Frederick Jace
Replacement with: Developing a mobile app is not always easy and can end up being both time consuming and costly if you don’t follow the proper steps. It is important for software developers to spend time on the fundamentals. You can get practical tips about how to be a better developer of a professional online community Themaddev.com.
No matter which industry you specialize in, every consumer knows first hand how frustrating it is to try to navigate a poorly designed app. This leads to a negative user experience and lower engagement rates.
Building your own app is a bit tricky but is very much possible, even for beginners. Below are three best practices and tips for developing your own app all while staying on track and within budget.
Best Practices
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Do Your Research
Every idea seems like a good one, but understanding your target audience and their pain points is crucial to helping your app succeed. Developers who don’t conduct research ahead of time often lose money building an app which provides minimum value and fails to meet the users’ needs.
Once you’ve identified your audience, use different research methods to figure out how your app can help them. Referencing articles, conducting interviews, and doing surveys are all excellent ways to collect necessary data for your app.
You’ll also want to take a look into your competition. Who else has a similar app and how successful are they? Read their ratings and reviews online to find out where you can offer improvement with your own product.
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Pick a Development Method
There are three different development methods professionals use while building their app: web, native, and hybrid. Each carries their own benefits depending on what kind of app you’re looking to build.
Mobile web app
These are not mobile apps, but websites specifically designed for mobile devices that only require a web browser for installation. Developers usually use HTML and Ajax to develop web apps, although sometimes they will use other technologies like Flash and JavaFX.
Snapchat and Instagram are examples of mobile web apps because they can be accessed through the internet and will immediately adapt to whichever device you’re using.
Native app
A native app is built for use on a specific device using hardware and software compatible with platforms like Mac and PC. They are installed through an application store, such as Apple’s App Store or Google Play and can mostly be used without internet connectivity.
For instance, the photos app is exclusively for the Apple platform and cannot be accessed on another platform, but you can access the app in an area with no internet connection or if you don’t have a data plan.
Hybrid app
Hybrid apps are a mix of native and web apps since they are available in the app store but also rely on HTML to be used in a browser. The main reason companies build hybrid apps is to grow their presence in the app store and allow for cross-platform development without investing in building a separate app.
The main difference between a hybrid app and a native is app is that the first requires an internet connection to access.
For example, if you’re building a game app, using a native app in your development process would be the best option because it ensures an excellent user experience, as reported by Digital Authority Partners. On the other hand, if your app isn’t fully restricted to app stores for distribution, building a web app would be more cost-effective since it allows for cross-platform integration.
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Ensure Your App is Secure
With users making an increasing number of purchases via apps, it’s important to protect sensitive information and data. Unsecured apps can result in stolen credit card numbers, contact information, and more, opening your company up to potential legal action. Although security might not be at the top of your to-do list, as a developer it is your responsibility to prioritize it.
The best way to do this is to use methods like encryption and two-factor authentication. Also, for your users’ convenience, set up automatic backups and give them the option to wipe their data in the event that their device is lost or stolen.
Researching your audience and developing a secure app are just the preliminary steps to entering the app market. According to one San Diego app developer, it’s recommended that developers test their product along the way, not just when they have the finished product.
The reason behind this is that there might be glitches or other issues that are easier – and cheaper – to fix at the start rather than at the very end of the process. Feedback is incredibly important to optimize the performance of your app and ultimately make it into a success.
