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Intel's App Framework VS Materialize CSS

Compare Intel's App Framework VS Materialize CSS and see what are their differences

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Intel's App Framework

iOS

No screenshot yet
Rating
0 reviews
Alternatives Is it good?
Materialize CSS

A modern responsive front-end framework based on Material Design

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Alternatives Is it good?
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Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Materialize CSS seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 28 times since March 2021.

social mentions
0 vs 28
Development Tools popularity
11% vs 89%
alternatives listed
10 vs 240+

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

IAF
Intel's App Framework
Materialize CSS
Website app-framework-software.intel.com materializecss.com
Pricing —
Open source
Listed in
Development Tools JavaScript Framework Javascript UI Libraries Developer Tools +1
CSS Framework Design Tools Developer Tools Development Tools +1

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

IAF
Intel's App Framework 5 features
Materialize CSS 5 features
  • Cross-platform development
    Intel's App Framework allowed developers to build mobile applications that could run across multiple platforms (iOS, Android, Windows Phone) using standard web technologies like HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript, reducing the need to write separate native codebases.
  • Web technology based
    Developers familiar with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript could quickly get started building mobile apps without needing to learn platform-specific languages like Objective-C, Swift, or Java, lowering the barrier to entry for mobile development.
  • Lightweight UI framework
    The framework included a lightweight JavaScript UI library (formerly known as jqMobi) that was optimized for mobile performance, offering faster rendering and smoother transitions compared to some other mobile web frameworks available at the time.
  • Integrated development tools
    Intel provided a cloud-based IDE (XDK) alongside the App Framework that offered build services, debugging tools, emulators, and app packaging capabilities, streamlining the development workflow from coding to deployment.
  • Free to use
    The App Framework and associated development tools were provided free of charge by Intel, making it an accessible option for hobbyist developers, students, and small teams with limited budgets.

Possible disadvantages

  • Discontinued and unsupported
    Intel discontinued the App Framework and the XDK development environment, meaning there are no more updates, bug fixes, or official support. Developers relying on it had to migrate to other frameworks, causing disruption.
  • Limited native performance
    As a hybrid web-based framework, apps built with Intel's App Framework typically could not match the performance and responsiveness of truly native applications, especially for graphics-intensive or computationally demanding use cases.
  • Small community and ecosystem
    Compared to more popular frameworks like PhoneGap/Cordova, React Native, or Ionic, Intel's App Framework had a relatively small developer community, resulting in fewer third-party plugins, tutorials, and community-driven support resources.
  • Limited native API access
    While the framework provided access to some device features through plugins (often Cordova-based), it did not offer the same depth of native API access as native development or some competing cross-platform frameworks, limiting what developers could build.
  • Dependency on Intel's ecosystem
    Relying on Intel's proprietary toolchain and cloud-based build services meant developers were tied to Intel's infrastructure and strategic decisions, which proved risky when Intel ultimately decided to sunset the product line.
  • Responsive Design
    Materialize CSS provides a responsive grid system, making it easier to create layouts that work well on various screen sizes and devices.
  • Material Design
    Adheres to Google's Material Design principles, offering a modern and professional look that is consistent across web applications.
  • Component Variety
    Offers a wide range of pre-built components, including forms, buttons, cards, and navigation bars, which helps speed up development.
  • Customization
    Provides options to customize components using Sass, making it flexible for specific design needs.
  • Built-in JavaScript
    Includes built-in JavaScript components like modals, carousels, and tabs, which enhance functionality without requiring additional libraries.

Possible disadvantages

  • Learning Curve
    Although it follows Material Design guidelines, there is a learning curve associated with understanding and implementing its various components and classes.
  • File Size
    Including the full library can make your project heavier, affecting load times, especially for users on slower connections.
  • Customization Complexity
    While customizable, deeply customizing or overriding default styles can sometimes be complicated and time-consuming.
  • Dependency on jQuery
    Some components still rely on jQuery, adding to the library size and potentially conflicting with modern JavaScript practices.
  • Community Support
    Compared to larger frameworks like Bootstrap, Materialize CSS has a smaller community, which can result in fewer third-party resources and plugins.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

IAF
Intel's App Framework
Materialize CSS

Overall verdict

  • Intel App Framework was a lightweight, cross-platform JavaScript framework aimed at building HTML5 mobile web apps quickly, but it has since become largely obsolete as Intel discontinued active development and the broader mobile web app landscape shifted toward frameworks like React Native, Flutter, and modern JS frameworks.

Why this product is good

  • Lightweight footprint made it fast for simple mobile web apps
  • Simple, jQuery-like syntax that was easy for beginners to learn
  • Provided pre-built UI widgets and themes suited for touch interfaces
  • Cross-platform HTML5 approach allowed code reuse across devices

Recommended for

  • Legacy projects already built on App Framework needing maintenance
  • Developers researching historical HTML5 mobile frameworks
  • Simple prototype or hobby projects with minimal complexity
  • Not recommended for new production apps given lack of ongoing support and modern alternatives

Overall verdict

  • Materialize CSS is a good choice if you're looking for a framework that emphasizes Material Design and comes with a sleek, modern interface. It's particularly useful for developers who want to quickly integrate Google's design philosophy without delving into custom styling or layout creation.

Why this product is good

  • Materialize CSS is a front-end framework based on Material Design principles developed by Google. It provides a comprehensive set of UI components that help developers create visually appealing and responsive web applications quickly. The framework includes a variety of pre-styled components like buttons, forms, cards, and much more, which adhere to the Material Design guidelines. This consistency in design components helps ensure a cohesive and professional look across web applications. Additionally, it simplifies responsive design with a grid system that's easy to implement, and it comes with excellent documentation and a supportive community.

Recommended for

    Materialize CSS is recommended for teams and developers who prefer Google's Material Design aesthetic, are building applications with a focus on rapid UI development, and value consistency and ease of use. It's also great for projects where a pre-existing UI library speeds up the development process, such as prototypes, admin dashboards, or smaller web applications. However, for highly customized UI components or non-Material Design projects, other frameworks might be more suitable.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

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Intel's App Framework 0 videos + Add
Materialize CSS 1 video + Add

No Intel's App Framework videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Build A Travel Agency Theme With Materialize CSS 1.0.0

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
IAF
Intel's App Framework
Materialize CSS
11% 11%
Development Tools
89% 89%
0% 0%
Design Tools
100% 100%
100% 100%
JavaScript Framework
0% 0%
0% 0%
CSS Framework
100% 100%

User comments

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

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Intel's App Framework no reviews yet
Materialize CSS no reviews yet

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

IAF
Intel's App Framework 0 mentions
Materialize CSS 28 mentions

Tracking Intel's App Framework since Mar 2021.

  • JavaScript Awesome Package
    Materialize - Responsive front-end framework based on Material Design. - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
  • Mistakes Were Made
    Sure, why not use Blazor? It makes life easier for the developers who are primarily backend, to work on the frontend as well. Seems like the better choice. So what's next? The UI library. No shade to the long-time standing Bootstrap, but... - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Top 5 Best CSS Frameworks for Responsive Web Design in 2024
    Materialize is a modern CSS framework based on Google’s Material Design. It was created and designed by Google to provide a unified and consistent user interface across all its products. Materialize is focused on user experience as it... - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago

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Alternatives to Intel's App Framework and Materialize CSS

When comparing Intel's App Framework and Materialize CSS, you can also consider the following products.

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