Before start, I must say I know Cappuccino and jQuery are no more comparable than Cocoa and the C++ standard library. One is oriented for user interface while the other is and helper for low level programming.
Nonetheless I used these two to make the same web application. This is why I compare the experience I had with each of them for this specific task.
I made a web version of my dashboard widget [YPassword](http://yannesposito.com/Softwares/YPassword.html).
It is a simple widget to manage your online password with a *strong* security and with a totally portable way. It is not intended to replace a *keychain*.
It is more a password generator.
The first was made from the code of my dashboard widget and with some jQuery.
You can try it [here](http://yannesposito.com/YPassword.old).
I then made a second version with the [Cappuccino](http://cappuccino.org). You can try it [here](http://yannesposito.com/YPassword).
* [change your password](http://yannesposito.com/YBlog/Computer/Entr%C3%A9es/2009/4/11_Be_able_to_change_your_password.html)
## Cappuccino
First, I'd like to say Cappuccino applications look simply awesome.
It is like having a Cocoa application in your web browser.
And this is *great*.
I also must admit I enjoyed making my application with Cappuccino.
It is like programming for an iPhone application.
If you are a bit familiar with Cocoa, you feel at home.
If you don't know anything about Cocoa, I suggest you to look at it.
This is a really _great_ framework to make User Interface.
I am not a specialist, but I have done some MFC, java Swing[^1] and WXWindows User Interfaces (some years ago).
And I must say, Cocoa is far better than those.
[^1]: If you are interrested you can take a look at [SEDiL](http://labh-curien.univ-st-etienne.fr/informatique/SEDiL/). I am proud of the tree drawing view made from scratch.
Cappuccino is a great web application oriented development.
But there was also some drawbacks
Things I liked:
* It looks great
* It was fun to program
* It was like programming a Mac application
* I could have done the User Interface using [Interface Builder](http://developer.apple.com/technologies/tools/xcode.html).
I didn't use bindings because I believe they are not ready by now.
## jQuery
The jQuery version of YPassword is not as finished as the Cappuccino one. Because, there is no *slider* directly with jQuery. I'd have to use jQueryUI. And I believe, using it will make the application weight far more than the today 106KB.
To make this version I simply copied my widget source code and adapted it. It was straightforward. But jQuery is not an *application oriented framework*. It is more a "*darkside* javascript animation framework"[^2].
[^2]: I don't want to feel like a *troll* I use jQuery to make some *darkside* animation on this blog. But the javascript on my blog is not needed except for commenting.
I don't have too much to say about the jQuery version. But this was way more *low level* programming than Cappuccino.
## My conclusion
If you want to make an iPhone compatible web application just don't use Cappuccino yet.
If you want to make *simple* application like mine, I also believe, Cappuccino is a bit too much.
If you want to make a complex web oriented application, Cappuccino is a great choice.
But you may have some difficulties to begin programming with it.
Finally, to terminate my web version of my widget, I'll give a try to Dashcode 3.
It seems to be a good alternative to create web widgets.
I don't know if dashcode 3 is portable on non webkit browser.
But if it is, it could be the end of projects like Cappuccino and Sproutcore.