As you may already know, the mobile web world seems like a dark area for many web designers and web developers. There is quantity of myths around it (such as the ones I’ve covered in my book Programming the Mobile Web) and plenty of mobile browsers and different versions. Let’s look at the 45 most useful official resources.
Unfortunately, not every browser has its official documentation available, so my work for the book was more a matter of research and testing over every feature (512 pages are witnesses of this process). And remember: most of these guidelines are incomplete and sometimes inaccurate! However, they can be a good place to start looking at.
You should also check my other post: UI Guidelines for mobile and Tablet app design
iOS (iPhone and iPad) useful guidelines
- Safari Web Content Guide (PDF version)
- Preparing your Web Content for iPad
- Safari on iPhone Graphics, Media and Visual Effects Coding How To’s
- Safari HTML Reference (PDF version)
- Safari CSS Reference (PDF version)
- Safari CSS3 Visual Effects Guide (PDF version)
- Safari Client-Side Storage and Offline Applications Programming Guide (PDF version)
- Apple URL Scheme Reference
Android Browser useful guidelines
- Targeting Screens from Android Web Apps
- Building Android Web Apps with WebView (hybrid development)
- Debugging WebApps in Android Browser
Nokia and Symbian useful guidelines
- Web Developers Library for Symbian Browsing
- Web Developers Library for Widget WRT Development
- Web Developers Library (ZIP download)
- Nokia Mobile Web Templates
- Getting Started with Nokia Browsing Development
- User Experience Checklist for Touch
- User Experience Checklist for Keypad
- Cross-Browser Guideline
- Application Tutorials for Flash Lite and Symbian Browser
- Home Screen Widget Guidelines
- Device and Feature Detection Guildeline
BlackBerry useful guidelines
- BlackBerry Browser Content Design Guidelines (PDF only)
- BlackBerry 6 Feature & Technical Guildelines (PDF version)
- BlackBerry 6 Browser Fundamental Guide
- BlackBerry 6 Browser HTML Reference
- BlackBerry 6 Browser CSS Reference
- BlackBerry 6 Browser JavaScript Reference
- BlackBerry 5 Browser Guidelines
- BlackBerry 4.7 Browser Guildeines
- BlackBerry Widget Development Guides
HP webOS useful guidelines
- Developing Web Content for the HP webOS platform
- webOS Developer Library (for JavaScript “native” development)
Internet Explorer Mobile useful guidelines
- Designing websites for Phone browsers (only PDF)
- Web Development for Windows Phone
- Designing Websites for Internet Explorer Mobile
- Internet Explorer Mobile Guidelines for Windows Mobile 6.5
- Pocket Internet Explorer Guidelines for older Windows Mobile versions
Opera useful guidelines
- A developer’s look at Opera Mini 5
- The Opera’s mobile web optimization guide
- Designing with Opera Mini in mind
- Web specification supports in Opera
Other platforms useful guidelines
- LG Widget development guidelines
- Samsung Widget development guidelines
- Sony Ericsson NetFront browser (PDF only)
Do you want all this information and much more in one place? Check the book available in different formats or preview it here ;-)
#1 written by Thany December 13th, 2010 at 23:25
That’s not 45 guidelines, that’s 45 _sets_ of guidelines. That’s waaaay too much to plow through. If only someone would compile it into a single set of guidelines to cover them all.
#2 written by firt December 13th, 2010 at 23:52
Thany, I agree with you! In fact, you need to know much more after reading the 45 guidelines. The only resource I know covering them all is the book Programming the Mobile Web, I’ve written this year. If you want, I can send you a discount code to buy it. More info on http://www.mobilexweb.com/book.
#3 written by Sachin Malhotra February 28th, 2012 at 19:25
Hi, for mobile web apps, I have combinations of different screen resolutions with different densities I want to fix the image size for buttons for those combinations. Can anyone help?
#4 written by Ruby May 29th, 2012 at 13:00
Ahh, this compilation / list will really come in handy for the mobile website project I am working on this afternoon, thank you! What I need now is some advice on using a mobile and desktop site on the same domain. I need to display the mobile site if the device width is small; or the desktop one if the width is large – like a traditional desktop PC. Gonna be tedious but fun! :)