Using the Build Tab

In the Intel® XDK development environment, once you have completed debugging and testing your app, you can use the Build tab to make bundles you can submit to a variety of app stores. There are three types of app builds available, two for building mobile apps and one for web apps:

• Cordova 3.X Hybrid Mobile App Platforms creates a native app bundle suitable for submission to an app store for download and installation onto a mobile device. These apps use Apache Cordova* 3.x APIs. You can build for Google Android* (either the Crosswalk* run-time or standard run-time), Apple iOS*, and Microsoft Windows 8* platforms.
• Legacy Hybrid Mobile App Platforms creates a native app bundle suitable for submission to an app store for download and installation onto a mobile device. These apps do not use Cordova 3.x plug-ins and APIs, but can use Cordova 2.9 APIs. Build platforms include Android (legacy container run-time), Apple iOS Ad Hoc or iOS Production, Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, Tizen*, Amazon*, or Barnes and Nobles Nook* platforms.
• Build as a Web App creates an HTML5 bundle suitable for submitting to web app stores or for placement on a web server. Build platforms includes WebApp, Google Chrome*, Facebook*, or Mozilla Firefox*.

NOTE: The Intel XDK build service will NOT submit your app bundle to a store, but it does provide you with a bundle suitable for store submission. To submit your app to a store, you must do that outside of the Intel XDK.

How you specify your app settings depends upon which type of app you will build:

• For build platforms under Cordova 3.X Hybrid Mobile App Platforms, you specify the app settings using the Projects tab, including specifying plug-ins. The Intel XDK uses these app settings to generate the config.xml file that gets processed by the Cordova CLI on the Intel XDK build servers (see Understanding the Intel® XDK Cordova Build Options and Adding Build Options to Your Intel® XDK Cordova App Using intelxdk.config.additions.xml).
• For the build platforms under Legacy Hybrid Mobile App Platforms and Build as a Web App, you specify the app settings using the Build tab.

NOTE: HTML5 application bundles are standard ZIP files. If you are curious as to what is added to your app when a build is performed, you can "unzip" the app bundle and inspect its contents. However, if you modify the contents you will invalidate the application bundle signature; modifying a bundle after it has been built is not advised.

Build a Cordova 3.X Hybrid Mobile App

After you specify the app settings using the Projects tab, you can choose from a variety of targets when building your app for a native operating system under Cordova 3.X Hybrid Mobile App Platforms, including Crosswalk* for Android, Android, iOS, and Windows 8*.

The Cordova build targets are based on the standard Cordova CLI 3.x build system. These build targets are compatible with standard Cordova (aka Adobe PhoneGap*) build systems and support the core Cordova 3.x APIs; in addition, this build system also supports a subset of the Intel XDK APIs, via a set of custom intel.xdk Cordova plugins. These build targets do not support the appMobi* services APIs.

All build targets create a hybrid HTML5 app bundle that can be submitted to an app store and installed on a mobile device. The Crosswalk for Android container includes its own HTML5 runtime engine, based on the Crosswalk project (see Using Crosswalk). All other applications utilize the built-in webview (aka embedded browser) that is part of the target mobile device firmware to execute (render) your hybrid HTML5 web app. For example, Android bundles use the Android browser webview built into the Android device, iOS bundles use the Apple Safari* browser webview built into the iOS device, and so on.

These targets use a intelxdk.config.xml file included in your project to direct the build process and specify the plugins (APIs) required by your application. Use the Projects tab and Using the Intel XDK “Cordova for *” Build Option for details on how to specify app settings for Cordova 3.x build targets.

After you specify the app settings using the Projects tab, click the button corresponding to the target you want to build. The Intel XDK uploads your project files to your account on the Intel XDK build server. Once there, the build server may request additional information to complete the build process. Always review the Build log - if needed, fix app settings in the Projects tab and rebuild your app.

In addition to the overview referenced above, please see these two articles for information regarding the plugin names and the APIs they provide access to when you include them:

• Intel XDK Name Space API Plugin Details for Cordova Build Containers
• API Reference section of the Apache Cordova API Documentation

About the Crosswalk for Android Container

Information on how to build apps for the Crosswalk for Android container are described in Tutorial - Building and Deploying Crosswalk* for Android* Binary Apps. Like other Cordova 3.X build targets, this build target supports the core Cordova 3.x APIs and a subset of the Intel XDK APIs, but it does not support the appMobi services API.

Unlike Cordova and legacy Intel XDK built apps, the Crosswalk container includes a custom webview for executing your hybrid HTML5 application. For this reason it is significantly larger than bundles built using the other build targets. This build option creates two processor-specific bundles (an x86 APK for use on x86 Android devices and an ARM APK for ARM* Android devices). Follow the instructions in Submitting Multiple Crosswalk APKs to the Google Play Store* to ensure that your Crosswalk application is available to the widest consumer audience. The store automatically delivers the appropriate APK to your customer's device.

For technical and legal reasons the Crosswalk run-time engine is only available on Android 4.x devices.

For details regarding which Intel XDK APIs are supported in the Crosswalk webview, and which plugins must be selected to ensure your application has access to the appropriate APIs, please see Intel XDK Name Space API Plugin Details for Cordova Build Containers and the API Reference section of the Apache Cordova API Documentation.

Build a Legacy Hybrid Mobile App

You can choose from a variety of targets when building your app for a native operating system under Legacy Hybrid Mobile App Platforms, including Google Android (legacy container run-time), Apple iOS Ad Hoc or iOS Production, Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, Tizen, Amazon, or Nook platforms.

The legacy Intel XDK container builds are based on the original appMobi* hybrid HTML5 container and support the full Intel XDK API, the appMobi services API, and the standard Cordova 2.9.0 API.

After you click the button corresponding to the target you will build, the Intel XDK uploads your project files to your account on the Intel XDK build server. Once there, the build server may request additional information to complete the build process. These additional screens typically require an app name, icon and splash screen images, and any certificates needed to sign the app. In some instances, you may be required to have a developer's license to complete the build process. Also, in some cases the build process may ask you to copy files and/or keys from the build server for use with app store submission. If the Build reports errors, you may need to fix app settings in the Build tab and rebuild your app.

Details regarding how to use the legacy Intel XDK containers are provided in the links below:

• Google* Android step-by-step build tutorial.
• Apple* iOS step-by-step build tutorial.
  • You will need your app id from the Apple* iOS Dev Center.
  • See this screenshot walk-through for information about the iOS build process.
  • See this screenshot walk-through for information on exporting your P12 Certificate.
• Microsoft* Windows 8 step-by-step build tutorial.
• Microsoft* Windows Phone step-by-step build tutorial.
• Tizen* build tutorial.

The Windows 8 build refers to applications targeting the Windows 8 "Modern UI" environment. The build named Windows 8 Phone targets Windows Phone devices.

NOTE: The Nook* and Amazon* build targets are minor variations of the legacy Android build target; use the Android build tutorial as a guide.

Build a Web App

There are fewer web app targets because there is less overhead required to put an HTML5 app on the web. These are mostly convenience builds that add manifest files and, in some cases, support libraries to your app bundle. You can "unzip" these bundles to see what has been added and to better understand what these builds do.

Click the button for your target of choice. This connects you to the build server and uploads your project to your account in the Intel XDK build server. Once the build server has your code, it will request any additional information needed to complete the process and add the internal infrastructure necessary to host your code as a web app on the selected platform.

See this tutorial for information about building a Google Chrome web app in the Intel XDK.

See this page for information about building a Firefox* OS web app in the Intel XDK.

Resources

• For an overview of the Intel XDK, see Introduction to the Intel XDK.
• To use the Projects tab to manage projects and specify app settings for Cordova 3.X Hybrid Mobile App Platforms builds, see Using the Projects tab.
• For details about specifying app settings for Cordova 3.X Hybrid Mobile App Platforms builds, see Understanding the Intel® XDK Cordova Build Options and Adding Build Options to Your Intel® XDK Cordova App Using intelxdk.config.additions.xml.
• For a short tutorial about using the Intel XDK development environment, see the Tutorial: Get Started with the Intel® XDK