Java Development

[coreb]

I have an app I'm trying to write with some basic requirements: Display a list from an XML file, act on the list items, view an image file from the list that refreshes often, use location and map data. I know HTML5/JS pretty well and used to do Java in college (I have a couple of apps that do some calculations from EditField inputs).

I have a 9700 with OS6 installed that's low on app space. I know a few other people that currently have BBs and won't be jumping on the BB10 bandwagon right away. I find webworks apps take up more space than they should and think this app may be better native.

If you were to start the app today which route would you take:

• Webworks and bbui.js
• Java with pre-OS6 APIs (ListField and Generic Connection Framework)
• Java with OS6 APIs (RichList and Communication API)

My problem is of too much choice. Whenever I hit a snag going in one direction, I switch to one of the other listed methods instead of continuing on. 

I'm just looking for opinions of what others would do in this situation. (I realize the bias I'll get by asking the question in this particular forum)

[Ziper]

If you need to support pre-OS6 devices you don't have choice, only java

Choose tools best for particular problem. If you think this app may be better native, so write native code. If it doesn't matter, then use technology you know best

Jacek

[peter_strange · Accepted solution]

Do you want to support OS 5.0 or earlier?

RIM appear to have rremoved the page that lgave you percentages of devices running various OS levels, but the last stats I saw suggested that the OS 5.0 was still a significnat portion of the market.  For OS 5.0 you have two choices

Java with GCF (actually you woudl use ConnectionFactory)

WebWorks (whihc does work in OS 5.0

For me, you should choose the technologoy you know.  In your case it appears to be WebWorks.  So unless you have good reason to do it in Java (for example, you want some feature not avaiable in WebWorks), you should use that. 

[peter_strange · Accepted solution]

Just had a message from rcmaniac25 (thanks), who pinted me at this for OS proportions:

https://developer.blackberry.com/appworld

[coreb]

Thanks for the replies, Jacek and Peter. I'm probably going to build a Java version that works w/ OS5 just so it supports most of what's out there. I think the tighter integration I can get from using a mapfield rather than sending the user off to Blackberry Maps application will provide a better experience for the user.