Are we planning to make Couchers.org as more of a website or as an app?
Initially I only used CS’s website ( like everyone I guess) because there was no app but then later I only used app and hardly ever visited the website.
I met some people who never even heard of CS website, they just knew it as an ‘App’.
Would love to know what others are thinking? would it be equally spaced out or priority will be given to the app mostly?
The development blueprint is here: https://couchers.org/solutions/the-build/
I’m not a developer, but maybe it’s helpful to talk about it in general terms… because in my understanding any modern website that offers a range of functionality is basically an app. Take this forum, it’s a Ruby on Rails app running on the server, accessed through a single page web app in the browser. The plan for the Couchers platform seems very similar.
Any “native” mobile app would use the same server backend and just have a different frontend. The advantage of native apps vs web apps in my understanding is better performance and better integration of services like notifications, location and integrated look and feel. Probably the biggest caveat is that once you start with different frontends, you can easily end up with differing access to functionality (like with cs) and this can be confusing to users.
So that’s how I understand it: It’s already an app to begin with. On the Couchers.org platform alpha topic, the developers refer to it as the app.
But the frontend will be a single page web app for the time being (and no native mobile application).
Thanks @Nolo for a comprehensive answer. Just to chime in from the dev team, we will be releasing native apps as well, not just the web version. One of the three (web/iOS/Android) will be the “flagship” where things are built first, and the other two will have it ported over to them. This reduces the dev burden and helps in streamlining dev. For now the flagship has been the web app as it has been easy to get started with and develop for. Native mobile apps will come, but this will take some time.
From my perspective, mobile and desktop devices are merging quickly (just look at the latest Apple products) so the differentiation between app and website will disappear. In the transition phase, please make sure that exactly the same functionality as well as look and feel are provided on all platforms. I particularly appreciate the dark mode being available !
Make it both.
So I looked on Google Play for the couchers app and only found a ‘couchers’ app by Ali Raza Noorani. I’m guessing this is NOT the app. How to download and install the couchers app on my Android?
We do not yet have a mobile app available through the app stores. We’re going to ramp up our mobile app development in the next few weeks and months, but for now, the app is only available on the web at https://app.couchers.org/!
Just found this thread looking for information about the “app”. Right now it’s basically a link to the website optimized for mobile, that opens with your browser, right? There is no standalone mobile app via the app store?
I assume “app” is the correct technical term but think that most of the general public wouldn’t call it an app until you can download it and launch it with its own interface. Seeing as the reference to the app is limited to the forum i take it that’s not news though.
I really like the website & understand that a lot of work has gone into it. Also really excited abt the momentum of couchers and what this year brings!
I’m one of those Luddites who still uses a “dumb” phone, so no matter what it’s technically called or how it works, as long as I can keep using Couchers on my desktop/laptop I’ll be a happy camper.
app is something that access data. a webapp, as is the one one must use to access couchers, is and app whose interface is am interactive web page.
Ok, thank you