I've been using PhoneGap and JqTouch. I tried using JqueryMobile, but I had trouble getting some things working, and found that jqTouch just worked easier and faster for what I was trying to do.
But then I found that I'm kinda having to roll a lot of my own UI elements, using old school CSS and Javascript. I'm combining iScroll (a javascript scroller for touch drag scrolling). It's all very interesting and exciting, but it certainly feels like more of a "Research" project and less of a "Development" project, because there are no real models of how things are done to look at. I feel like I'm constantly blazing a trail of semi-undiscovered country.
It looks like Sencha is taking a different approach, and implementing some of these UI elements in native code, with different implementations on different platforms, rather than it being just a traditional DOM app?
unoti probably means 'javascript' by 'native code'. So, yes, the structure and behavior is defined through javascript (working in tandem with the appropriate stylesheets, of course), as opposed to defining a scaffolding of HTML and manipulating the DOM as needed as with JQMobile.
Both are nice. Sencha Touch expects certain conventions be followed which can be great if you don't trust your (or your team members') discipline. But it can also be a bit full of magic if you don't know your way around the ecosystem. Luckily the documentation is pretty great, the team is responsive to their forums and the community is pretty engaged and helpful. Also, the Designer is wonderful!
JQMobile is wonderful for teams that are used to more 'traditional' (read: more server side heavy) web apps and/or know JQuery like the back of their hand (which is many of us these days) and that can put together disciplined code without much supervision.
I use them both and I like them both. I am looking forward to developments on both sides.
But then I found that I'm kinda having to roll a lot of my own UI elements, using old school CSS and Javascript. I'm combining iScroll (a javascript scroller for touch drag scrolling). It's all very interesting and exciting, but it certainly feels like more of a "Research" project and less of a "Development" project, because there are no real models of how things are done to look at. I feel like I'm constantly blazing a trail of semi-undiscovered country.
It looks like Sencha is taking a different approach, and implementing some of these UI elements in native code, with different implementations on different platforms, rather than it being just a traditional DOM app?