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Mobile Development

What is Mobile App Development

Mobile development creates software such as applications within backend data for use in tablets, smartphones, automobiles, and watches that run on mobile operating systems. It often incorporates mobile device features that are often not available for desktop devices, according to John Sonmez (2016) of DZone. Mobile development may, however, mean a broader picture since it involves the creation of software that runs on mobile devices. In contrast, mobile app development specifies the software built to be used in the mobile device.

Mobile Development Frameworks

These are software platforms designed to support the creation of software and digital assistant applications. As TechTerms (c2021) defines, mobile development frameworks provide the foundation for software developers to build programs for specified platforms and may include classes and predefined functions used in processing inputs, managing hardware, and managing the software of the system. Thus, the frameworks are vital in streamlining the development process by cutting down the time to reinvent a new wheel every time developers make a new app. Correlatively, these frameworks are similar to application programming interfaces (API). However, APIs provide access to the elements supported in the framework, which is the foundation for programming described by TechTerms (c2021). A framework may also account for compilers, libraries, and other programs used in developing the software; typical examples of frameworks include Cocoa Touch for iOS and the Android Development Framework for Android. In addition, they are often natively supported by the operating system of the devices in which they are installed.

According to GeeksforGeeks (2020), mobile application frameworks are classified into:

• Native Apps: built explicitly for specific platforms or devices.
• Web Apps: Designed to deliver web pages on different web platforms for any mobile device.
• Hybrid Apps: Developed from a single code base and combines native and web apps.

Here is a list of the most popular frameworks for building iOS and Android Software:

1. React Native. It is cross-platform, uses a single code base, is cost-effective, compatible with plugins from third parties, is easy to maintain, and allows reusability.
2. Avails full native app performance, has a flexible user interface, provides strong support for widgets, is much faster in developing applications, and avails built-in material designs.
3. Allows the creation of iOS, Android, and Windows native applications. It has a large community of users, targets all the platforms, is cost-effective, and avails native API access, user interface support, and integration.
4. Mobile Angular User Interface. It is open-source, responsive, lightweight, independent of jQueries, provides interactive components, and eases web or desktop app conversion to a mobile app.
5. It is based on Angular JS, is independent of platforms, has Cordova plugins, is faster in application development, and has built-in user interface components.

Process of Mobile App Development

According to Invonto (c2021), the process of mobile development is in six key stages:

1. Strategy: Identify the users, research the market competition, establish its goals and objectives and select the mobile platform for the app as the first step.
2. Analysis and Planning: Select a name, prepare a roadmap, identify necessary skills, prioritize the requirements, and group them into delivery milestones.
3. User Interface of UX Design: Think and cater to information architecture and workflows, style guides, wireframes, mockups, and prototypes.
4. App Development: For this part, define the technical architecture, pick a stacking technology and define the milestones for developments that are integrally divided into Back-End or sever technology, Application Programming Interfaces, and Mobile App Front-End.
5. Testing: Consider user experience testing, functional testing, security, device and platform, and performance testing.
6. Deployment and Support: In the application release, account for the application title, description, category, keywords, launch icons, and app store screenshots.

Top Mobile App Development Tools

The following is a list of some of the best mobile app development tools for Android and iOS, according to Guru99 (c2021).

Recommended

• Buddy
• Kobiton
• Jamf
• Appypei
• Unity Ads

iPhone App development

• Swiftic

Mobile Analytic

• App Watch

Cross-Platform App Development

• Xamarin
• Appcelerator
• PhoneGap
• Ionic
• Mobincube
• Longrange
• Qt
• Alpha Anywhere
• Sencha

App Development frameworks

• KendoUI
• Mobile Angular UI
• NativeScript
• Onsen UI
• FireBase

AR (Augmented Reality)

• VuForia
• Easy AR

AI (Artificial Intelligence)

• TenserFlow
• IBM Watson

Mobile Payment

• Braintree
• io

Push notification

• Urban Airship
• Pusher

Game Engines

• Corona

Skills Required for Mobile Development

On a mention, here are some of the skills required in Mobile Development, according to Alison Doyle (2019).

1. Analytical skills
2. Creativity
3. Communication
4. Problem-solving
5. Programming languages
6. Teamwork
7. Time management
8. Spatial reasoning
9. Responsible web design
10. Networking

References

John Sonmez (2016). DZone. What is Mobile Development? Retrieved from https://dzone.com/articles/what-is-mobile-development

Invonto. (c2021). Mobile App Development Process: A Step-by-Step Guide [Updated for 2021]. Retrieved from https://www.invonto.com/insights/mobile-app-development-process/

TechTerms. (c2021). Framework. Retrieved from https://techterms.com/definition/framework

GeeksforGeeks. (2020). Top 10 Mobile Application Development Frameworks in 2020. Retrieved from https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/top-10-mobile-application-development-frameworks-in-2020/

Guru99. (c2021). 30 Best Mobile App Development Tools for Android & iOS (2021). Retrieved from https://www.guru99.com/mobile-app-development-tools.html

Alison Doyle (2019). The Balance Careers: Android and iOS Mobile Developer Skills for Resumes. Retrieved from https://www.thebalancecareers.com/android-and-ios-mobile-developer-skills-2062352[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]