I have a Node.Js app running on a publicly accessible server.

I want to make it possible for users to access it as a native iOS app.

Is there a simple way of simply making an iOS app and having it show my Node.Js app running from the server? Or it's more plicated than that?

I looked into PhoneGap but maybe some other remendations also?

Thanks!

PS I know the question is broad but that's why I'm asking – to focus my question and to know what to do next.

I have a Node.Js app running on a publicly accessible server.

I want to make it possible for users to access it as a native iOS app.

Is there a simple way of simply making an iOS app and having it show my Node.Js app running from the server? Or it's more plicated than that?

I looked into PhoneGap but maybe some other remendations also?

Thanks!

PS I know the question is broad but that's why I'm asking – to focus my question and to know what to do next.

• javascript
• ios
• iphone
• node.js

• Some people do this by putting web views in the iOS app, but I do not remend it. In general, Apple do not allow apps that do not add any kind of functionality in parison to just visiting your website. – Daniel Larsson Commented Apr 28, 2015 at 0:19

3 Answers 3

Node.js - this is a server side application. So you need to build client application which can municate with your node.js server by Rest api or so... As you mentioned you can build hybrid html5/js app with PhoneGap, Cordova, Ionic "wrappers/libraries" which will pack it into native iOS/Android/... application and that app can talk to your node.js server and transfer data you need. Also, as Daniel Larsson mentioned for some specific pages you can use webview to display page straight from the web, but webview can be a part of your application but not an entire application, because Apple will reject it during review process.

If you want to port your existing web-app over to being a native app on the app store, I can positively remend PhoneGap having developed multiple apps with it after pleting the same research you are doing now.

As NYS said, you'll need to package all your web-app design (HTML/CSS+images/JS) inside the PhoneGap app, any other way simply wouldn't be responsive enough.

As for what to do next, I would dive straight into creating a PhoneGap application and see how your app runs inside the Cordova wrapper out of the box. The issues I faced were with scrolling on divs holding content, and non-responsive click events, both were easily solved with javascript libraries.

Cheers Chris!

You may use Socket.io for native option.

http://socket.io/blog/socket-io-on-ios/

https://github./socketio/socket.io-client-swift/

https://github./pkyeck/socket.IO-objc/

https://github./square/SocketRocket/