500 + Ice Cream Flavors -- I'm Overwhelmed

NewMedia · February 26, 2021, 11:06am

The mention of Netlify in a post here in Mobile Apps telling how they used an external service to finish converting a Wappler responsive site into a TWA for inclusion to the popular app stores
led me to the page with the method they reccomended –

Here’s the most relevant claim regarding how Cordova creates problems

https://medium.com/@stephenlai2017/how-to-turn-your-website-webapp-into-android-apk-with-twa-technology-and-publish-on-google-play-cfbe4f9bafb0

So I checked out his recommendation

upload your project to web hosting service, there are tons of options, for example github , netlify , firebase , etc. I use Github and Netlify to accomplish the task which I have to.

I am confused as I follow these links–

Developers exploring hundreds of branches and forks in roads all making claims for the best stack, the best UI, the best speed, the elimination of traditional hosting to serve the app.

I have lost track of which forked road to commit myself to learn HOW and how I would incorporate that into a Wappler development ANY of these build options for separating front end from back end, delivering components to the EDGE, etc.

Dave · February 26, 2021, 11:29am

Never had any issues with Cordova distorting anything (we have about a dozen apps on Play Store). Sounds like the user had absolutely no idea what they were doing, went for a quick and ‘dirty’ way of converting their application, and paid the price for not understanding what they were doing. You do not need an external service to convert your site to Cordova it can all be done in Wappler! Clone the site so you have two copies. One will hold the design the other the data source. Apply Cordova to the design clone. You’ll need to change your Server Connect Actions to point at the data clone. So a quick search and replace to update links to SC Actions and add the site name will do the trick. Upload your data side. Build your application in Wappler using the Cordova build command. Essentially done. The only bits that seem to confuse users are installing the certificate and Gradle. Your design will look and function exactly the same, your data will fetch exactly the same. Can’t explain it any clearer than that I’m afraid… Hope it helps someone.

Dave · February 26, 2021, 12:53pm

Wappler/Android Studio:

Web:

Android:

NewMedia · February 26, 2021, 1:08pm

Exactly why I posted!
Thank you, Dave, for helping out with actual working experience!

Dave · February 26, 2021, 1:11pm

No worries. I don’t like posting Clients applications but in this case the client loves Wappler as much as I do and it really needed to be shown in video as explaining it makes it sound a lot more difficult than it actually is…

Dave · February 26, 2021, 1:19pm

No point in downloading this application as for the moment it is for the client only. The actual partner application for this application is where it all happens. When we finalise it will do a Showcase and share some log-in details so users here can download and have a play with it.

So there you go. From Wappler to web, to Android to Play Store. ALL IN WAPPLER (well we use Android Studio briefly (mostly for debugging, and its a habbit) but you get the drift, can all be done in Wappler).

sitestreet · February 26, 2021, 1:23pm

This is excellent, @Dave. Is it possible to get it store-ready without Android Studio? Just checking if there’s a necessary stage there or it’s just your preference to dip into that.

And have you dabbled in iOS?

Dave · February 26, 2021, 1:31pm

Yes but you will need to configure your certificate within Wappler. And build for release. You can use Google Play Store signing in your Developer account on Play Store but we prefer to keep track of the certificates we use and store them locally for other purposes.

Quick easy to follow guide on certificates:

https://haensel.pro/apache-cordova/cordova-create-a-signed-release-apk-easy-howto

We don’t do IOS although we are considering it as around 5% of the Clients users (some 3000 plus users currently, using the web version and other versions deployed, regional variations etc) have Apple devices and we don’t want to ignore them, so the time will come. We have looked at purchasing the new M1 Macbooks for this purpose but are waiting for Portugal to offer the higher spec memory versions before we buy.

Dave · February 26, 2021, 1:33pm

Android Studio is easy to set up and well worth it as you can refactor your application on the fly to AndroidX for example (or create an App Bundle). Makes working with certificates easier, and is the same on all OS’s. All you need to do is download it and point it at the APK Wappler compiles. Open it and away you go. Great for debugging!

Dave · February 26, 2021, 1:37pm

Only one ice cream for me!