There are more than 6 million apps in App Store and Google Play. The more drastic truth is that it is increasing exponentially every day. As a result of this fact, the idea of developing your own app should be crossed your mind. No doubt, you’ve googled something such as “how to learn app development” or “how to build an app”. We have prepared this guide as an answer to this kind of questions.
Top Skills Required For A Mobile App Development
Before explaining the app development steps, it would be better to learn which skills you need to build your first app.
Programming Languages
Java: Java is the most used app development language. It stands at the number one place around the globe. More encouraging fact is that Android OS is written in Java. It means you can develop all types of Android apps if you learn Java.
Objective-C: How you can develop all Android apps with Java, you can build iOS apps with Objective-C. It is fully integrated with all iOS and MacOS frameworks.
C#: It is also known C Sharp. If you learn C#, you can develop anything from mobile apps and server apps to web services. Especially, it is the best language for developing a game app
PHP: Although it is used for the development of websites generally, you can create Android and iOS apps in PHP.
C/C++: You can develop stunning apps for Android, iOS, and Windows with C++. Moreover, it enables you to create not just mobile apps. Photoshop, Google Chrome, World of Warcraft and many other big tools are developed in C#.
HTML5: It is used to create content on the Internet. By the way, you need to use it with other languages like JavaScript to build an app.
Other things you should be familiarized with;
- Graphic or interaction design to create apps for kids and games
- Databases in order to handle large amounts of data
- APIs in order to interact with other services like monitoring the location of users or giving access a calendar to users etc.
Patience
You will need to be patient because it won’t happen overnight. According to the context of your app, you might need spend weeks. Maybe, it is needed to take it from the top when you say it is done.
Communication
Actually, it is essential for any part of the life. As an app developer, you might need to explain the functions of your app and give instructions to non-technical people or you need to ask something when you stuck on a problem. That is you need to have good communication skills both orally and in writing.
Steps For Building Your First Mobile App
After this introduction, let’s explore how to build the first-ever app from scratch.
Define Your Goals
While deciding to develop a mobile app, you should have a purpose, right? Now, it is time to expand on it. Many ideas might pass through your mind, but you need to eliminate them. It is because trying to develop an app with a lot of cool features ends up being frustrated. So decide;
- What is the purpose and mission of your app?
- What is the core function?
- What are the secondary supportive functions?
- Which problems will it solve?
- In which ways do users engage with your app?
- When and where do users use your app?
You can increase these questions. Just try to create a clear picture of your app. This step will speed up the process.
Sketch Your App
In this step, you visualize the layout. Where the menu bar should be located, where the buttons will be and so on. You will use this rough sketch as a reference for next steps.
Of course, this first layout will not the final version. It stands for just helping you to conceptualize the final layout.
Figure Out UI Flow
You decide the goals of your app, the ways users interact with your app, the rough layout how your app will look like. It is time to prototype UI flow. It means which steps users will take from beginning to end.
It would be better to chart out all actions and sub-actions and every scenario. For example, what should s/he do, if someone forgets password? In order to be clear in the future, you can create a storyboard that connects the actions and scenarios between each other.
Define The Back-End
Back-end is the mix of the server, databases, APIs and operating systems what make the site run. The job of back-end is to give information to the user by combining and transforming the information s/he asks the app. Draw a sketch in order to get a better idea of how the processes should operate.
Define UX Wireframes
Now it is time to define front-end. It is the visual part of your app containing images and objects with no function. The most exciting step!!!
So, you need to try to understand the user experience terminology. Don’t forget you are developing this app for users. You can have happy users with a great experience that result in retention and high revenue.
You can plan your front-end by creating a mockup. There are many mockup tools such as Balsamiq or Moqups, you can benefit from them.
Overview Your Stuff
All job is done, right! No, it is early to say that. As a programmer, you should evaluate anything about app from code to design. Ask friends or family to test your app to help you reviewing your prototype, identifying flaws and dead-end links. Bugs are inevitable by its very nature. Testing would get reduce it. It may take more time fixing bugs than building an app. Welcome to the developers’ world! Test anything you produce. There are useful testing tools such as Jasmine for Javascript or PHPUnit for PHP.
Beta Testing
Before launch, an app has to be tested to confirm if the functionality has been achieved. Many apps use private beta-testers. This step is important as the app prototype is tested in real life to find out among another thing if full functionality has been achieved, the bugs in the app, and the feedback of the users on the design.
If you get stuck, don’t forget you’re not alone. Take a break, clear your mind and return back to your job. If it doesn’t work, google the problem, ask someone, ask on forums or find a mentor.
Launch
After beta-testing, it is followed by finishing the app development while considering any defects, or desired feedback from the testers. Then the launching can be done.
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Final Thoughts
Developing your first app needs time and effort. If you don’t have the basic skills required for building an app, your job takes longer than expected. However, never forget that you encounter several problems with this process. Testing reduces them, but you need to test many and many times to find the exact reason. Just be patient! You are not the alone person who competes with problems like bugs.
