Engineering JavaScript state persistence of web applications migrating across multiple devices

Abstract

Ubiquitous environments call for user interfaces able to migrate across various types of devices while preserving task continuity. One fundamental issue in migratory user interfaces is how to preserve the state while moving from one device to another. In this paper we present a solution for the interactive part of Web applications. In particular, we focus on the most problematic part, which is maintaining the JavaScript state. We also describe an example application to illustrate the support provided by our migration platform.

Web-based adaptive application mobility

“…The main functionality of the application is still maintained by the central server, making the very mobility of the application limited, as only the interface is migrated and adapted. Bellucci et al [19] extend this research, focusing on how to preserve states in JavaScript code that is part of migrated web applications. A migration control panel is deployed on every potential host device.…”

A framework for the development of distributed interactive applications

“…One advantage of our approach is that it does not require the use of a fixed server, as in [1], but it allows dynamic sets of devices to organize themselves in order to support the distribution. In addition, the versions of the distributed interactive applications for the various devices should not be pre-developed at design time, but can be created dynamically at run-time according to the indications defined by the developers.…”

“…Such dimensions can be addressed in different ways. For example, some authors [1] proposed a solution for migrating existing Web applications, while herein we put forward a new solution for supporting distribution and migration in the development of new applications. A toolkit for peer-to-peer distribution of user interfaces was presented in [5], but it requires the use of specific libraries, while our framework can be exploited in different implementation environments.…”

Push and pull of web user interfaces in multi-device environments

“…One of the main limitations of previous solutions for migratory interfaces [1] was the fact that they were able to manage only migration for single users interacting with single applications. Little work has been dedicated to supporting multiple users in Web applications in multi-device contexts.…”

“…Also, rather than supporting co-browsing (considered in [5]), we support state-persistent migration, which implies that when a migration towards a new device occurs, users can continue the interaction from the point they left off while having all the data that were available on the previous device. The specific approach adopted for JavaScript state persistence of Web applications migrating across multiple devices is introduced in [1]. However, while [1] focuses on how the JavaScript state is preserved in mono-user Web migration, in this paper we present and discuss several new platform functionalities: support for multi-user migration (the application can go from one user to another); social awareness of other users/devices; pulling of Web pages from other devices; and support for privacy/security.…”