Website viewing apps

[RhinoFreak]

Hi! Not a Dev but have a question.
How hard it is to make an app for a website?
I know basic level programming and Web designing too, but seeing how apps like Facebook, Twitter and even Windows Central ones take so much time to make is it really that difficult?
Can someone pour out their knowledge here?
Thanks!

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[realwarder]

Can start simple, as a web wrapper. But even the website needs to be mobile friendly which not all websites are. To implement a dedicated app requires coding on the website and the app. And then the fact that each mobile platform has a different programing language makes it like starting from scratch 3 times over. Unless you start with a tool like Xamarin which helps.

How long to code? Depends on what the site does. Things that look simple sometimes take a lot longer than things that look hard. Then you have to manage performance. And perhaps offline capabilities. And security. The list goes on.

Bottom line is how long is a piece of string. Then double it because you get scope or technical creep.

 

[RhinoFreak]

Thanks!
So basically if the website is responsive or mobile friendly, it makes the job easier.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[realwarder]

Thanks!
So basically if the website is responsive or mobile friendly, it makes the job easier.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

That certainly enables a simple web wrapper app to be written easily. Definitely the starting place.