Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google


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

  • Teacher meeting parents discussing student progress in classroom

    Michigan's Flint Community Schools Adopts Human-Centered Approach to Fight Chronic Absenteeism

    In an effort to boost enrollment and combat chronic absenteeism, Michigan's Flint Community Schools has partnered with Concentric Educational Solutions to help address the academic, social, emotional, and environmental factors that prevent students from enrolling, re-enrolling, or attending school.

  • interconnected blue glass cubes

    Anthropic Expands Enterprise Deployment Options for Claude Desktop

    Anthropic is introducing new enterprise deployment options for Claude Desktop, saying organizations that use the app through Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Foundry can now access the full desktop experience across chat, Claude Cowork, and Claude Code.

  • circuit patterns

    Anthropic Intros Lower-Cost Claude Sonnet 5

    Anthropic has launched Claude Sonnet 5, positioning the model as its most autonomous mid-tier offering to date and a lower-cost alternative to its flagship Opus 4.8 system. The company said the model can plan multi-step tasks, operate tools such as browsers and terminals, and complete agentic work at a level that previously required larger and more expensive models.

  • humanoid robot with circuit board background

    Meta Pushes into Physical AI with Acquisition of Robotics AI Startup

    Meta Platforms has acquired Assured Robot Intelligence, a robotics artificial intelligence startup focused on humanoid systems, as the company expands its AI work beyond software and into models that could help robots operate in physical environments.