Web app
A web app is an application that uses technologies such as Javascript, CSS and HTML5 and is executed in a web browser.[1] Developers release their applications as web apps because of the larger flexibility of the format.[2] The application can be run directly from a website, or, if it uses the HTML 5 Offline Application Cache[3] and Web Storage, can be downloaded and installed locally, for offline use. Some web apps use the W3C Geolocation API to determine the location of the browser.
The term web app is often applied to applications developed for the Apple's Mobile Safari browser, but other modern browsers are also able to execute web apps. These web apps have been used to circumvent the restrictions Apple puts on iPhone applications sold through its App Store. For example, the Google Voice,[1] Google Latitude[4] and various porn applications[5][6] have been released as web apps for this reason.
References
- ^ a b "Google Voice Storms Apple's iPhone", InformationWeek, 26 January 2010
- ^ "Developers defecting from App Store to HTML5", ZDNet, 16 December 2009
- ^ "HTML 5 Offline Application Cache", Safari Reference Library
- ^ "Google Releases Latitude For iPhone As Web App", InformationWeek, 24 July 2009
- ^ "iPorn Web Application Still Available for iPhone", Drug Week, 17 July 2009
- ^ "An Unexpected Apple Ally: Porn Industry to Drop Flash", ConceivablyTech, 28th June, 2010
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External links
- Apple's list of web apps
- iWebKit, package to create web apps for WebKit-based browsers
- Pie Guy, source code for an iPhone game realized as web app
- Building iPhone Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, book by Jonathan Stark