45 most useful guidelines for mobile web design & development

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 ;-)