A recipe to build mobile apps with LiveCode

In this post, you will learn how to build mobile apps for both Android and iOS devices, using an easy and handy step-by-step cookbook.

Getting Ready

Before you can complete this recipe, you will need two main tools:

1. You will need to download and install LiveCode, a cross-platform free and open source application development package.
2. You will need to get the book, LiveCode Mobile Development Cookbook, by Dr Edward Lavieri

It will help to be a little familiar with LiveCode before accessing the cookbook. While an absolute beginner can use this book to get started, the cookbook style (with separate individual recipes) doesn’t give a holistic overview that would benefit an absolute beginner. At the very least, look at an overview video or skim the official beginner’s guide.

How to do it…

Once you’ve got LiveCode up and running and your cookbook handy, you are ready to use this recipe.

1. Read through the preface for an overview of how the cookbook works, and the types of skills covered.
2. Look carefully at the table of contents to see the skills covered and decide which recipe you will choose.
   1. Beginners to LiveCode may wish to work through the recipes sequentially. The cookbook is organized to support this, starting with installation and setup and then running through interface and basic tasks before delving into add-ons like MobGUI and Animation Engine.
   2. Those with a little more experience, or those with specific interests or needs can skip to the relevant recipe. Each recipe clearly walks you through the steps needed to accomplish a task.

3. 

   Pick a recipe to get started and work through it on your copy of LiveCode.

4. Repeat these steps until you have worked through all the recipes in the book (or at least the ones that are relevant to you) and you’ll be able to start building your own mobile apps using LiveCode!

How it works…

The LiveCode Mobile Development Cookbook takes you step by step through many important tasks in building mobile apps using LiveCode.

There’s more…

It’s easy to build apps using LiveCode, as the cookbook shows. However, to build really excellent programs takes some time and effort. If you put the effort in to planning and developing a mobile app, LiveCode and the cookbook will help you to make it a reality. Check out the showcase of some of the amazing apps and programs which have been built with LiveCode.

See also…

• PacktPub has several books to help you learn LiveCode. Besides the cookbook, there’s a beginner’s guide as well as a “hotshot” book to take you through several other projects.
• RunRev (the company behind LiveCode) publishes online guides for beginners, mobile application and serious developers. There are also online tutorials on various topics.
• There’s an active worldwide community of developers and schools and universities teaching students to program using LiveCode.