Mobile Web App to Native App

• Get grounded in HTML5, CSS3, JS, and JQM. Take the class and/or buy the books*. Find tutorials and forums on the web.
• Build your mobile app using HTML5, CSS3, JS, JQM, etc... Build a "mini-web site" that does the job you want. You should have your app working and looking like it would on a small device, but at this stage it is executed by a browser. You could download free development environments, but we prefer to use a plain text editor rather than set up the environments and learn to use them.
• Use the Adobe PhoneGapBuild* service to convert web apps to native. PhoneGapBuild is free for the first app but costs $9.99 a month for unlimited conversions. You will need to gather your assets into a zip file to upload. Assets include:
  • All files: HTML, CSS, JS, images, icons, etc...
  • A config.xml file [Example] that describes the assets. Position this file at the same level as the main index.
  • A folder of icons [Generator Tool] of specific size and resolution. Have a 512x512 graphic ready to upload to the generator and you MUST USE A WEBKIT BROWSER such as Google Chrome.
• You will also need [not in the zip] a "private signed and passworded key" - which is a file you create with "keytool", a program located in the JAVA jdk. You will need to drop down to the command line to execute this program and generate the key.You will have to submit the key to Adobe and it will be kept on file. [How-to Details] Google Play offers a secure "App Signing" process which is described in the developers console docs. BE CAREFUL - once this option is chosen you cannot reverse it. You must decline before an apk is uploaded.
• Upload zipped assets and signed key to PhoneGap Build. Instructions, FAQ, Forum are provided to help you.
• PhoneGap Build will create an apk release package for you to download and submit to the Google Play Store or Amazon Appstore. There are other venues to distribute or sell the apps but Ms Math Master uses Google Play and Amazon.
• Test the apk file to verify that it works as intended. Download the apk file to your mobile device or use an apk emulator such as BlueStacks.

You are half-way. Now on to the android market.

* Adobe PhoneGapBuild is no longer proving this service.