download the Visual Studio installer from
http://VisualStudio.com & launch installer.
• If VisualStudio already installed, Modify the
installer from Program & Features >
VisualStudio> Change
• Select Custom installation & Choose ‘C#/.NET
(Xamarin)’
• Also select the templates you need to install i.e.
UWP etc
• Select the Emulators needed
13-May-17 25

Configuring the IDE
• Open Visual Studio & Go to Tools>Xamarin Account
• Add Xamarin account details
• Go to Tools > Options > Xamarin or Tools > Options > Xamarin > Other,
where you’ll find a Check Now link. You may update the Xamarin if needed.
• Go to Tools > Android > Android SDK Manager and install the newest
version of the Android SDK Tools, Android SDK Platform-tools, and Android
SDK Build-tools components.
• Select suitable Emulators for Android, iOS, WP & UWP.
• Preferably continue with Hyper-V. Avoid running multiple Emulators & VMs
simultaneously
13-May-17 26

Checking the readiness of IDE
• Create a Xamarin Native PCL Project [Default Hello Xamarin App]
• Build & Run
• Create a Xamarin.Form PCL Project [Default Hello Xamarin App]
• Build & Run
13-May-17 27
Starting with App Development
with Visual Studio 2015(U3)
Enterprise with Xamarin

CreatingNewProject
13-May-17 28

CreatingNewProject
13-May-17 29

Basic Idea About Xamarin Approaches
Blank/XAML
Code sharing strategies
Approaches for App development
Complete Crossplatform Mobile
App Development Solution Xamarin
Xamarin Native/Traditional
PCL
Blank
App
SAP
Blank
App
Xamarin.Forms
PCL
Blank
App
With
XAML
SAP
Blank
App
With
XAML
13-May-17 30

Which Approach to Choose?
Xamarin.Forms Xamarin Traditional/Native
Apps with common interactions
across device platforms
Apps with interaction that
require native behavior
Apps where code sharing is more
important than custom UI
Apps that use
many platform-specific APIs
Apps that require
little platform-specific functionality
Apps where custom UI is more
important than code sharing
Learn more:
xamarin.com/forms
Learn more:
xamarin.com/platform
13-May-17 31

Xamarin – Crossplatform & Code Sharing
• Xamarin apps look and feel native because they are
• Native UI, API Access, Performance
• Crossplatform, here “Native” means Native to every platform
• Both Code as well as UI can be shared [Native vs Forms]
• Code sharing
• Shared Assets Project
• Portable Class Library
13-May-17 32

Shared Projects / Shared Assets Projects(SAP)
• Features/Pros
• Allows to share at source code level
• Single copy of source/assets complied for individual platform
• Maximum API support
• Platform specific logic can be added directly(Conditional compiling)
• Cons
• Leads to spaghetti code
• Harder to unit test
• Must be shipped in source form
13-May-17 33

13-May-17 35
public static string DatabaseFilePath
{
get
{
var sqliteFilename = "TaskDatabase.db3";
#if NETFX_CORE
var path =
Path.Combine(Windows.Storage.ApplicationData.Curr
ent.LocalFolder.Path, sqliteFilename);
#else
#if SILVERLIGHT
// Windows Phone
var path = sqliteFilename;
#else
#if __ANDROID__
string libraryPath =
Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFold
er.Personal); ;
#else
// we need to put in /Library/ on iOS5.1 to meet
Apple's iCloud terms
// (they don't want non-user-generated data in
Documents)
string documentsPath = Environment.GetFolderPath
(Environment.SpecialFolder.Personal);
// Documents folder
string libraryPath = Path.Combine (documentsPath,
"..", "Library"); // Library folder
#endif
var path = Path.Combine (libraryPath, sqliteFilename);
#endif
#endif
return path;
}
}

SAP Continued… [Solution Explorer]
13-May-17
Right Click on Each platform project,
Add Reference to the
Shared project.
[Done by Default]
36

Portable Class Library - PCL
• Features/Pros
• Shared as binary ( .dll)
• Based on the selection of platforms, APIs will be available (The more platform
you choose, the better the support)
• Enforces architectural design
• Can be Unit tested separately as binary
• Can be shared on NuGet as binary
• Cons
• Limited API support (Dependency Injection/Service Overcomes most…)
• Requires more work to integrate platform specific code
13-May-17 37

PCL Continued… [Solution Explorer]
13-May-17 39

Handling the Platform Specifics in PCL
Dependency Injection / Services
13-May-17 40

Mobile App Development and Xamarin as a Complete Mobile Solution

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