How to transform an HTML 5 mobile app to an HTML 5 mini program

2021-06-16 03:19

This topic describes the process to transform an HTML5 mobile app (native app) to an HTML5 mini program. With the web development approach, Progressive Web Application (PWA), this transformation makes it possible to have a scalable solution while keeping the digital experience consistent.

The following two types of mini programs are supported on the Mini Program Platform:

Mini Program based on DSL (Domain Specific Language)

We recommend that you develop the default DSL-based mini programs. For more information, see About Mini Programs.

Mini Program based on HTML5

However, to help you integrate your existing HTML5 mobile apps with the wallet app, you can choose the HTML5 mini program type.

What are HTML5 mini programs?

HTML5 mini programs are the mini programs that are transformed from HTML5 mobile apps. HTML5 mini programs run in the WebView environment, so you can develop HTML5 mini programs like you do for web pages. Compared with HTML5 mobile apps, HTML5 mini programs are powered with more capabilities by calling mini program JSAPIs, thus improving user experience.

Benefits

There is no need to start from scratch if you already have an existing HTML5 mobile apps. Different roles can enjoy the following benefits by transforming your HTML5 app into a mini program:

Convenient

As compared with the time-consuming learning of the Mini Program framework, developers can reuse their familiar web development knowledge to get started with Mini Program.

Cost-efficient

Merchants, ISVs, and wallet developers just need to add a few lines of JavaScript code to the existing HTML5 app, and the HTML5 mini programs become ready.

Consistent and user-friendly

End users can also benefit from a consistent user experience of mini programs and native apps.

Before you start

Before you start, make sure you have applied for an account and get on-boarded.

Also, you can see the following process flow to get an overview of the detailed steps:

Note:

As compared with the steps of DSL mini programs,

The following steps as are shown in red in the process flow above are required:

HTML5 mini program type
Entrance URL

Entrance of the HTML5 mini program. You can modify the entrance URL after the HTML5 mini program is created.

The following steps as are shown in gray in the process flow above are optional:

IDE

You can develop the HTML5 mini programs just like you develop HTML5 web pages.

Build package process
Quality review

See procedures for a step-by-step guide on how to transform an HTML5 mobile app (native app) to an HTML5 mini program.

Procedures

To transform HTML5 apps to mini programs, complete the following steps:

Step 1: Create the HTML 5 mini program

When you create a new mini program, choose Mini Program Based on HTML5 and enter the URL of your HTML5 mobile app into the Entrance URL field.

How to transform an HTML 5 mobile app to an HTML 5 mini program

For more information on creating mini programs, see Create Mini Programs.

Step 2: Use wallet capabilities

To use the mini program JSAPIs, integrate the SDK according to your business requirements.

a. Mini Program JSAPIs in HTML5

Follow the steps below to use mini program JSAPIs in HTML5:

Import the JSBridge SDK by importing the following JS file to the HTML file:

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<script src="https://cdn.marmot-cloud.com/npm/miniprogram-jsapi/1.2.0/index.js"></script>

See the following HTML sample codes for reference:

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<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>Miniprogram JSAPI Demo</title>
  <script src="https://cdn.marmot-cloud.com/npm/miniprogram-jsapi/1.2.0/index.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
  <div>
  	<button id="alert">my.alert</button>
  </div>
  <script>
  	var alertButton = document.getElementById('alert');
    alertButton.addEventListener('click', function () {
      my.alert({
        title: 'Test Alert!!',
        content: window.navigator.userAgent,
        buttonText: 'Alert Button',
        success: function (res) {
          my.alert({
            content: 'success!' + JSON.stringify(res),
          });
        },
        fail: function () {
          my.alert({
            content: 'fail!',
          });
        },
        complete: function () {
          my.alert({
            content: 'complete!',
          });
        },
      });
    });
  </script>
</body>
</html>

Call an API from the following available API list. The parameter in the API is an object. Each API has the following properties:

success: callback function that indicates the successful API calling.

fail: callback function that indicates the failed API calling.

complete: callback function that indicates the completed API calling.

Take the my.alert JSAPI as an example. In this API, success, fail, and complete are the common properties. Specific properties are title, content, and buttonText.

For example, see the following sample codes to know how he IAlertOptions interface can be defined:

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interface IAlertOptions {
  title?: string;
  content?: string;
  buttonText?: string;
  success?: () => void;
  fail?: () => void;
  complete?: () => void;
}

Available API list

The following table lists all available JSAPIs. You can apply for your own JSAPIs if required.

JSAPI Name	Description
my.alert	Displays alert box.
my.confirm	Displays confirmation box.
my.prompt	Prompts a user input
my.showToast	Displays a toast, which disappears within certain seconds.
my.hideToast	Hides a toast.
my.showLoading	Displays the loading message.
my.hideLoading	Hides the loading message.
my.setNavigationBar	Sets the navigation bar text and style.
my.showNavigationBarLoading	Shows navigation bar loading.
my.hideNavigationBarLoading	Hides navigation bar loading.
my.request	Network request
my.getSystemInfo	Gets system information.
my.getNetworkType	Gets current network status.
my.showAuthGuide	Guides users to grant the authorization when the permission is needed.
my.getAuthCode	Gets user's authorization code.
my.saveImage	Saves online images to cellphone album.
my.chooseImage	Takes a photo or chooses a photo from the album on the phone.
my.previewImage	Previews images.
my.getImageInfo	Gets image information.
my.hideKeyboard	Hides keyboard.
my.setStorage	Stores the data in the specified key in the local cache, which overlaps with the original data corresponding to the key.
my.getStorage	Gets cached data.
my.removeStorage	Removes cached data.
my.clearStorage	Clears local data cache.
my.tradePay	Initiates a payment.
my.navigateToMiniProgram	Jumps to other mini programs.
my.navigateBackMiniProgram	Returns to the previous Mini Program, only when another Mini Program jumps to the current Mini Program.
my.getClipboard	Gets the clipboard data.
my.setClipboard	Sets the clipboard data.
my.vibrate	Invokes the vibrate ability of the device.
my.makePhoneCall	Makes a phone call.
my.multiLevelSelect	Selects in multiple levels.
my.choosePhoneContact	Chooses the phone number of a contact person
my.getLocation	Gets the current geographical location of the user.

Table 2. Available JSAPI list

b. Open APIs

Depending on the wallet capabilities, you can use different open APIs.

Step 3: Publish the mini program

You can request to publish the mini program after the development. Before you submit the release request for approval, you need to check if all the required information is filled in. Enter the required information under Mini Programs > Info if you find some required information is missing. For more information, see Publish Mini Programs and Approvals.

Now you have completed the process of transforming the HTML app into a mini program. You can start to manage the mini program on the platform. For more information, see Manage Mini Program.

Precautions

Browser compatibility

When the page is running in a browser, mini program JSAPIs cannot be called. You need to identify whether the page is running in a mini program or a browser by UserAgent, and then take actions accordingly.

See the following sample codes for reference:

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if (/MiniProgram/.test(navigator.userAgent)) {
    my.tradePay(params)
} else {
    // process payment in other browsers.
}

UserAgent

UserAgent which is retrieved via navigator.userAgent has some specific fields like MiniProgram, which can be used to identify whether the web page runs as an HTML mini program.

For a whole UserAgent, see the following sample codes for reference:

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Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 14_4 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/605.1.15 (KHTML, like Gecko) Mobile/18D46 ChannelId(35) Ariver/1.0.11 Griver/2.23.0 AppContainer/1.9.1 MiniProgram

Restrictions

Reserved objects

my, JSBridge are reserved global objects defined in PWA runtime, and you cannot modify them.

console.log

The PWA runtime strongly depends on the default console.log object in the web context, which cannot be overridden or modified.

More information

Manage Mini Programs

Mini Program types