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App Development

Stages of mobile application development: analytics and terms of reference

What are we talking about

What exactly is involved in creating an application? The most frequently asked question by our clients. They want to know how much money and time will be required from them, how the work is built, where to start and how to earn money as a result, not lose it.

This important question, which cannot be answered in a nutshell, inspired us to publish this series of articles. They will not contain vague advice from the series “how to make an application: three easy steps.” But there will be the experience we have accumulated over more than five years of work in the mobile development market, examples from practice and a guide to action.

In previous posts we have covered:

  • how to understand that your business needs an application;
  • how companies from different industries use mobile applications;
  • how much does development cost and how to save on it.

Now let’s talk about how the work on creating a mobile application is built: what the analytics stage includes and what should be in the terms of reference.

Stages of creating a mobile application

In the studio, we usually build work like this:

  • analytics;
  • technical task;
  • engineering and design;
  • development;
  • testing and stabilization;
  • publication in the stores;
  • support and development.

Each project is special. For one, you can combine several stages into one in order to implement your plans faster and cheaper. For others, it is advisable to go through all the stages. We will help you choose the best path.

Stage 1. Analytics

Every application starts with an idea. You tell us what tasks the future service should solve, and we start collecting analytics. A deep slice of the market, an analysis of existing solutions, a study of competitors and customer behavior patterns… At each stage of the analysis, we keep the end user in mind and think through the customer’s life cycle. This helps us understand together how people will use the new application – and make it as convenient, understandable and useful as possible. This service will benefit your business as well.

What is the result: references for functionality and design.

Analytics is a fundamentally important stage. There is no need to abandon it and start working on the project from the terms of reference. In the process of analysis, we understand who is on the market, whom to focus on, and how best not to do it. We usually collect best practices and offer the client proven solutions that will work 100%.

Stage 2. Terms of Reference

We are compiling a detailed description of the functionality and design of the future application. We define user characters, describe user stories (User Story), draw up a user journey map (Customer Journey Map) and form technical requirements for the service. That is, we fix what the application should be like, what it should be able to do and how it will work.

Thanks to such a technical task (TOR), our team of designers and developers clearly understands what kind of service the customer wants to receive, and gradually implements the initial idea.

What is the result:

  • a list of functions that should be in the application;
  • interface requirements, user roles, security, performance and other non-functional requirements;
  • a description of how all these requirements will be implemented;
  • project estimate.

What are user stories

User stories (User Story) describe step by step how the user behaves in the application: passes authorization, browses the catalog, places an order, makes a purchase. Such a story describes the user’s task, which he solves with the help of both the application, and his ultimate benefit. As a result, we get a list of requirements that allows us to determine the functionality of the future application and make it as user-friendly as possible.

Let’s say you want to make an application with which you can print photos as a photo album. The main user stories will be creating an account, choosing photos from a photo gallery, choosing an album size, paying for an album with a card, accessing order history. We always work on user stories as a team and always together with the customer. This helps to think through all the nuances and look at the whole system, and in the future to avoid difficulties at the design and development stage.

What is a user journey map

The Customer Journey Map allows you to visualize how different characters will use the application in each of the user stories. On such a map, the entire path of the user is visible – moving between screens and clicking on buttons.

Mapping helps you understand how to technically implement all the features of an application.

We are making a user journey map in Miro. The whole team can work on the map in real time, and the customer can view the result in presentation mode.

Checklist: what should be in the TechTask

Each development studio has its own approach to compiling this document. We believe that for the successful implementation of the project, it should reflect the following.

1. General information:

the purpose of the service;

platform compatibility: it will be an application for iOS, Android or other platforms;

scalability: whether the application can quickly adapt to sudden changes and peak loads, such as an increase in the number of users or the volume of data transfer;

fault tolerance: whether the application should continue its work if one or more of its components fail.

2. Functional requirements for the application:

user roles: what levels of access should different users have, such as guest and authorized user;

data formats: how data exchange will be implemented in the application;

integration: should the application work together with other services, such as payment systems and mail servers;

access interfaces: how the application will exchange data with external services;

additional features: whether the application should be able to do something else, for example, work with files or encryption libraries;

configuration and administration: with what elements the administrator will manage the application;

system composition: what the mobile application consists of, i.e. screens, push notifications, authentication system, etc.

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App Development

What makes up the price of a mobile application

Platform

The choice between iOS and Android depends on the specifics of the business and the target audience for which the eCommerce application is being developed.

There is a difference between the purchasing power of iPhone owners and other smartphone owners. The typical iPhone user earns $85,000 a year, 40% more than the typical Android user. This is reflected in spending in applications: the average check of an iPhone owner is 4 times higher. Conclusion: Your store gets more profit from Apple products.

Android has the advantage of being the world’s leading mobile operating system, reaching 74.6% of users. By making an application for Android, you reach a huge audience. But this platform has a diverse lineup, so testing and fixing bugs takes a lot of time, which is calculated in money.

By ignoring users of one of the platforms, stores lose profit. Therefore, large retailers have both Android and iOS applications. But a young business can start with just one to enter the market and attract buyers – the second platform is connected as it develops.

Design

The meaning of mobile application design is not in beautiful pictures, but in creating a comfortable and understandable interface for the user. Thoughtful design accelerates the user’s movement towards a purchase. The work of the design department consists of several stages:

First, the designer describes the user scenario: he puts himself in the place of the buyer in order to understand how it is more comfortable to interact with the application. To do this, he asks targeted questions: what does the user see when the application starts? How is it more convenient for him to view the goods? How to quickly add them to the cart? The answers to them are navigation solutions that need to be implemented in the application.

Warframing is the creation of a “frame” of the application, a grid into which design elements will be inscribed. The designer schematically depicts the location of the main blocks on the screen, thinks over the logic of transition from one screen to another, adds buttons, icons and key visual elements.

Getting started on the layout on wireframe.cc

Prototyping is the creation of a color clickable prototype, which is approved by the client. Work at this stage is carried out jointly with the developers to ensure that the prototype is fully consistent with the functional task.

It seems to many that the main thing in the application is the code. But in reality, the code only serves as fuel: it allows the application to work. The result of interaction between a person and an application depends on whether the designers managed to understand the psychology of users.

Functionality

The functionality of an eCommerce application can be divided into basic and advanced. The base includes everything that the user needs to make a purchase:

search for goods in the catalog;

adding to cart;

registration and payment of the order;

authorization of the user in the personal account.

This is the basis of an eCommerce application that you can sell with. But in order to be remembered by the buyer, you need to add advanced functionality: recommendations, reviews, gamification.

For the MVP version of your application and the first releases, the basic functionality is enough, and the killer features can be implemented later, at the stage of support and development.

Support

Platforms release updates for their products, which means that an application that was developed under iOS 13 may not display correctly on iOS 14. Such bugs prevent users from making purchases. In order for the application to continue to make a profit, you need to support it.

Approximate cost of support is 25% of the total development price. When ordering applications, keep in mind that part of the budget needs to be set aside for this stage.

Is it possible to make an Application on No-code by yourself?

Of course, noukding, like everything else, can be learned. OK Google! But there is a trap hidden here, once you get into it, you can get bogged down in your project for a very long time, and never finish it.

The trap can be called like this: “Don’t imagine yourself as a No-code developer!”.

The main misconception that you may have while reading this article is: “Yes, there is nothing difficult, it’s a constructor! I’ll sit down and figure it out myself.”

This is not entirely true: not everyone will be able to figure it out and start “no-coding” on their own. Rather, “not only everyone can figure it out, few people can do it.”

Some services have a very complex interface and feature set. For example, you definitely won’t understand Bubble if you don’t enthusiastically dig through a bunch of obscure buttons and are not ready to go through dozens of tutorials and paid courses.

But that’s not the point. The main thing is that you must be a developer by nature. This means that you need to have certain character traits and mindset.

First of all it is:

  • perseverance,
  • persistence
  • high level of learning
  • willingness to spend hours doing boring and monotonous work to correct their own mistakes,
  • fanatical dedication (combining programming with an active social life is very difficult)
  • And last but not least, talent and the level of code or nocode knowledge matters.

No-code and Low-code are indeed easier than traditional programming, but they are not elementary.

Therefore, my advice: if you do not have a sincere craving for programming, I do not recommend following the desire to “Make candy without spending anything”. It is better to turn to professional visual programming studios.

Otherwise, you are guaranteed to stall at some stage and will be forced to turn to professionals for a paid revision of your “art”.

And this refinement will cost you 1.5 times more, because the developers, you know, are not happy to delve into other people’s “Augean stables” at their standard rates.

Remember – the miser pays twice.

By ordering a product from scratch from No and Low-code development studios, you will get it faster and better than sitting down to figure it out yourself. This will allow you to direct your energy towards those business processes that you are really good at and will benefit your business.

Summary

So, I summarize!

What makes No and Low-code preferable to traditional coding:

  • Time to market speeds up – you can launch a project many times faster and make changes, receiving feedback from the market along the way.
  • Low rates of nocoders and reduced man-hours make no-code development 4 times cheaper than on code.
  • Potential financial losses are minimized in case of failure to pass the MVP stage.
  • Low-code is a flexible approach to the implementation of an IT product that allows you to resort to different product release strategies depending on current capabilities and planned results.
  • The American market of No/Low-code development sets the trend for the growth of the sphere.
  • Even large companies like Google and Amazon have already released their constructors! Is this not an indicator of the relevance of the topic.

*****

That’s all! Soon I will publish an article with a detailed description of the technical implementation of the Skyeng functional clone, the “Online School of Children’s Speech Therapy”, which we created on Bubble in 3 months, reducing the development cost from $23,000 to $3,500.

Have you heard of No-code/Low-code before? Have you met him at work? Have you ever experienced a collapse of an IT startup due to lack of funding for development? Would you order the development of your product on No-code/Low-code?

Briefly Top 5 reasons why your store needs a mobile app:

  • Mobile apps reduce your customer acquisition costs.
  • The conversion rate and LTV in applications are higher than on websites, which means that the application brings more profit.
  • Applications provide an opportunity to study user behavior in detail and test marketing strategies.
  • Thanks to the application, your store will be close to customers 24/7, and a person will be able to shop at his convenience.
  • Any smartphone user can become a client of your store – you get 4.3 billion potential buyers.
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App Development

How much time and money will it take to create a mobile application

Development time depends on how complex the project is. All projects can be divided into three types:

Simple applications.

 Created for two platforms. They have few screens, data, and actions that users can take. It is planned to create an API, backend and admin panel, the ability to view and send images, login and authorization through popular social networks. Such applications can use ready-made map services and work with GPS. Examples of applications from the Live Typing portfolio: Svezhev, Kaspersky Security Pulse, Ares, iStirka, Dubai Guide, Vogue Collections.

Time to create: 1-3 months. Cost: 20k – 30k $

Applications of medium complexity.

It includes everything listed above. The functionality becomes more complex: it can include chats, payments, etc. The cost here is affected not only by the complexity of the component, but also by their number.

Examples of applications from the Live Typing portfolio: LIMÉ, Yodel, My Doctor, RocketGo.

Time to create: 3-6 months. Cost: 40k – 50k $

Complex applications.

 It includes everything listed above. The functionality becomes more complex: it may include the processing of audio and video files, synchronization in real time, a large amount of custom animations, integration with a large number of third-party services, work with VR/AR platforms, the presence of several types of users. On top of that, there is a large amount of content and screens. Application examples: Sephora, ILE DE BEAUTE, Moviegoal, MyTech.

Time to create: 6 months or more. Cost: from 100k $.

Creating a mobile application takes not only the time of the development team, but also yours. We suggest you think about what suits you better: to devote personal time to the project or find a trusted person on your side and pay him money for control over the project.

Technical task

Terms of Reference (TOR) is a document that structures and describes all the information about the project device obtained during the design process: what platform the application will run on, what versions of the operating system it will support, what hardware parts of the device it will work with, integration with which third-party services and systems are expected. Specification can be ordered

in one studio and go to another with confidence that your task will be understood without distortion and an accurate assessment will be given.

Writing a technical task by a studio is a service that is paid separately. You can write it yourself, and the studio will conduct a review and tell you what it lacks to understand the task and implement the project.

Native or cross-platform development: what to choose

Depending on the approach to development, applications are divided into native and cross-platform.

Native

Native applications are created in a specific programming language for a specific platform: Java and Kotlin for Android, Objective-C and Swift for iOS.

Advantages:

  • Instant response to user actions;
  • Direct access to the hardware of the device;
  • User-familiar interface for the platform.

Disadvantage: high cost of development and support due to the involvement of at least one developer

for each platform.

Cross-platform

Cross-platform applications are created immediately for both iOS and Android using web technologies (HTML, CSS and JavaScript) with Cordova, Xamarin, React Native and Flutter tools. In order for the written code to work on mobile devices, it must either be “translated” into a language they understand, or a layer should be made that works on the device and makes requests to the device’s functions understandable to it.

Advantage: low cost of development and support due to the involvement of one web developer.

Disadvantages:

  • The need to refine the interface for each platform according to the guidelines;
  • Difficulties in achieving the correct operation of all the necessary functions;
  • Delay in response to user actions.

Cross-platform development can be a good choice if you are building a simple application, testing hypotheses, have a low budget, or have your own web developer. In other cases, we recommend choosing native development.

Feedback

First, you need to carefully look through reviews that customers leave in the App Store and Google Play. If you won’t respond to users needs and change anything, then the rating of the app will drop: the client will be unsatisfied, the comment is bad, and the impression is ruined.

Secondly, you should think about an alternative channel of communication – that is, the phone or the support button should be in the application itself, preferably in plain sight. If the client has a problem and does not know where to complain, he will write in the reviews for the application.

MVP Strategy

MVP stands for Minimum Valuable Product (Minimum Viable Product). In such an application, functional or visual excesses are unacceptable – everything that is in it is designed to work strictly for the business purpose of the product.

The MVP strategy is appropriate when you need to release the application on time, understand that people will use it, and test all the hypotheses that you formulated during the design phase. This is how you protect yourself from unnecessary spending on a product that turned out to be uninteresting to the audience. And if there is interest, continue to develop the product: add features, draw animations, connect third-party services.

The MVP version of an application for an online store must necessarily consist of a main page, a catalog with search, shopping cart and payment functions. It’s too early to offer multiple payment methods and implement augmented reality – just make sure that the application is used for shopping. Further analysis will show what else your users want.

MAP strategy

MAP (Minimum Awesome Product, or minimal amazing product) is an MVP that, in addition to solving the main problem, captivates the user. The ideologists of this strategy say that over the 12 years of the history of mobile applications, today’s user has already developed expectations from social networking applications, online stores, to call a taxi, etc. It is not enough to simply make a reliable application no worse than competitors, because people want to be surprised, and you want to earn. And if the application gives new experiences, then it will become the best in its niche, push users to leave from competitors and glorify their creators.

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App Development

Which software is best for mobile app development?

Which Software is Best for Mobile App Development?

The mobile application market is growing rapidly, with more and more businesses and individuals looking to create and launch their own mobile applications. But with so many different software platforms available, it can be difficult to decide which one is the best for mobile app development. This article will provide an overview of the different software platforms available and their pros and cons, to help you make the best decision for your project.

Native Mobile App Development

Native mobile app development is the process of developing an app specifically for a particular mobile operating system, such as iOS or Android. Native apps are written in the language and frameworks of the target platform, which gives them access to all of the device’s features and allows them to run more efficiently. However, native apps can be expensive to develop and require specialized development skills.

Cross-Platform Mobile App Development

Cross-platform mobile app development is the process of creating an app that can run on multiple mobile operating systems. This is accomplished by using a platform-independent language such as HTML, JavaScript, or C#, which can be compiled into native code for each platform. Cross-platform apps can be faster and easier to develop than native apps, but they may not have access to all of the device’s features and can be more difficult to maintain.

Hybrid Mobile App Development

Hybrid mobile app development is a combination of native and cross-platform development. It uses native code to access certain device features, while the bulk of the app is written in a platform-independent language. This allows developers to take advantage of the best of both worlds and create apps that run on multiple platforms while still having access to the device’s features.

Conclusion

When deciding which software platform to use for mobile app development, it’s important to consider your project’s requirements and budget. Native apps provide the best performance and access to device features, but can be expensive and require specialized skills. Cross-platform apps can be faster and cheaper to develop, but may not have access to all of the device’s features. Hybrid apps can offer the best of both worlds, but require more development time and effort. Ultimately, the best choice will depend on your specific project needs.

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App Development

How much money do mobile developers make?

How Much Money Do Mobile Developers Make?

Mobile development is a rapidly growing field, and skilled developers can make a lot of money. But how much do they actually earn? This article will answer that question by looking at the salaries and job opportunities for mobile developers.

The amount of money a mobile developer makes depends on a variety of factors, including their location, experience, and the type of projects they are working on. According to Indeed, the average salary for a mobile developer in the US is $86,817 per year, with salaries ranging from $37,000 to $133,000.

The actual salary a mobile developer earns will depend on the type of job they are doing. For example, developers who are focused on iOS development tend to make more than those who focus on Android. Similarly, developers who specialize in developing games tend to make more than those who develop business applications.

In addition to salary, mobile developers can also make money through freelance work. Freelance developers typically charge an hourly rate, so their earnings depend on the number of hours they work. According to Freelancer.com, the average hourly rate for a mobile developer is around $50.

Job opportunities for mobile developers are also on the rise. As the demand for mobile applications continues to grow, there will be an increasing need for skilled developers to meet this demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of job openings for mobile developers is projected to increase by 19% over the next decade.

Conclusion

Mobile development is a lucrative field for those with the necessary skills. Mobile developers can make a good salary, and job opportunities are on the rise. With the right experience and skills, mobile developers can make a comfortable living.

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App Development

What makes a good mobile developer?

What Makes a Good Mobile Developer?

The rise of mobile technology has created an unprecedented demand for mobile developers. As the demand for mobile apps continues to grow, so does the need for developers who can create apps that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. But what makes a good mobile developer? This article will take a look at some of the traits and skills that make a great mobile developer.

Technical Skills

At the heart of a mobile developer’s job is their technical knowledge. A good mobile developer should have a strong understanding of software development and design principles. This understanding should extend to both native and cross-platform development, as well as mobile technologies such as HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript. In addition, a good mobile developer should have experience with various development frameworks such as React Native, Ionic, and Cordova.

Creativity

While technical skills are essential to creating a great mobile app, creativity is just as important. A good mobile developer should have an eye for design and be able to think outside of the box when it comes to creating unique and engaging user interfaces. They should also be able to come up with creative solutions to design challenges.

Teamwork Skills

Mobile development is a team effort. A good mobile developer should be able to collaborate with other developers, designers, and stakeholders to create the best possible product. They should also possess the ability to communicate clearly and effectively, as well as be able to work well in a team environment.

Testing and Debugging

Creating a great mobile app requires a lot of testing and debugging. A good mobile developer should be able to identify and fix any bugs or issues that arise during the development process. They should also be knowledgeable in various testing techniques and be able to perform quality assurance testing.

Adaptability

Technology is constantly changing, and a good mobile developer should be able to adapt to these changes quickly and effectively. They should also be able to pick up new technologies and develop skills quickly.

Conclusion

Creating a great mobile app takes a combination of technical skills, creativity, teamwork, testing, and debugging. A good mobile developer should possess all of these traits and be able to adapt to the ever-changing world of mobile technology. With the right skills and attitude, a good mobile developer can create the next great mobile app.

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App Development

Why is it better to do MVP in nocode rather than code? And how then to scale the product?

As mentioned above, No-code and Low-code have a number of economic and functional advantages when you work with a limited budget and deadlines.

But there are also strategic advantages that allow you to smoothly and progressively develop your product from MVP on No-code to Application on code.

The product development strategy will depend on the functions of the intended “final” product and the No-code service used at the start.

In the case of the Bubble service, you can leave the product on the platform and grow it there – fortunately, the wide technical capabilities of this Open Source constructor allow you to do this both with the help of templates and with the help of coding.

But you can also transfer the product to a code base if you understand that the Bubble database does not pull your multi-million audience, and you do not want to spend money on buying additional memory in the same Bubble or, conditionally, Airtable.

If we are talking about Adalo, then it is better to translate the application into code immediately after the first positive MVP results. Adalo stands out for its quality UX/UI design templates, and it’s quite easy to use – the development cost is much lower than on Bubble. But Adalo does not have wide functionality – therefore, you will not be able to carry out significant updates and improve financial results. Adalo is the ultimate “hypothesis testing platform”.

All in all, Low-coding is a very flexible approach that provides a lot of maneuvers to optimize performance.

The most important advantage of MVP, as well as No-code services and Low-code solutions, is that they speed up the “time to market” of the product. This means that while your competitors are writing their application in code for a long and tedious time, you can already enter the market, receive feedback from users, upgrade the product, and even earn your first money.

Why traditional coding is not profitable today

Over time, any “complex” and “hard-to-reach” product follows one of two paths: it either “simplifies” and becomes “publicly available”, or goes into oblivion. There are examples of the typewriter and the first computers, computers before and after Steve Jobs, and so on.

Here’s a more recent example of how know-how has become cheaper and more useful than its predecessor: today’s smart phones.

Yes, an old analog phone costs a lot less than a new smartphone in monetary terms. But at the same time, this phone greatly limits your options for its use. It can only make calls and write SMS.

But people’s desires are not limited to the phone. In a market economy, consumption and demand always rise. People want to have a phone, a camera, a computer, a GPS navigator, and much more.

What offer can satisfy this demand? Create something that will cover several needs at once, and that will be cheaper than all these benefits in the aggregate.

Indeed, the smartphone is cheaper. Count the cost of an analog phone, camera, computer, GPS navigator and you will see that all these joys of life in total cost more than one small phone that fits in your pocket.

The same is true for IT development. Code developers cost space money. In a sense, their services are “overwhelming”. That is why many people do not even think about their IT business, because there is no investment for the development of an IT product. And most importantly, the money paid does not give you guarantees of future earnings of even more money.

Do mass consumers need these expensive encoder services, if today there are “nocoders” that can close several business tasks at once:

  • make the product 4 times cheaper,
  • make the product 3 times faster,
  • speed up the “time to market” of the product
  • test the hypothesis
  • reduce the potential losses of the customer if his idea does not work out?
  • I guess not much needed.

The same applies, by the way, not only to startups, but also to large businesses. Large companies also release beta products that require hypothesis testing. Do you think big companies don’t count money? And what do they think!

In other words, traditional coding becomes economically unprofitable. No and Low-code are able to satisfy more development demand.

No-code and Low-code development today and in the near future

Numbers speak better than me.

No-code and low-code development is already gradually taking market share from traditional coding. According to the resource field technologie sonline, as of 2019 in the USA, Low-code and No-code development occupy 30% of the IT development market.

That is, every third developed IT product in the USA was made either on a No-code constructor, or on a combination of code and No-code.

Here is a forecast from the research and consulting company Gartner:

By 2024, application development using low-code solutions will account for more than 65% of all application development activities.

By 2024, 75% of large enterprises will use at least four No-code tools.

Amazon and Google already have their own constructors. The release of its own platform was announced by Apple in time.

By 2030, the global low-code development market will generate $187 billion in revenue, up from $10 billion in 2019. Growth over the forecast period will be 31% annually.

I believe that in the foreseeable future, a lot of coders will either have to look for a new profession or retrain, since No-code services will deprive the market of the need for so many code developers.

Although those strongest who remain will increase in price many times over, because the fewer specialists, the higher the cost of the services of those who work.

An unobvious way to save money is to publish the application in the stores not on your own behalf, but on behalf of the developer. So you don’t have to spend about a week on registration, study all the rules, and then engage in technical support for the service – this will be on the side of the programmers.

However, it is not a big problem for entrepreneurs who have already successfully launched their project on no-code and have earned enough money. There will be more than enough for code development, and coders will remain in demand.

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App Development

Can I learn mobile development on my own?

Can I Learn Mobile Development on My Own?

Are you interested in learning mobile development, but don’t know if it’s feasible to do so on your own? Mobile development is a valuable skill that can open up a range of job opportunities, but it can be a complicated and time-consuming endeavor. This article will discuss the process of learning mobile development on your own, so you can decide whether self-learning is the best option for you.

What Is Mobile Development?

Mobile development is the process of creating software applications for mobile devices. These applications, or “apps,” are designed to perform specific tasks on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. Mobile development can include creating games, business applications, and online tools for mobile platforms.

Is It Possible to Learn Mobile Development on My Own?

Yes, it is possible to learn mobile development on your own. With the right resources and dedication, you can gain the skills and knowledge necessary to create your own mobile applications.

What Do I Need To Get Started?

The first step in learning mobile development is to decide which platform you want to focus on. The two most popular platforms are iOS and Android, but there are other platforms available such as Windows Phone, BlackBerry, and HTML5. Once you’ve chosen a platform, you’ll need to learn the fundamentals of programming, such as syntax and basic data structures. You may also want to learn a specific programming language, such as Java or Objective-C, depending on the platform you’ve chosen.

What Resources Are Available?

Fortunately, there are a variety of resources available to help you learn mobile development. You can find books, tutorials, online courses, and even online communities that can provide guidance and support. Additionally, many platforms offer their own development tools and SDKs (software development kits) that can make it easier to create apps.

How Much Time Will It Take To Learn?

The amount of time it will take to learn mobile development depends on your experience level and the amount of time you can dedicate to studying. If you have some experience with programming, you may be able to learn the fundamentals of mobile development in a few months. However, if you are starting from scratch, it could take up to a year to become proficient in mobile development.

Conclusion

Learning mobile development on your own is a challenging but rewarding endeavor. With the right resources and dedication, you can learn the fundamentals of mobile development and create your own applications. Whether you’re looking to enter the professional world of mobile development or just want to create your own apps, learning mobile development on your own is an attainable goal.

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App Development

Is mobile app development easy?

Is Mobile App Development Easy?

As more businesses move towards the mobile market, the need for mobile app development grows. With the increased demand, many people are asking themselves, “Is mobile app development easy?” The answer to this question depends on several factors, including the complexity of the app and the skills of the developer.

What is Mobile App Development?

Before we can answer the question of “Is mobile app development easy?” we must first understand what it is. Mobile app development is the process of creating applications that are designed to run on mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets. The app typically consists of a graphical user interface (GUI) and the app’s code, which is written in a programming language such as Java, Objective-C, or Swift.

How Easy Is Mobile App Development?

At first glance, mobile app development appears to be relatively straightforward. However, the complexity of the app and the skills of the developer will ultimately determine how easy it is. For example, if the developer is inexperienced, it can take longer to develop the app, resulting in a more complex and involved process.

On the other hand, an experienced developer can quickly build an app that is relatively simple to use and understand. As the complexity of the app increases, the difficulty of development increases as well. Additionally, platforms such as Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android have their own unique development requirements which must be followed.

What Skills Are Necessary for Mobile App Development?

In order to answer the question of “Is mobile app development easy?” it is important to understand the skills that are necessary for successful mobile app development. A developer must have a good understanding of the programming language used to develop the app and must be familiar with the development environment and tools.

Additionally, a developer should have a basic understanding of the mobile platform on which the app will be deployed. For example, if the app is being developed for iOS, the developer should have a basic understanding of the iOS development environment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the answer to the question of “Is mobile app development easy?” depends on the complexity of the app and the skills of the developer. While a basic understanding of the development environment and tools is essential, an experienced developer can quickly create a relatively simple app. However, as the complexity of the app increases, the difficulty of development increases as well.

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App Development

Everything about developing a mobile application for an online store

Attracting a customer to an online store is expensive, and the application is a great way to keep it. If you do not make an application now, then soon there will be no one to sell, because the buyer is rapidly turning into mobile only. 5 more reasons to start mobile app development today

According to App Annie

Users choose apps because it is more convenient and often more profitable to buy in them:

  • Users have the opportunity to buy goods at any time and in any place.
  • In applications, it is more convenient for users to compare products and prices.
  • In-app purchase saves time that people would otherwise spend traveling to the store.
  • Applications support the loyalty program, hold unique promotions for regular customers.
  • Applications show the entire range of products in the store: in stock and on order.

eCommerce apps are not popular because of marketing campaigns, advertising, or a capitalist conspiracy. They are popular because it’s easier for us. Smartphone is always there. The personal user experience of each of us proves that reaching out and placing an order is much easier than going shopping in a store.

Why mobile application is better than adaptive layout and mobile site

There are three scenarios for moving eCommerce to mobile devices: the responsive web version, the mobile site, and the app. To understand which option will be useful for business, you need to consider the functionality of all three.

Responsive website

A responsive website is a website that adapts to the screen of a smartphone. It doesn’t provide a new user experience or offer features that make it easier to buy.

The amount of information in the responsive and web versions is the same, so the smartphone spends a lot of time loading the page. People are very sensitive to the speed of Internet services, any freeze causes tension and boredom, and this interferes with the purchase.

Adaptive layout does not make the user session more comfortable: only visual changes occur that do not affect the connection between the brand and the person.

Mobile site

A mobile site is a separate site that is developed for smartphones and tablets. The identification mark is the m.site.ru subdomain (and its variations). A mobile site can run faster due to lightweight code and simplified design.

The content of the mobile version duplicates the desktop version. The site owner has to do double work on promotion, adjust optimization so that resources do not compete with each other.

Instead of one site, the store receives two resources, for the support and development of which you need to pay. At the same time, the mobile site, as well as the adaptive one, does not have functionality that can affect the relationship between the seller and the buyer.

Mobile Application

Unlike a mobile site and a site with an adaptive layout, the application is designed to involve the user in the purchase. An application on a smartphone is embedded in a person’s personal life. The store icon is always in front of our eyes, and the application itself reports events and updates through push notifications, bringing us back to shopping again and again.

Navigation elements in eCommerce applications have a typical layout: the user knows in advance where to look for the catalog, tabbar, and “Add to Cart” button. We memorize the purchase algorithm at the level of physical actions and can repeat it “automatically”.

The application responds faster to our actions. And this applies not only to the speed of working with the interface. The application remembers information about the buyer: name, contacts, delivery addresses. The person specifies the data at the first order and never returns to this task.

With the help of personal discounts and a loyalty program, the application can tie the user to itself for a long time. Offers in which we see benefits for ourselves increase the number of orders and the average check in the store.

The application does not require re-authorization, and sites periodically throw customers out of their accounts, so we have to spend extra time logging into the online store.

And a small bonus for the seller. In the application, the user makes more spontaneous purchases, because all the features of the application indirectly work for this: push notifications, a recommender system, customization, personalized offers, discounts, banners on the main screen.

Thanks to these factors, buyers move through the sales funnel faster and complete the targeted action more often, so the conversion in applications is higher than on websites.

Statistics speak in favor of mobile applications. 85% of users prefer to buy in apps because it is more convenient, faster and easier than on a website. eCommerce applications combine the best of offline, web and social networks and provide it to the user in a convenient and concise manner.

The most popular eCommerce applications.

Based on the 2021 Data Insight and App Annie rankings, we have identified the top 3 apps in the ecommerce market

1. Wildberries

For the convenience of the user, a detailed system of filters has been created in the application catalog. You can search for products here using a photo, a QR code and by voice request. By pinching a product card in the grid, the user opens a preview – gets quick access to a large photo, brand, price, and the “Add to Cart” button. If the product you need is out of stock, the Recommendations will tell you how to replace it. When placing an order, the application remembers the user’s data, and the next time the fields are filled in automatically.

Hold the card – open the preview

2.OZON

On the main screen, the user sees special offers from the store. Banners, product selections and stories involve a person in a purchase. Above them is the search bar. The search query is refined using filters and categories. The product card contains all the necessary information about the brand, price and discounts. If the user is connected to the loyalty program, the application will show the price with a coupon discount – you can apply it immediately on the product card. The application remembers your card details, delivery address so that you do not waste time placing an order.