Supporting mobile users

When deciding how to expose Platform application data to users on tablets and smartphones, it is important to weigh the necessary functionality against the resources and skills available within your organization. Requirements for mobile support vary widely. Platform Web applications provide responsive design, making it possible to simply allow mobile users to access the application from a browser. Platform also supports adaptive features; you can detect the type of device and customize the experience accordingly. On the other hand, to use native OS features that are not available to browser-based applications or to distribute an application from Apple, Android, or Windows app stores, you can take advantage of the Platform REST APIs with any mobile app development platform to build a hybrid mobile app. In this case, it is important to consider time constraints and the skill set required because designing and developing a mobile app with a good user experience can be complex, especially for smartphones.

In summary, the options available to support mobile users include:

Platform responsive and adaptive user interface — Platform's user interface provides an out-of-the-box Web UI that works well across various device sizes and platforms. See Responsive user interface for more information. You can create one design that runs well on a variety of platforms with minimal effort. You can tailor the workflow and user experience based on whether users access the app from a desktop, tablet, or mobile phone. See Adaptive user interface for more information about customization.

Note: Platform Mobile-Web enabled application — For customers using the Platform Classic UI, this legacy option supports non-customizable, Platform-generated mobile apps that you can enable per Platform Web App. This functionality was formerly known as Mobile Edition and offers none of the responsive or modern design options of those available in the new Platform UI. You choose the application objects and the associated views exposed to users through the mobile app, but you cannot change the look and feel of the mobile app itself. Users logging in to their usual application URL with a mobile device will be redirected to the mobile-web application. This mobile design is no longer available for the new UI.