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Apple allows hot code push for JS downloaded and run by WebKit

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Re: Apple allows hot code push for JS downloaded and run by WebKit

#2

Post by turval »

This is probably the only feature that gives hybrid apps an actual upper-hand vs their native counterparts.

So now I could instantly push an update to my apps by hot-swapping the js code, while a native version would be stuck in a a multi-day approval process.

I can imaging there are some scenarios where getting a feature to market before a competitor would make this feature really valuable.

One question, it specifically mentions using the WebKit framework, does that mean that this is not allowed under the old UIWebView class?

Re: Apple allows hot code push for JS downloaded and run by WebKit

#3

Post by teacup50 »

turval wrote: post #2

This is probably the only feature that gives hybrid apps an actual upper-hand vs their native counterparts. So now I could instantly push an update to my apps by hot-swapping the js code, while a native version would be stuck in a a multi-day approval process. I can imaging there are some scenarios where getting a feature to market before a competitor would make this feature really valuable. One question, it specific…

Of course, this advantage is more than outweighed by having to use JavaScript in the first place.

Re: Apple allows hot code push for JS downloaded and run by WebKit

#4

Post by turval »

teacup50 wrote: post #3
turval wrote: post #2

This is probably the only feature that gives hybrid apps an actual upper-hand vs their native counterparts. So now I could instantly push an update to my apps by hot-swapping the js code, while a native version would be stuck in a a multi-day approval process. I can imaging there are some scenarios where getting a feature to market before a competitor would make this feature really valuable. One question, it specific…

Of course, this advantage is more than outweighed by having to use JavaScript in the first place.

Considering all of the languages that can transpile to JS, I wouldn't say that's an issue.

Now the bugs and shortcomings of CSS, that's certainly a knock against hybrid apps :)

Re: Apple allows hot code push for JS downloaded and run by WebKit

#5

Post by imaffett »

turval wrote: post #2

This is probably the only feature that gives hybrid apps an actual upper-hand vs their native counterparts. So now I could instantly push an update to my apps by hot-swapping the js code, while a native version would be stuck in a a multi-day approval process. I can imaging there are some scenarios where getting a feature to market before a competitor would make this feature really valuable. One question, it specific…

Companies have been doing this for a long time in the UIWebView. At a previous job, we offered this service and called it "live update". Never ran into any issues with Apple denying apps because of this. Phonegap build has a feature called Hydration that does something similar.

Re: Apple allows hot code push for JS downloaded and run by WebKit

#6

Post by brianchu »

This sounds great. It bears noting that this form of code push is routinely implemented in native apps too - I know at least that the Quora and Facebook iOS apps make liberal use of web views (and code push). Native apps can take the opposite hybrid approach - sprinkle in web views where needed inside a native codebase, as opposed to sprinkling in native plugins (and a native wrapper) in a web codebase.

Re: Apple allows hot code push for JS downloaded and run by WebKit

#9

Post by [deleted] »

turval wrote: post #4
teacup50 wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course, this advantage is more than outweighed by having to use JavaScript in the first place.

Considering all of the languages that can transpile to JS, I wouldn't say that's an issue. Now the bugs and shortcomings of CSS, that's certainly a knock against hybrid apps :)

[deleted]
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