AppLaud Cloud

by Mobile Developer Solutions

AppLaud Cloud now at Alpha 3! Login to AppLaud

Download AppLaud App

AppLaud Cloud makes it easy for JavaScript/HTML/CSS developers to develop mobile applications. Edit apps and immediately run and debug them on a device. No wires, downloads or installs! Get started today!

AppLaud Cloud

AppLaud Cloud consists of two major components. First is a web-based development environment to enable developers to easily create and run mobile applications. Second is a mobile app that works in conjunction with the IDE to run the apps.
AppLaud App
AppLaud Cloud's project manager enables the template-based creation so that you can begin with fully functional PhoneGap and jQuery Mobile based apps that demonstrate PhoneGap's device APIs and jQuery Mobile's touch optimized web framework.

AppLaud Cloud supports the hard-core coder with the powerful ACE editor, the Weinre cross-debugger, and the Ripple desktop browser device emulator.

After the AppLaud App is installed, all the developer's projects can be run directly from the cloud. The often time-consuming download and install are removed from the edit/debug cycle. The app also includes a demo mode, so that sample PhoneGap and jQuery Mobile apps can be run and/or installed to the device. The first version of the product supports Android devices only. We will make sure we have a great product for one platform before we expand to other platforms. Since almost all of the technology is Web based, we'll be able to move quickly.

Similarly, only the Chrome browser is supported initially. Other browsers will be supported in future updates.

This is the alpha version of the product and we'd love to hear your feedback. Is anything missing that you need to create your mobile apps? Let us know on the AppLaud Forum.

Login and Register

To log in and register, visit the AppLaud Login page and follow instructions from there.

User Guide

An overview of AppLaud Cloud capabilities and how to get started. The same information shows up in the edit pane when no files are open or re-opened with menu Help –> Get Started.

Start a Project

  • Choose New –> Project
  • Give it a name, select a Project Template, and click Create
  • Double click files in left pane to edit
  • File and Edit options available with right click and New/File/Edit menus
  • Make sure browser pop-ups are enabled

Running the App

  • Build not required
  • Scan the QR Code to download the app to the device
  • AppLaud App Documentation
  • Tap 'Refresh Project List'
  • Tap a project to begin running it

Debugging

  • Tap 'W' icon on device app's Project List
  • Tap the project
  • On the desktop, select Debug –> Weinre Controller
  • Make sure there is a green client and select Elements
  • Examine HTML, change CSS, call functions, etc
  • More at Weinre Home

Emulating

  • Select Emulate –> Ripple Emulator
  • Use Chrome Developer Tools to run and examine the project
  • Use Ripple Console to simulate PhoneGap APIs
  • More at Ripple Home

Packaging/Building

  • Choose a build type
  • Wait a minute or two for server build
  • On the app, choose 'Refresh APK List
  • Select app to download to your device

Uploading Files

  • Select File –> Upload
  • Right click on .zip files and select unzip
  • Also drag and drop files onto window and select File –> Save As

Downloading Files/Folders/Projects

  • Right click –> Download

Technology

AppLaud integrates a large amount of open source software across a wide range of domains. Below is a brief summary. Also, many of these projects are built upon yet more open source projects.

Mobile

  • PhoneGap an HTML5 app platform that allows you to author native applications with web technologies and get access to APIs and app stores. PhoneGap leverages web technologies developers already know best... HTML and JavaScript.
  • jQueryMobileTouch-Optimized Web Framework for Smartphones & Tablets
  • Weinre weinre is Web Inspector Remote. It's a debugger for web pages, like FireBug (for FireFox) and Web Inspector (for WebKit-based browsers), except it's designed to work remotely, and in particular, to allow you debug web pages on a mobile device such as a phone.
  • Ripple Adds PhoneGap API support so that mobile applications can be run in the Chrome Browser and debugged with the Chrome Developer Tools

Web Application

  • Ace A web based code editor that matches and extends the features, usability and performance of existing native editors such as TextMate, Vim or Eclipse.
  • jQuery UI jQuery UI provides abstractions for low-level interaction and animation, advanced effects and high-level, themeable widgets, built on top of the jQuery JavaScript Library, that you can use to build highly interactive web applications.
  • UI-layout The jQuery UI.Layout Plug-in is used to create and manage AppLaud's window panes
  • jstree jsTree is a javascript based, cross browser tree component. It's used to implement AppLaud's project tree.
  • openid-selector Provides jQuery-based client template for openid
  • dryice Packaging tool

Server

FAQ

1. Can I develop Java with AppLaud?
While AppLaud is primarily focused on JavaScript/HTML/CSS development, it supports doing any Android development, including editing and updating Java files. AppLaud Cloud can build and package any Android app and the AppLaud App will download any Android app. Note that the standard AppLaud App's run project without download capability does not work for project's with modified Java files.

2. It's the web, why only Android?
While almost all of the technology in AppLaud is cross-platform, a few key pieces are OS-specific. Since we're prioritizing creating a great fully-functional development environment, we want to do that with a constrained test matrix first. iOS is our next priority.

3. What's the business model?
There are several options. Currently the major focus is to create a great development environment and build a strong user community. The product is free to use. The intention is for the environment to always remain free for open source development. Stay tuned.

4. How do you import Eclipse projects into AppLaud Cloud?
In Eclipse:
  • Right click on project name and choose Export
  • Select Archive File
  • Choose file name for zip
  • Click Finish
In AppLaud Cloud:
  • Select New -> Import Project
  • Enter Project Name. It may be different than the Eclipse name
  • Choose File. Navigate to the location of the zip file
  • Click Import Project