Hacker News Reader

Comment by untog | Hacker News Reader

Maybe I'm missing something here (and please tell me if I am) but isn't the server side of apps the easiest part? It's the best practised part, at the very least.

I've been making web sites for years, so the idea of a server running a database and a back-end platform that works over HTTP is anything but alien. I'm working on an app right now and got the backend stuff working very quickly.

The client-side was an entirely different matter, however- synchronising local data with remote was a challenge, but easily doable. Coping with zero network connectivity, patchy geolocation, creating a touch-based UI.... that is the stuff we haven't faced before, and that's the stuff that is the most challenging.

View on HN

Indeed it's much easier if you're proficient in both.

I've written a number of non-trivial IOS apps that are heavily server based. I've done both the server side (Ruby Sinatra API App, MongoDB, Varnish) and the client side (Obj-C naturally) and consider myself equally proficient in both.

The client generally takes much longer to write and debug than the server due to all the little issues with having a smooth, non blocking UI, network availability, juggling data and managing resources that you have with the client app. Not to mention any custom UI controls you make.

Being proficient in both the client and server is like tying both your shoes with two hands. But only being proficient in one is like trying to tie one shoe with one hand, and get somebody else to tie your other shoe with one of their hands.

One piece you are missing is that the server side needs to be asynchronous. A well written mobile app will be doing things in the background as the UI can't be coupled to network activity. There can be network glitches, temporary disconnects, abrupt closes of the app etc.

If you have a crappy server API this pushes a lot more complexity onto the client, or it just makes for more ways to have different failures. A well designed server API works best with a well designed client, but being messy on either means more work on the other.

I've been doing client-side application development my entire career, so server side stuff is the largest hurdle for me. I've quit partway through 3 rails projects so far.

I suppose it is a matter of perspective- I am one of those people that transitioned from web sites to apps (well, I do both)... I hadn't thought about people that transitioned from desktop apps to mobile apps.

> was a challenge, but easily doable

How was it both a challenge and easy? Do you mean once you discovered the correct method the implementation was easy?

Effectively, yes. Thinking about syncing the data as a concept was challenging: how do I track which rows have changed? How do I confirm that the data transfer was successful? etc. etc. All new concepts that I didn't have to worry about so much with a web site.

The actual implementation was relatively simple though, and worked well. That said, I'll admit the sync functionality my app needs is about as simple as it gets. I'm sure there are more complex scenarios out there.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com