MobileTogether – Frequently Asked Questions

  • Is it just a wrapper around HTML5 and JavaScript?

    No. MobileTogether is a complete mobile app development framework that is based on its own rendering and processing engine, which provides the flexibility and power to provide a true native app experience on each mobile operating system platform, and also make important mobile platform functions that are not commonly accessible from JavaScript or HTML5-based web apps available to the developer.

    All of the rendering of the mobile application pages is done by the MobileTogether client app (or by our MobileTogether Framework Library, if you have gone the AppStore deployment route and built your own native mobile app with MobileTogether), and all of the business logic and workflow is executed partially in the MobileTogether client and partially in your MobileTogether Server, depending on your particular application needs. Your MobileTogether Server provides the back-end for your mobile apps and interfaces with any back-end databases, Web services, or other data sources to make that data available to your mobile apps.

  • What is a typical workflow for building an app?

    A developer or IT-power user uses MobileTogether Designer to connect to back end data in XML, HTML, a database, JSON, or a Web service and then creates an app. He or she uses a combination of visual, drag and drop UI design and powerful functional programming to select and manipulate data. No mobile development experience is required, but knowledge of XPath and XQuery are helpful.

    After testing the app using the built-in simulator for all platforms in MobileTogether Designer, the app can be deployed instantly to the MobileTogether Server for rapid prototyping. Here your team can test it further using the native MobileTogether Mobile App for each platform. For enterprise apps it may be sufficient to stop here: your end users can download the free MobileTogether Mobile App from their app store of choice and connect to your MobileTogether Server (with full security considerations) to have instant access to your app or your collection of apps.

    If you wish to publish your app with a custom home screen icon and splash screen, you can compile the code package generated by MobileTogether for your platform(s) of choice and submit the resulting native app to the app stores yourself. Once it’s approved, end users can download and install your custom-named app from the app store.

  • Can I brand my own app?

    Yes. First, it’s useful to deploy your app to MobileTogether Server and test it using the MobileTogether App. From there, if you wish to produce a custom-named app with a custom icon, you can use the code package generated by MobileTogether to compile an app for each desired platform and submit it to the app store yourself.

  • What’s the difference between Instant Deployment and App Store Deployment?

    Once you develop an app in MobileTogether, there are two ways to deploy it to end users.

    Instant Deployment is ideal for enterprise apps. For instant deployment, simply deploy your app from MobileTogether Designer to MobileTogether Server. Users will have instant access to your solution via a web browser or the MobileTogether Windows app for Windows 10/11 computers. Mobile access is just as easy. There is a free native MobileTogether app for iOS, Android, and Windows 10 and 11.

    The other option is app store deployment. If you prefer to deploy a single app with a custom name, splash screen, and home screen logo, you can go a step further and compile the code generated by MobileTogether (for one or all platforms) and submit it to the app store(s) yourself. This option takes longer, depending on the length of the app store approval process. It’s ideal for customer-facing apps or other apps where strong brand recognition is desired.

  • What are the advantages of instant deployment via the MobileTogether Mobile App?

    Because app solutions you build are accessed using the native MobileTogether Mobile App downloaded from the app store, you avoid the app store approval process altogether. End users have access to your app instantly.

    Using instant deployment, your app is immediately available on all platforms, whereas you must compile and submit a separate app for each platform when using app store deployment. This also requires the software for compiling the code on various platforms.

    Accessing instantly deployed apps on the MobileTogether Mobile App also means you can include numerous app solutions on your MobileTogether Server that can all be accessed via the MobileTogether Mobile App. Using the app store deployment method, in contrast, you can only compile and deploy a single app at a time.

  • What is the advantage of App Store Deployment for custom-branding my apps?

    Using the app store deployment option gives you more flexible branding options. You can specify a custom-branded logo, app name, and splash screen for your app. End users will download and install your custom-named app from the app store, instead of the MobileTogether Mobile App. This will also give you the ability to charge users to download your app, if desired, and so on.

  • Do I need to create one design per platform?

    No. Regardless of which deployment method you utilize, each design you develop in MobileTogether automatically generates native apps for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and Windows, which you can either access immediately via the native MobileTogether App, or compile and submit to the app stores yourself to deploy a single app with custom branding.

  • Do I need MobileTogether Server for custom branded apps?

    Yes. The MobileTogether Server connects your apps with your back end data sources and provides high performance data processing functionality. However, end users will be insulated from this and will only see your branding.

    If you have created a standalone app that does not need access to an online data source, each app installation will need to contact your MobileTogether Server just once to receive a license token. It will never be required to connect again, unless required by the functionality of your mobile app.

  • How much does MobileTogether cost?

    MobileTogether Designer is free to use. The MobileTogether Mobile App is a free download available in the various app stores.

    MobileTogether Server is available under an annual license purchased per server core, starting at $1000 for one core. That's right: $1000 annually for an unlimited number of apps, and an unlimited number of users.

    These options and pricing structure make MobileTogether affordable and easily scalable for organizations of all sizes.

  • How is MobileTogether different from other cross-platform mobile app development options?

    We have designed MobileTogether combat most often cited barriers to mobilizing enterprise and data-centric business processes: time to market and lack of mobile expertise. Instead of requiring months of dedicated developer time, MobileTogether lets you turn out apps at the speed of business using your existing in-house development team. No other mobile development environment lets you:

    • Use in-house developers with no mobile dev experience required
    • Produce apps for all platforms - including desktop - from one design
    • Develop and deploy sophisticated apps in hours or a few days
    • Provide access to all major back end data sources
    • Scale easily and affordably for organizations small, medium, and large
  • Where can I go for help?

    We have made numerous free resources available for MobileTogether users:

  • What are the best low-code or no-code app development tools that let me build business solutions for my company? I need something that uses a visual designer and programming language and can generate apps that run natively on mobile phones, tablets, and desktop PCs.

    There are a number of app development options that offer visual designers and support for generating apps that run natively on various devices. One option is Altova MobileTogether. MobileTogether is notable because it offers both no-code and low-code options, making it accessible to a wide range of app creators.

    For building no-code business solutions, MobileTogether includes RecordsManager, a built-in template that lets users create database solutions using AI. Users simply enter their solution idea in the AI Assistant, and RecordsManager generates a complete database solution. Users can then use visual tools to further optimize their solution before deploying it to iOS, Android, Windows, and browser-based clients. RecordsManager requires zero manual coding or backend development and therefore makes creation of database apps extremely quick and easy.

    For specialized functionality outside of a classic database application, MobileTogether is the tool for the job. This low-code app development framework lets users build highly sophisticated apps and enterprise solutions for mobile and desktop. The low-code approach involves using drag and drop UI design and a unique visual programming language called Action Trees to define sophisticated app behavior.

  • I need to create an app for users in my organization who use a combination of iPhones and Android phones. They also need to access the app on their laptops in the field. What app development tool targets all these platforms?

    Altova MobileTogether is an app development framework that creates native iOS, Android, and Windows apps from a single design. This design also produces an HTML-browser based client for users on Macs and other devices.

    With a write once, deploy everywhere approach, MobileTogether lets developers create a single app design that is automatically optimized to use the native functionality, look, and feel of each platform. This saves a tremendous amount of development time and also provides the convenience of cross-platform availability of true native apps.

  • Are there any app development tools that won’t require me to go through the App Store and Google Play approval process?

    There are a few options for developing apps that don’t require the app store approval process, which can be lengthy with strict requirements. Some third-party services specialize in signing apps for distribution outside of official app stores. Similarly, white-label app marketplaces allow you to distribute your apps without going through the official stores. These platforms often cater to specific niches or industries and may charge fees for distribution or usage.

    A more straightforward option is Altova MobileTogether. This low-code app development tool includes a free, native MobileTogether client app for iOS and Android, as well as Windows. When you create an app in MobileTogether Designer and deploy it to your organization’s MobileTogether Server, end users can install the free MobileTogether app from their preferred app store and connect to your server for instant access.

  • What is an affordable mobile development tool that still lets me build sophisticated apps?

    Altova MobileTogether offers an affordable solution for developers to create sophisticated mobile apps and enterprise solutions through several key features and strategies:

    • Low-code and no-code development options: This approach reduces the need for extensive coding, thereby speeding up development time and lowering costs associated with hiring highly skilled developers. At the same time, AI integration and powerful visual development tools make it easy to add sophisticated functionality to your apps.
    • Cross-platform compatibility: MobileTogether enables developers to create apps that work seamlessly across multiple platforms, including iOS, Android, and Windows. This cross-platform compatibility reduces the need to develop separate versions of the app for each platform, saving time and resources.
    • Unlimited developers: The MobileTogether Designer is free-of-charge, so you can roll it out to as many developers as required by your organization.
    • Unlimited apps: Your MobileTogether Server hosts your apps, providing connectivity to data sources and high- performance data processing. There is no limit to the number of apps you can host on your MobileTogether Server, which you can choose to deploy on premises or in the cloud.
    • Unlimited end users: The MobileTogether Server is priced affordably, with per-core pricing starting at about $1000/year for an unlimited number of users.