Apps are a recipe for success, be it for increased business sales or organizations wanting to establish a digital presence. However, not everyone with a great idea for an app has the luxury of hiring a full-fledged ecommerce app development team to make the app. But what if you, like many others, want to build your app but don’t know how to code it? Fret not; we are here to save your day and help you build your very own app. It is not about whether you know how to code an app or not. It is about if you are dedicated to your mission of developing your app. This is what counts the most. After all, like you, many are developing apps. Hence, the Android and iOS development industry is booming these days.
Moreover, as per BusinessofApps “The US app market earned a revenue of well over US$44.9 billion last year in 2023.”
So, it’s about fair that you capitalized on those numbers as well. You can learn how to make your own app with a little help from us. Who would’ve thought that you could create your own app without any previous app building or programming experience how to make iPhone apps or Android apps? This guide here is designed for beginners in mind to teach them how to code and build an app without any coding skills whatsoever. So, without any further ado, let’s learn how to code an app with this mobile app development guide.
Getting to Know Mobile App Development
Mobile app development refers to the process of creating software applications. These apps are designed to run on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Today, in this digital world, mobile apps have made a significant impact on our day-to-day lives. With innovative mobile technologies, the need for effective apps has grown abundantly both in the industry and the business sectors. From the ideation to the end, mobile app development has several stages: ideation, planning, design, coding, testing, and deployment. As part of the app development process, the developer will have to decide the type of app, whether to build a web app or a native app for a mobile operating system such as iOS or Android or instead opt for building cross-platform apps using technologies such as React Native or Flutter. Each platform has its pros and cons in terms of performance, development time, and cost.
Another critical aspect of mobile app development is to be aware of the target audience and their requirements. Good apps don’t just meet the functionality but even create ease of usability and user interface. This requires developers to work hand-in-hand with designers and product managers to develop an app that people love. Also, they ensure that the app will definitely stand out in the very busy app marketplace. Additionally, developers not only know how to code an app or monetize the app but also know all the latest platform updates. They are updated on guidelines, security practices, and best practices in order to ensure that their apps remain compatible, secure, and compliant with App Store Connect policies.
Can You Make an App from Scratch on Your Own?
The idea to create a mobile app from scratch is just as likely to be exciting and intimidating, especially if you do not have any experience in coding. No doubt, professional programmers of mobile app companies would be able to create an app from scratch. However, for this task to be accomplished, quite a considerable amount of time is required to be invested, along with an in-depth knowledge of programming languages, frameworks, and tools that are specific to the targeted mobile platform. Therefore, coding an entire app from scratch is a steep learning curve for a beginner like you getting into app development. It could take a while for you to master the programming language to be used, be it Swift for iOS or Kotlin for Android, as well as their IDEs and APIs. Moreover, knowing details regarding mobile design principles and user experience considerations makes things even more complicated.
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However, with low source code samples and no-code mobile application development on the rise, app builder tools are quite effectively helping people with no technical background to develop or build basic or simple mobile applications without using much coding language. Features like drag-and-drop interfaces, pre-built templates, and visual editors will let you design, prototype, and even publish your app with minimum programming involved. Although these tools for app might not be profoundly customizable, it means a much more accessible entry point for you if you are looking to bring your app to life without building it from the ground up. Ultimately, the question of whether you will be able to create an application from scratch on your own depends on your technical background, the app’s level of complexity, and your willingness to dedicate much time and hard work needed to learn all the programming languages and tools for development.
How Long Does It Take to Develop an App?
We have discussed the development time in detail in a separate blog. But to break it down in short, the timeline for developing a mobile app can differ, ranging from several weeks if an app is really simple to a few months. If the app isn’t simple, it can go even up to one year if the case is about a complex app that is full of features and multiple functionalities. There are several significant factors that determine the length of the process of app development. The first major one is the complexity of the app. A simple app with limited features and basic design can be developed relatively quickly within 2 to 4 months. When the application involves intricate functionality, complex design, and third-party service APIs, it takes at least six months to develop.
Moreover, backend development implies more significant time to market, and the other important factor is the number of developers. The number of developers has to be high in cases where an application developer needs to be qualified in multiple skills required for the technology stack. On the other hand, a smaller team or a single person who does not know how to code an app and doesn’t have expertise in specific areas may take longer. The development timeline will be longer as well. The methodology adopted also plays its part, such as agile or waterfall. Agile methods have iterative development, which are continuous feedback loops allowing delivery to be faster but may need more frequent adjustments and refinement in the process. Also, the approvals from app stores or regulatory bodies will involve delays if some functionality requires changes or additional testing to meet compliance criteria.
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Mobile App?
Much like the development timeline, we have also talked about the development cost in another one of our blogs. However, in simple terms, mobile app development can have quite dramatic price tags associated, ranging from a few thousand dollars for a straightforward, simple application to hundreds of thousands of dollars for an application that is complex and comes loaded with a mix of features. Many factors can drive the final cost, amongst which, besides complexity, cross-platform development concerns whether building for iOS, Android or even both.
Also, in-house teams or outsourcing the operation to freelancers or agencies may influence the final cost as long as maintenance and updates have their share. And a small-scale app with only the most common features can cost around $5,000 and $10,000. A mid-scale application falling from $15,000 to $30,000. The highly complex apps with significant advanced functionality and integrations can range from $30,000 to $50,000 or more.
Learn How to Code an App for iOS
Building apps for Apple’s iOS means learning the specific tools, programming languages, and frameworks that Apple has designed for the very purpose of the iOS ecosystem. Awareness of Swift, which is the principal language used in the development of iOS apps, is likewise going to be necessary. Swift is a contemporary, powerful, intuitive language. To code an iOS app, you would have to familiarize yourself with Xcode since it forms the integrated development environment, or IDE, provided by Apple. Xcode provides a complete set of tools to write, build, test, and submit iOS apps. It includes a regular code manager and a GUI builder, along with an emulator to test apps on different iOS device configurations. Beyond Swift and Xcode, you must learn Apple’s software development sets, SDKs, and frameworks. Another nice thing about developing iOS apps is the opportunity to use Apple’s human interface guidelines and design principles.
These guidelines provide optimum apps for iOS devices and help to develop apps that visually match and behave as per the consistent standards, ensuring the app will look and feel seamless across the entire Apple device spectrum with respect to the intuitive user experience. The life cycle of an app, memory management, and performance optimization techniques are all essential to learn when developing iOS apps. Also, you must manage the process of reviewing and submitting the application to Apple’s Application Store. This includes strict guidelines, security and privacy compliance of apps, and testing and review assessments that have to be overcome before an app is published for use. iOS app development remains a challenging field to master. Still, with dedication, practice, and learning through online courses, tutorials, and communities of developers, you can come up with innovative and quality applications for the iOS platform.
Learn to Code a Mobile App for Android
Android is the world’s most popular mobile operating system. It provides developers with a vast platform to develop and deploy applications. If you are learning to code an app for Android, it requires learning the specific programming languages, the tools associated with them, and the frameworks. Development of applications on Android is mainly done in Kotlin. This has been the official language since 2019, even though many older apps are still made with Java. You must be introduced to Android Studio. It’s the official integrated development environment IDE that Google offers for the development of Android applications. This in itself offers an entire suite of tools for writing, building, testing, and debugging Android applications. It contains, in fact, an editor for codes, a layout editor visually, and an emulator to test the applications on a myriad of Android device configurations.
You also need to learn how to use the Android SDK and its related libraries and frameworks. The SDK provides a mighty range of tools, as well as the APIs used in accessing most of the core features of Android, including user interface components, data storage, multimedia, and networking. One of the most dramatic challenges in developing Android apps is the vast array of devices and screen sizes within the Android ecosystem. They should be optimized for many hardware configurations, resolutions, and aspect ratios. Also, the apps have to abide by the submission and review process of the Google Play Store, through which they seek to distribute their apps, under the guidelines and policies. Android app development can be a fulfilling learning curve as you gain access to a global marketplace. Online courses, tutorials, and developers’ communities are available as resources to learn the art of developing Android apps.
6 Easy Steps to Create and Code an App for Beginners
There are six basic and easy steps that you can follow to code your first mobile app. You can follow them even if you do not know how to code an app. The step-by-step process is as follows:
Thinking and Validating App Ideas
The very first stage of any app development process involves the ideation and validation of a solid app idea. Whether you know how to code an app or not, you must begin with genuine problems of your target users or deficiencies in the existing solutions. Think of app ideas that solve such issues in the most effective and innovative manner. You must also conduct market research to understand demand and validate whether your idea has already been done.
Also, you will need to create low-fidelity prototypes or wireframes to test fundamental app functionality with target users. Moreover, there is also a need to collect feedback using interviews, questionnaires, or usability sessions. That is why you really should not invest much money in the app idea until you validate its feasibility. There will be a market for your proposed app, and you will ascertain the main features from user input.
Researching the Market
It’s an absolute necessity to fuel the research that goes into your market before embarking on developing your app. You must study the competition by researching similar apps within your category. This way, you can look at their strengths and weaknesses, pricing models, and user reviews. Now, you will need to identify the weaknesses and gaps in their offerings that your app could exploit. You can do that even if you do not know how to code an app.
Also, you must define your target audience and create user personas elaborately to understand what they like and dislike or their pain points. More so, you will need to research the trends, growth prospects, and saturation levels of the market in which your app will run. You must also check if the need for your proposed app idea is growing or shrinking. Thorough market research allows perfecting your app idea. It will allow creating an app for users with a difference from competitors and finding long-term sustenance.
Wireframing and Creating Mobile App Design
Now that the app idea is validated, it’s time to make wireframes of the user experience and design the visual aspect. Wireframes are blueprint layouts that show the structural flow and placement of all the elements and screens. Therefore, they enable you to plan through user journeys and maximize functionality before making a considerable design effort.
Once wireframes are approved, you will need to work with designers to turn them into beautifully designed mockups. You must ensure they reflect your app’s brand, color schemes, typography, and overall look. The design phase also includes prototyping to mimic the look, feel, and interactions. Designing the app that has an intuitive, beautiful, and on-brand experience is very important for delivering a delightful user experience.
Prototyping and Development to Create an App
Once the application’s design is finalized, prototyping and development are the next big tasks. You will need to create an interactive prototype to give the feel for how the app would work through clickable screens and transitions. There are many tools available in the market that allow fast building of prototypes. The prototype must be user-tested to validate its UX and collect feedback for any refinements ahead of its actual development.
The complete development cycle follows where you have to write code and integrate backend services, APIs, and databases in this order. You must also establish the development methodologies, whether Agile or Waterfall. You will also need to implement security, analytics, and push notification capabilities. Testing is also something that needs to happen throughout development. You must also sort out performance and bug issues.
Test the App With User Feedback
It is essential to test your app with users in real life before launch. You will need to conduct alpha and beta testing programs. It will allow you to offer pre-launch versions of your application to a small set number of target users. Analytic tools, questionnaires, and direct interview sessions will provide you with quantitative and qualitative answers to questions regarding the application’s performance, usability, design, and functionality.
Also, you will need to monitor bugs, and glitches, and find ways to improve the app through the feedback. You must apply the fixes, and then iteratively refine the app experience. Also, you might need several rounds of user testing before you have addressed your most important issues. Through this rigorous testing cycle, you can bring a more refined and validated app to market.
Submit Your App on the App Store
Your application, after undergoing comprehensive testing and refining on the basis of user feedback, is ready to be deployed to the platform’s application store. For iOS-based applications, you will need to follow the guidelines provided by Apple. You must upload your app to the Apple App Store along with details of the application description, screenshots, and pricing. Also, you must ensure that the app complies with the strict policy of review of the iOS App Store.
For Android-based applications, Google Play has a checklist and content guidelines for launch. You will need to go through them upon submission. The review process of your app can take several days and even weeks. That is because it goes through a rigorous checking process for content policies, security, privacy, and functionality. You must respond to any issues raised by the reviewers immediately. Once approved, your app will go live. It will be available in the store to the entire public for discovery and download.
Choose an App Marketing Plan to Promote Your App
No app succeeds without effective marketing, regardless of whether you know how to code an app or not. That is why you must choose from free and paid marketing plans. This will help spread the word around the town and raise awareness for your app. This way, the app gets downloaded by the masses. The following are the two marketing plans that you can choose to promote your app with:
Market Your App for Free With Social Media Marketing
The first app marketing plan is the one that is the most effective, and it is social media. Social media platforms hold more power than any news media or an organization. That is why you can use organic social media marketing by creating accounts for your app. These accounts will promote your app on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. This way, you can share updates, screenshots, and app teasers to get people to know about your app. Therefore, you can get them interested in downloading it, which will allow people to use your app.
Go With Paid Influencer Marketing
The next marketing plan is a paid one which is influencer marketing. Influencer marketing will help get your app in front of a relevant audience. That is because social media influencers have a huge dedicated fanbase. So, with celebrities promoting the app to their fans, your app will gain a lot of users. That is why you can partner with influencers in your niche. They will use an app and authentically share your app with their followers as a paid sponsorship.
Prioritize App Store Optimization After You Build the App
Once the much-needed hard work has been done in building and launching your app, the app creation journey doesn’t end here. That’s because ASO is the last thing that you need to do for your app’s success, prosperity, and easy discoverability. We have a dedicated blog on App Store Optimization that you can read for your app development journey. ASO is like SEO for websites. It optimizes your app’s listing and metadata to facilitate discoverability and higher rankings within the app stores. First, it’s essential that you conduct some keyword research to discover the most relevant and high-volume keywords associated with your app’s core functionality or use cases. You will need to strategically insert these keywords into your app title, subtitle of description, and keyword bank. You must avoid stuffing too many keywords. The app name is an even more crucial factor for search rankings.
Also, compelling and visually appealing screenshots and app preview videos give potential users a glance into your app’s user interface and key features. Optimization of your app’s description is also important. You should write a clean and clear description that, in the shortest time possible, explains what your app does, who it is for, and what problem it solves for the users. For that, you’ll need to divide the text between making it easier to read and naturally include variations of a keyword. Ratings and the number of reviews of your app also influence discoverability. So, you must encourage satisfied users who are familiar with app to rate your app positively. Moreover, you must answer negative reviews. You must make changes to your app in time to fix popular issues or needs for new features. Therefore, it is essential to keep up-to-date with the latest ASO best practices and trends.
Seek Professional Help from Experts to Create Your App
While it might sound like an exciting proposition to build an app from scratch, the fact remains that mobile app development is an activity that spans a broad spectrum of app development skills and expertise. If you don’t know how to code an app or have authority on coding and design and project management to boot, then you’ll certainly need professional outside help from experts who can bring your app vision into reality effectively and efficiently. These experts have knowledge of programming languages and frameworks. They know the best practices specific to a targeted mobile platform, from iOS and Android to cross-platform solutions. As such, hiring a team of experienced mobile app developers from a software development firm like Linkitsoft can save you significant time and effort in the long run. They know how to handle the technical complexities involved in developing dating apps that stand up to industry standards.
Besides development experience, the services of professional application designers should be hired to design an app with an appealing graphical user interface. UI/UX design is the two aspects that become key to the failure or success of an application. Experienced designers can translate your ideas into a cohesive, user-friendly design that resonates with your target audience. Even though hiring professionals will likely involve a more significant initial expense, it can help you save valuable money and resources in the long run because you won’t make expensive mistakes. Moreover, you will shorten the development time, thereby giving you the best possible chance of delivering a successful, high-quality app. In addition, experienced firms can make provisions for ongoing support. They also provide maintenance and updates for each part of your app you want to develop. This way, your app will continue to be relevant and competitive in the dynamic mobile environment.
Wrapping it Up
That is all there is to discuss in this guide on how to code an app. We hope that the steps we have featured in this guide can help you create your app. These steps are written for those who do not know how to code an app. Furthermore, if you enjoyed reading this guide, we suggest you check out more like these on our website.
