What If Your Corona App Could Run in a Browser? It Can!

Solar2D General Questions/Discussion
#1

I just found a service that allows you to run a iOS or Android simulator that launches  your app in a browser!

Check it out: appetize.io/demo

I’ve been exchanging emails with the company to see how it works. So far they seem very friendly! Since there is no information on their website, I’ll share what I’ve learned:

  • They are providing a 100 hours free per month
  • Users will be charged $0.10/hour when they go over the monthly 100 hour limit.
  • They want to make this very “developer-friendly” and really only charge enterprise customers, so there may not be a 100 hour limit for most of us!

Since Corona doesn’t build for Android x86, only the iOS .app upload option will work. Took less than 5 minutes to get it up and running!

Great way to share your work with testers or other developers for feedback - maybe even create a short demo for your website!

#2

Intersting concept, but performance seems to be an issue.

At first look, I think TestFlight is a better option.

#3

Depends on the game. Mine is a slower-paced gamebook where performance is not an issue. Great to have ways to “instantly” share things with friends like this!

#4

I agree with that though. It can be a good tool for sharing prototype concepts with others without any hassle.

#5

I was wondering : what happens to the builds once they are uploaded to their website ?

#6

No clue - there is contact information on their page. They have been very responsive for me!

I would guess it gets persisted somewhere in their data center *shrug*

#7

Isn’t this what Corona SDK builds for HTML5 are supposed to do? It was announced last April. Seems simpler than paying a third party. On the other hand, I don’t know when HTML5 support will be made available.

http://coronacards.com/faq/#.VOz2zWTF8zQ

Corona SDK developers will be able to build for HTML5 from within the Corona simulator, just like they build for iOS and Android today. 

#8

Looks like it will be great for the business apps community (getting Client approval quickly). I suggest you post this in that category, I’m sure you’ll get some good responses.

#9

Sure, but there hasn’t been an update in HTML5 forum in a long while.

Based on previous trends, I’m not sure if it will be available to everyone. I really hope at the very least all paying users (give Basic users some love). 

Mostly I’m just using it to quickly share builds for feedback.

#10

I’ve sent an email and they explained to me that they are about (in the few next weeks) to post their privacy policy and TOS. Right now, when we upload an app, it installs iteselfs on a simulator on one of their server. Users sessions are “completely sandboxed” and once a session is over, everything gets wipped (everything, including logs).

#11

Intersting concept, but performance seems to be an issue.

At first look, I think TestFlight is a better option.

#12

Depends on the game. Mine is a slower-paced gamebook where performance is not an issue. Great to have ways to “instantly” share things with friends like this!

#13

I agree with that though. It can be a good tool for sharing prototype concepts with others without any hassle.

#14

I was wondering : what happens to the builds once they are uploaded to their website ?

#15

No clue - there is contact information on their page. They have been very responsive for me!

I would guess it gets persisted somewhere in their data center *shrug*

#16

Isn’t this what Corona SDK builds for HTML5 are supposed to do? It was announced last April. Seems simpler than paying a third party. On the other hand, I don’t know when HTML5 support will be made available.

http://coronacards.com/faq/#.VOz2zWTF8zQ

Corona SDK developers will be able to build for HTML5 from within the Corona simulator, just like they build for iOS and Android today. 

#17

Looks like it will be great for the business apps community (getting Client approval quickly). I suggest you post this in that category, I’m sure you’ll get some good responses.

#18

Sure, but there hasn’t been an update in HTML5 forum in a long while.

Based on previous trends, I’m not sure if it will be available to everyone. I really hope at the very least all paying users (give Basic users some love). 

Mostly I’m just using it to quickly share builds for feedback.

#19

I’ve sent an email and they explained to me that they are about (in the few next weeks) to post their privacy policy and TOS. Right now, when we upload an app, it installs iteselfs on a simulator on one of their server. Users sessions are “completely sandboxed” and once a session is over, everything gets wipped (everything, including logs).