How to get started in mobile app development.
Contents
The application programmer’s job may seem easy from the outside, but it hides many more difficulties than we think. If we want to enter this world we must have some clear concepts before writing the first line of code.
have a good idea
A good idea can be a success or a failure depending on how we have transferred that idea to the application. When we have the idea of the application that we want to develop, the first thing we have to do is see if there are already similar applications. If there are, we must think about how to improve them and complete them with new ideas. Creating an application that repeats what is already there will not help.
Multi-device and multi-screen
We will achieve success if we are everywhere. The application that we make must adapt correctly to any device and any screen. By this I mean that it has to respect the design rules of each platform and its specific size according to the device. If we are not sure that our application will work on a certain version or on a certain device, we have to restrict its use on that specific device, warn the user of possible bugs that it may have or directly not publish it until it is complete and verified. . This way we will prevent major problems from occurring or that it does not finish taking off when it has not even just been born.
let her try
Private app testing with friends or close circle is the best way to find the hits and misses. Let them be honest in their assessments, see how they handle it and study how to improve it.
join communities
As Jack and Lock said in Lost: live together or die alone. Programming just one is a Herculean job and you don’t always get where you want. It is convenient to create a group of colleagues, with certain functions to cover more in less time. In addition, different points of view will bring new ideas to the application.
Don’t stop learning
Whether your intention is to make a living from it or use it as a hobby, you can’t stop training yourself, keeping up to date with new applications, functions or fashions. This changing world will put us out of the loop if we relax for even a moment. Here you have a series of links to get started in the world of iOS programming:
- Stanford courses for iOS
- Learn iOS. First Steps, by Juan Manuel Cigarrán Recuero
- udemy
- UNIR (The Internet University)
- Developing Apps for iOS 7 is phenomenal, by Cecetaca
Design it for the users, not for yourself
We may like one style more than another, certain colors or shapes, but we want to develop the application for other people. We have to think about the user profile that our application will have and create the design according to their tastes.
Choose the language to program well
For an application to be alive and constantly changing, it is convenient to make it easy to manage, but above all, easy to program. Use programming languages that have great support, where you can solve doubts and problems, it will make your work much easier. If you use old languages your application will not advance and the limitations will kill it. Java and C# are the most popular. For iOS of course Objective-C
accept criticism
You may not make the best app in the world, but you may be the best programmer in the world. Knowing how to interpret and adapt the requirements will make you an all-round programmer and you will have more experience every day. The best application testers will be the users themselves who use it once it is published. Don’t base the next version on your assumptions and let users contribute to the development and improvement of the app. In a way, they are the ones who use it and it is logical that we make the application by and for them. In the application itself you can invite users to leave a rating or comment. Behind there must be someone who responds to those emails quickly, appreciates the time spent and reads them. The next update you make of the application, try to capture all those improvements.
fast and fluent
An app should be as small as possible, with no meaningless menus or screens. If something doesn’t work, delete it. Try to make the path to an action with as few clicks as possible. If you can shrink your entire app onto one screen, great. If you need two, also perfect. The bad thing is that you use 7 screens when you could do it all in 2.
a good icon
It has been proven that an application with a good icon is more downloadable than if we put the first image that seems to us. An attractive design and according to the application will make the perfect hook to facilitate downloads.
promote it
Don’t expect success and downloads to come by themselves just by hanging it on the AppStore. It is recommended that you invite some media to talk about it, try it and even make a news story. You will be able to exponentially increase visits and downloads. Even so, the success of the application depends on you.
value your work
Only you know the hours that you have put into the development and design of the application and the little work that it has cost you. You may think that a high price is more than justified for many reasons, but it is possible that you have a very low volume of downloads. A low price and many downloads is more profitable. Get advice before putting a price on it.
*This guide is not intended to be the only manual to take into account when programming. It is rather a series of tips that can complete your list of steps. Success can be anywhere and disguised in any way.
