Moodle To Drop Native Mobile Apps, Move to HTML5

Moodle HQ is ending development of native My Moodle mobile apps for iOS and Android, according to a blog entry posted by Moodle founding developer Martin Dougiamas last night.

"After much thought Moodle HQ is changing how we support mobile development for Moodle," Dougiamas wrote. "Our current approach of native apps per platform was costing a lot while not moving very fast and not serving our community."

Instead of native versions of the apps, Moodle's mobile components will move to HTML5, which will allow updates to be released across platforms simultaneously and will allow for modularity and greater participation from Moodle's developer community. Dougiamas said the HTML5 version will lose a bit of speed but should also improve some areas of performance through the use of the REST architecture.

"Although we will lose a little speed and smoothness in the interface when moving to HTML5, I think the idea of building up community effort around a cross-platform mobile client will far outweigh that and sets us up better for the long term," Dougiamas wrote.

He said the iOS version of the mobile app will continue to be available and will continue functioning "for a long time yet." Moodle HQ has released the Objective-C code for the iOS app under a GPL license to allow independent developers to continue to build their own apps.

The Android version was never completed.

The new HTML5 mobile app will be released under a GPL license and is expected to be available around the end of the year, about the same time as the anticipated release date for Moodle 2.4. Additional details can be found on moodle.org.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  • MathGPT

    MathGPT AI Tutor Now Out of Beta

    Ed tech provider GotIt! Education has announced the general availability of MathGPT, an AI tutor and teaching assistant for foundational math support.

  • person signing a bill at a desk with a faint glow around the document. A tablet and laptop are subtly visible in the background, with soft colors and minimal digital elements

    California Governor Signs AI Content Safeguards into Law

    California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed off on a series of landmark artificial intelligence bills, signaling the state’s latest efforts to regulate the burgeoning technology, particularly in response to the misuse of sexually explicit deepfakes. The legislation is aimed at mitigating the risks posed by AI-generated content, as concerns grow over the technology's potential to manipulate images, videos, and voices in ways that could cause significant harm.

  • white desk with an open digital tablet showing AI-related icons like gears and neural networks

    Elon University and AAC&U Release Student Guide to AI

    A new publication from Elon University 's Imagining the Digital Future Center and the American Association of Colleges and Universities offers students key principles for navigating college in the age of artificial intelligence.

  • abstract technology icons connected by lines and dots

    Digital Layers and Human Ties: Navigating the CIO's Dilemma in Higher Education

    As technology permeates every aspect of life on campus, efficiency and convenience may come at the cost of human connection and professional identity.