[The Architect 2.0]

As a preface, this is just a just-for-fun project I came up. I understand there is more than likely something much better than what I am considering already built, but I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel, I just want to learn through practice.

I want to create a no-server 'Build-Your-PC' webapp. There's really wouldn't be much to it. The app itself would consist of several dropdown menus (stylized to look decent, of course /> ). Based on filler information like budget and previous component selection, the items in the dropdown would change. I would 'host' the site using google drive's website hosting feature or one of the dropbox apps.

The user should be able to navigate to the URL a single time and from then on, be able to use the app offline. TO update the list of products, the user would revisit the site. I want to use HTML5 techniques (not a real product, so compatibility isn't especially important). I imagine I could create a 'productcatalogue.js' file and have it update localstorage.

I BELIEVE what I am trying to do is something very similiar to a vlookup table in Excel.

I am familiar with most of the JS syntax and jQuery, but I've never personally had to use things like prototypal-inheritence or those fancy JS frameworks (or if you even use both of those together). Do you think this sort of project requires a framework? I would like to know so I can ask questions about JS frameworks or, if not, I can start coding immediately.

EDIT:

is 'responsive design' something I need to consider from the beginning or it is possible to implement it by adding additional stylesheets after the desktop design is stable?

This post has been edited by The Architect 2.0: 20 December 2012 - 11:05 PM

[Dormilich]

preface: JS inheritance is unnecessary in most web apps. so you don’t need to worry about that too much.

and in addition, responsive design (like any design desicion) should be considered from the start.

Quote

The user should be able to navigate to the URL a single time and from then on, be able to use the app offline.

i.e. download the web page?


question, how much of that filler data is there? a page with no additional server interaction needs to contain all the data necessary and that data must be provided on page load (you can of course dump that data into local storage, but at some point, that data must be loaded even there).

[The Architect 2.0]

yes, the user would need to visit the site once obviously. at that point, the app should have all the data it needs to run. this is primarily logic and the product catalogue itself.

everytime the user returned to the site, additional items would be added to the catalogue. the key point being that the user does NOT have to return to the site to have the app work; it would just be using outdated data.

on the development end, I would be manually updating the .js file.


is the use case I described possible? how does one deliver tabular data in a js format? I imagine I would just manually write a JSON string in the js file.

[Dormilich]

question, how is the user supposed to use the app off-line?

[The Architect 2.0]

was planning on using HTML5 offline technolgies; localstorage, indexedDB, cache manifest.

from what I read, offline apps should b no problem. Is there a problem i'm not aware of?

[Dormilich]

well, all the offline technologies work, when the user is actually offline. but nowadays, who’s going to use his browser offline?

nevertheless, to store the data you have to load them on a previous point.

[The Architect 2.0]

it's a learning project. although, a real world example would be myself. the internet connection at starbucks is horrible.

yes, the data would be loaded along with the app itself.

[Dormilich]

then I see no problem. just make sure you have the data (either loaded from the source or from your offline storage device) before you (try to) use it.