1 Overview of Oracle ADF Mobile Browser Client

This chapter provides an overview of Oracle Application Development Framework Mobile (ADF Mobile) browser client.

This chapter includes the following sections:

• Section 1.1, "Introduction to ADF Mobile Browser Client"

• Section 1.2, "Supported Mobile Browsers"

1.1 Introduction to ADF Mobile Browser Client

Oracle Application Development Framework Mobile (ADF Mobile) browser client is a standards-based framework that enables the rapid development of enterprise mobile applications. Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g release 1 of ADF Mobile browser client extends Oracle ADF to browsers running on mobile devices. Because ADF Mobile browser client is built upon the component model of Java Server Faces (JSF), you can quickly develop applications for mobile browsers. ADF Mobile browser client's mobile-specific extensions to JSF enable you to develop mobile applications using the same methodologies for developing JSF applications for the desktop.

When developing an ADF Mobile browser client application, you need not focus on the limitations or capabilities of different browsers, as ADF Mobile browser client enables you to develop applications that function properly on different browser types. The ADF Mobile browser client renderer ensures that contents can be consumed correctly by the target browser. It handles the variations in both browser implementations of HTML, JavaScript, CSS, DOM, XMLHttpRequest, and in system performance. For example, if a browser does not support XMLHttpRequest and is incapable of posting a partial page request to a server, ADF Mobile browser client's support for AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) enables the application to revert automatically to a full page submit so that the same page functions whether the browser supports XMLHttpRequest or not.

Note: For Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g release 1, ADF Mobile browser client requires HTML and JavaScript support.

1.1.1 About Java Server Faces and the Application Development Framework

Java Server Faces (JSF) is a standard specified by JSR-127 that enables developers to create applications using pre-built components that define functionality and behavior. JSF provides a clean Model-View-Controller (MVC) mechanism that simplifies the development of Web applications through its renderkit, which converts components both to and from a specific markup language. The renderkit's renderers abstract the production of markup and responses to browser requests by generating the markup representations of components and the way in which these components should interpret browser requests.

JSF development focuses on components, not markup. Using JSF, you create a JSP page containing JSF component tags. When a user visits this page (through the FacesServlet) JSF uses the renderkit specified by the user's device to encode the markup for the appropriate output. For example, if the user's device specifies HTML for a desktop browser, then the renderkit's markup encoding results in an HTML page. In addition to rendering appropriate content, JSF supports user interaction.

Application Development Framework (ADF) is built on the standard JSF technology and provides the following:

• A large component set (since JSF provides only basic components)

• Renderers that support these components in HTML browsers, including a rich renderkit for applications using AJAX technologies

• Converters, validators, and events

1.1.2 Developing Mobile Applications Using ADF Mobile Browser Client

You can use the same programming model and component set for developing desktop browser applications to develop mobile browser applications for mobile devices. ADF Mobile browser client application development is almost identical to ADF Web application development, except that ADF Mobile browser client application development uses only mobile JSF pages that consist of Apache MyFaces Trinidad components.

Note: You cannot use ADF Faces components to develop an ADF Mobile browser client application. You must use Apache MyFaces Trinidad components.

Developing mobile browser applications for mobile devices with ADF Mobile browser client leverages the same methodologies used in developing JSF applications for the desktop with a few specific mobile extensions. With support for over 60 Apache MyFaces Trinidad components, you can build applications with the rich component set, each of which renders appropriately for small-screen mobile devices. In this way, you can reuse the desktop browser application's model and controller layers to assemble a new view layer for mobile devices by using similar Apache MyFaces Trinidad components.

Note: Oracle JDeveloper only supports the JSF page flows for ADF Mobile browser client application development. The ADF task flow is not supported.

How ADF Mobile Browser Client Improves Performance

The PDA component renderers have been optimized to minimize the payload of the Web page sent to the mobile device for improved performance over wireless networks. In mobile environments with high-latency and low-bandwidth wireless networks, Partial Page Rendering (PPR) is essential in providing end-users with an efficient application. For mobile browsers supporting AJAX, ADF Mobile browser client supports PPR for certain components to minimize the amount of data requested from the server and improve the responsiveness of the applications. See also Section 3.1.2, "Partial Page Rendering."

1.2 Supported Mobile Browsers

ADF Mobile browser client supports Apache MyFaces Trinidad components on the browsers listed in Table 1-1. Later versions of Trinidad can be integrated into Oracle JDeveloper and used with Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g release 1 of ADF Mobile browser client.

Table 1-1 Supported Browsers and Supported Mobile Features

Browser	JavaScript Support	CSS Support	PPR Support
BlackBerry version 4.6 and later	Yes	Yes	Yes
Blackberry versions 4.2 through 4.5	No	Yes	No
Microsoft Windows Mobile 5	Yes	Yes	Yes (with nuances)
Microsoft Windows Mobile 6	Yes	Yes	Yes
Apple iPhone Safari	Yes	Yes	Yes
Nokia s60 series	Yes	Yes	No
Plain HTML (such as Opera Mini, Opera Mobile and Skyfire)	No	Yes	No