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Is jQuery Still Relevant to Mobile App Development? 7 years ago

jQuery is one of the popular free and open-source cross-platform JavaScript (JS) frameworks that is designed for simplifying the HTML scripting at the client’s side. It includes parts of HTML and CSS. App developers use the jQuery JS library for solving common basic app development problems of all browsers. App developers can add new features and functionalities by designing jQuery with new plug-ins and projects for extending the core libraries when the code is opened publicly for community development and support.

jQuery eases the process of user interface development

User interface development is highly simplified by jQuery as it eases some basic functions like the HTML document object model (DOM) manipulations while also providing access to a large library of UI elements. It also provides technologies like Asynchronous JavaScript And XML (AJAX) and the mobile devices. So, a mobile app development company can make use of jQuery for making the user interface development easy.

jQuery allows for touch-optimized web framework app development

Using jQuery, you can create web frameworks that are compatible with smartphones and tablets of extensive varieties, using varying OS, as the UI widgets of jQuery are touch-optimized. This use of JS library for developing touch-optimized web framework in jQuery app development allows for its mobile app as well as desktop or tablet web compatibility.

App development task becomes easy with jQuery

As jQuery is based on writing less and doing more and goes to the next level, minimal scripting is needed for the laying out-pages as in HTML5. Thus, the design of the website or application can work on different platforms for smartphones as well as desktops. This saves time that is spent on designing for different devices and different platforms separately. Significant compatibility is exhibited by jQuery for desktop browsers and mobile platforms, like Blackberry, Android, iOS, WebOS, Symbian, Windows Phone, etc., making it platform-agnostic.

jQuery makes search easier

It is simple and easy to find and control elements or array of elements using the jQuery during the app development process. Moreover, with any technology from the client side, the jQuery app supports the visual force support. So, the best mobile app development company is more likely to use the jQuery app.

Learning curve for jQuery is short and not steep

Developers who are already familiar with jQuery syntax, have a minimal learning curve for jQuery and find it intuitive, as it is built using the jQuery core as the base. A shorter and simpler library is used for building the jQuery library. The open coding standards and simple syntax make the deployment time of an application or site much shorter. In fact, it you can create custom themes using the theme framework in a short span of time.

jQuery library can be used when Angular JS application is bootstrapped

Though AngularJS uses its own jqLite subset of jQuery for implementing jQuery, a jQuery library may be used by the AngularJS development company when an AngularJS application is being bootstrapped.

Display of jQuery elements is independent of JS

Web page content can be rendered even if JS is disabled in the browser by manipulating HTML DOM. You also don’t need to worry about browser settings due to the presence of HTML DOM. Helpdesk tickets are considerably reduced by using jQuery as developers can code proactively and avoid dreaded browser crashes. Moreover, it automatically scales the screen as the underlying codebase is same.

Visual Studio IDE can be integrated easily with jQuery

You can easily add, remove, and update libraries and tools in Visual Studio projects that use the .Net Framework using NuGet. The jQuery library can also be integrated into Visual Studio via the Manage NuGet Packages dialog box that initiates the Intellisense feature of Visual Studio. The developer can then immediately access jQuery methods and syntax without leaving the code view. This makes jQuery a popular tool for working in a Microsoft-based .Net environment.

jQuery can be used to create animated applications like Flash

For developing an animated app, jQuery provides a much cheaper, smaller, and easy to learn option, as compared to Flash. Many browsers and platforms do not support Flash. jQuery is also smaller than Flash. This leads to less errors and smoother playbacks. Moreover, Flash has a steep learning curve, while the knowledge of JavaScript and HTML is enough for jQuery. The app or site can be optimized using jQuery without making any special adjustments like Flash because jQuery uses a combination of markup-based technologies like CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and AJAX that work well together. Thus, jQuery helps you achieve great-looking effects in a shorter span of time and with less efforts to keep your audience engaged.

jQuery is light and SEO friendly

The jQuery pages load faster as it pushes content to the client and decreases the wait time for a server response. This also affects the SEO ratings in many search engines. In jQuery, you can make uniform adjustments to your code for reducing the size. In jQuery, loading div tags are also optional so for improving the speed of your app or website, you can consider loading only the necessary div tags for your page load event. This allows you to display only what a user needs to see right away and have the rest of your division elements load as they are needed. Many plugins are also available to aid developers in optimising jQuery for search engines. Developers can also embed their jQuery elements using unordered lists to make the app or site SEO-friendly. You can also use keywords that are read by search engines for loading animations created using the HTML5-jQuery combo to make it more SEO compatible.

Inference

With all the above-mentioned benefits of jQuery, questioning its relevance is obsolete. Apart from providing best solutions for mobile app development, the HTML5 and jQuery combo can help you create content for smart TVs and other connected devices as well in the future. Developers should learn jQuery as this library helps you build an interactive and engaging website or app and is going to take over a huge part of the future Web development.