Mobile application development is a promising, voluminous, and developing niche. Any mobile app is created according to a single plan, which can be divided into 6 stages.

This article will be useful for future developers, startups, and also for those who want the company to have their own application and have a vague idea about the costs of this solution. Let’s consider how modern companies provide customers with full-cycle app development services.

Mobile App Development Isn’t as Difficult as You Think

For beginners, the process of creating a mobile application can seem complicated. However, mobile app development companies know how to deliver a project efficiently and within a reasonable amount of time. For this, they need to have a detailed project plan and an experienced development team. Let’s consider the process of mobile app development in detail.

Idea

A good idea is a basis for a good application. If you don’t have an idea yet, take a look around: there is probably a problem in the market that you can develop the right application to solve.

Try to identify the source of the problem and why it hasn’t been fixed yet. Gather data and your team – brainstorm collectively, and if you have enough development resources, get down to business.

So, the idea is found. Now you need to determine the direction of work. The first of these is competitor analysis.

Compare mobile applications of competitors on the following indicators:

1. The number of downloads: the more, the better. This means that the application is in demand among the audience since it is often downloaded.
2. Rating and reviews: consider user reviews, especially negative ones, in your work.
3. Adapt useful features of other applications to the project.
4. Analyze the path of the company and the strategy of behavior in the face of difficulties. They will likely appear on your way. You need to understand how competitors managed to gain user loyalty.

Most likely, this stage seemed difficult to you, as to find a really viable idea, you need to conduct research, understand the needs and desires of the consumer, and analyze competitors. Fortunately, nowadays there are a lot of experienced app development companies to get assistance with it. For example, Perpetio provides customers with full-cycle app development services, so you can always contact the managers of this company to ask some questions about your project or order the service you need.

UI/UX Design

At the very beginning of the work with the project, design layouts are created. To do this, a designer creates several windows of the program for the approval of the manager and the customer. The task of this stage of creating a mobile application is to determine and approve the main design concept of the project. After all, at this step, you can quickly make any changes. After the final approval of the concept, the designer proceeds to its full implementation.

From Design to Development

At this stage, the developers responsible for the implementation of the design are involved in the work. To preserve the integrity of the final product, order the development of mobile applications from one team.

The effectiveness of collaboration between designers and developers largely depends on the set of tools. Mobile development uses many different technologies. The use of unreliable tools inevitably leads to problems and code rewrites, which means additional payments to developers for rework. Before embarking on a project, there are a few important decisions you need to make.

Frontend-development

There are 3 approaches to frontend:

1. Native. The application is tailored for a specific mobile platform. Development is carried out separately for all operating systems of phones. The interface of the native application looks organic, and it works smoothly and quickly. This type of development is usually more expensive than other methods.

2. Cross-platform. The application has a universal code, so it looks native to the OS. Many people think that this method is the best value for money, but the developer still needs to spend some time improving it. Having made a choice in favor of a cross-platform application, choose frameworks between React Native and Flutter.

3. Hybrid. The code for such an application is created in HTML, CSS, or Javascript in development environments such as Cordova, Phone Gap, and Ionic.

Backend-development

The performance of the developed application depends on its scalability, that is, the ability of the system to increase performance by increasing the available resources.

The technologies used here are the same as in the development of web applications. It remains to choose:

1. Programming language. Dozens of different languages ​​are available for developers to write applications. Each language has its own framework.
2. Database management system. The most famous are MSSQL, MYSQL, and PostgreSQL. You also need to build a base scheme and select an engine. Each element must be thought out, the system must be reliable and structured.
3. Hosting for the server and API. With the help of specialists, you need to consider the scalability of the application along with its reliability. Providers offer cloud solutions for developers. The cloud expands with the growth of the target audience. Also, providers will help with updates and data backup.

Development and Iteration

The stages of mobile application development are sequential. Understanding it is easier if you are familiar with the project management method called SCRUM. SCRUM is related to the Agile methodology, which is based on 4 values:

• people;
• effective product;
• collaboration with the customer;
• readiness for change.

According to the SCRUM method, the development of a mobile application is divided into segments or sprints. Each sprint consists of stages:

• planning;
• development;
• testing;
• summarizing.

Testing

Product testing is not the task of the developers. The type of testing depends on the application parameter being tested:

1. The functionality of the application must correspond to the declared. Entrust the assessment of the usability of the application and its functions to the QA team of the contractor or hired specialists. Potential application problems also can be identified by users with a clear-eyed view.
2. A high-performance application must perform all operations quickly.
3. Designers should once again make sure that the visual matches the style guide. This is another great reason to work with companies that develop mobile applications inside and out.

Delivery and Support

After the completion of the mobile application development process and its launch, another important stage begins – support. For its high-quality implementation, it is important to build communication with users to receive feedback from them about the application and its functionality. It is important to promptly respond to negative reviews and take into account all the wishes of users in the process of developing a mobile application. Use their feedback and comments to improve the functionality of the application.

Summary

Mobile application development is complicated only at first glance. In the course of work, you will have to make many important decisions, and probably make adjustments at different stages of the development. Don’t skip them: remember that you will end up with user gratitude and profit. You can entrust the development of a mobile application to the Perpetio team and get a complete product with a unique design and functionality tailored specifically for your business.