You have a concept for an app. You know who your audience is and what they want. You already know that if this application is created effectively, it will bring you a lot of money.
But how do you go about making an app? What should you do with an app concept?
As a leading app development company, we get a lot of queries such as, “I want to make an app, where do I start?” How do you go about developing your own app? “How do I make an app from the ground up?” As a result, we’ve chosen to publish a piece about how to create an app from the ground up, as well as how to design and launch a successful mobile app. Also, you can see how to develop a chatbot app
- Get to know Why to Choose flutter for app development?
- If you are searching for the best mobile app company in India: Then Contact us!
Creating an app or building one from the ground up, on the other hand, involves careful consideration of a variety of elements, including goals, projected costs, project management, promotion, and other considerations. Many variables must be considered before developing an app.
Today, we’ll guide you on How to Create an App from Scratch, keeping the process as easy as possible. Please note that we are not discussing how to build an app; rather, we are discussing how to develop an app with step by step following. Also, you can learn – How to Earn Money from Affiliate Marketing – Make Money while you sleep
Let us begin.
How to create an App from Scratch?
Let’s go through the 10 steps to developing an app, which includes details on how to create a phone app and publish it on the app store or Google Play.
1. Define your Objectives/ Ideas
Credit: IDAP
The process of developing an app is lengthy. It is impossible to construct a mobile app in a single day. Before developing an app, many factors are taken into account.
App development and maintenance costs a lot of money for businesses. However, if your goals aren’t clear, you’re unlikely to acquire the product and benefit you want.
The first step in creating your own app is to determine why you want to make one in the first place. Every app has a function to fulfill.
The simplest approach to answer these questions is to consider if you want to solve an issue, expand your consumer base, or just raise brand recognition.
Because every app has a goal to serve, you must first determine the purpose before asking how to begin the app development process in order to create a successful app. This step will greatly simplify the procedure.
There are various reasons to create an app, but the most essential thing is that it should always achieve two goals: the goal of your ideal users and the aim of your business. Before you begin the app development process, make sure you spend enough time determining your core purpose.
Let’s begin with your prospective customers. To be honest, everyone wants to know about the features of an app that will benefit them.
Which part of your business needs to be improved?
It’s a simple question, and chances are you already know the answer. Assume you’re the owner of a hotel and you’ve discovered that some of your clients are having trouble booking rooms or spa treatments. Customers prefer to explore alternative options with quick booking options because this option is only available on the desktop.
On the other side, if you spend a lot of time delivering smooth service to your existing clients, you’re wasting the majority of your team’s resources and efforts and restricting your growth. This implies that you must devote efforts to marketing your company and attracting new customers.
Determine which features you can add to the app by identifying opportunities for improvement.
How does one go about developing an app that solves a specific problem?
Many business difficulties may be solved with a mobile application. It can make it simple for your customers to book your services via the app. Aside from that, you may add tools like feedback or live chat to make the process more user-friendly.
This is how an app works, and you may utilize it to solve your consumers’ unique needs.
What should be your expected result?
More bookings equal more sales and money for businesses. On the customer side, the app would generate strong social proof and raise customer happiness.
These responses are crucial and will aid you much in the latter phases of app development. We’ll speak about the following stage of how to get an app built or how to design an app after you’ve answered them.
2. Plan Functionality and Features
Credit: Apptunix
Let’s move on to the second step in the app creation process. The second key factor to consider while creating the functionality and features of your app is to define the objectives.
Determine the most important capabilities and features that you wish to incorporate.
This is one of the more creative steps in developing an app, where you’ll have to write down all of the functionalities and features you’d like to include, as well as the features you’ll need to achieve the solutions and achieve the desired results, which is commonly referred to as an MVP version of the app.
The ideal strategy is to conduct market research to examine what your rivals have to offer on app marketplaces such as Apple’s App Store or Google’s Play Store and to see what they are missing or innovating on.
Consider including capabilities such as Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Real-time tracking, Payment Gateway integration, and Face identification. We created Veebo, a virtual party app with Augmented Reality face filters similar to those seen in the Snapchat app.
Even in the midst of the epidemic, this has made virtual gatherings more enjoyable and appealing. If it answers your consumers’ problems quickly, consider including these features in your mobile apps.
Is there anything on the list that isn’t relevant?
Remember that adding useless functionality has a negative impact on the app’s performance. We propose that you limit your first list of features to those that will provide value to your app. Work on the remaining features once you’ve released the initial version.
You can start by creating a minimum viable product (MVP) and then incorporate the functionality into the app. This way, you may go at consumer reviews and feedback and make changes as needed. You may save money while simultaneously providing a great customer experience.
This will allow you and your team to concentrate exclusively on the important things. You can use this list as a starting point for your app development process.
You may add different room characteristics, videos of customer reviews, filters for retrieving results depending on timing, and pricing to the hotel booking software from the previous example.
You may also include information on room service, customer reviews, one-click chat, and push notifications for discounts and special offers.
3. Research Your Competitors
Credit: Relevance
Never underestimate the importance of conducting research and gathering information before beginning to develop an app. In this manner, you’ll be able to determine the breadth of your app concept and incorporate the necessary functionality into your app.
Before diving into app development, it’s critical that you have the answers to these questions.
You’ll gain an understanding of the demand for the app you’re developing and be able to fill in the holes left by your rivals. When it comes to developing a mobile app, you must always seize the moment.
4. Design Wireframes
You’ve set your goals, planned your functionality and features, and researched your competition to get insight into app development.
It’s now time to learn how to create an app. Give it its initial skeleton and use wireframing to connect the separate components.
What is wireframing?
Wireframing is a visual depiction of the layout and flow of your app’s many displays. This is one of the best distraction-free approaches since you are not distracted by various graphic components.
The use cases, or the exact actions your users will complete on the app, will be the basis for the wireframe. A wireframe serves as a link between your initial ideas and the end result before you begin developing an app.
To achieve each aim, your goal should be to optimize the quantity and arrangement of app displays. For the same job, you may develop various app screen flows to see which one provides the greatest user experience.
Wireframes can be created in two ways:
- Online – NinjaMock, Fluid UI, Adobe Suite, Mockflow, and others are some of the wireframing tools accessible online. Wireframing is done at AppTrait Solutions using Balsamiq 3.5.17 and the AdobeXD wireframe design tool. Simply choose a tool or a template and begin drawing. Every use case should depict the full-screen flow from the moment you launch your app to the moment you achieve your goal.
- Offline – You can use a pen and blank paper, or you can utilize one of the downloadable sketch templates offered on SneakPeekIt.
Investing time in wireframing early on potentially saves you hundreds of hours of development time later on.
Test wireframes
After you’ve finished creating the app’s use cases, it’s time to put them to the test. This is also a crucial phase in the app development process since it allows you to test the app’s flow and make changes to the user experience.
An invision is a tool that you may use to test your wireframes. Wireframes, as you may know, only display the app’s planned design, but Invision can help you make them dynamic. You may connect your displays and combine activities with this fantastic tool to imitate a real-life interaction with the app.
How to use Invision?
Here’s a quick video on how to use InVision to make an interactive prototype.
Invision is straightforward and straightforward to use. To begin, visit the official website and create a free account. Then, to construct your first project, pick ‘make a new prototype’ from the ‘+’ symbol.
After you’ve given your prototype a name, choose between two types: sync with Sketch/Photoshop or add image files from your PC.
Start submitting photos of your wireframe’s separate screens now. At the bottom of each image, you’ll see an opportunity to connect to it.
You may also include your testers at this point; they will be able to tell you whether or not accessing the main menu was simple. It’s the equivalent of receiving user feedback from your staff. Is it possible to identify all of the tasks? Is there anything missing from the app, or do you have any additional questions about it?
5. Designing the Database
Credit: Medium
That’s all right! Examine each scenario once you’ve planned it out to see what kind of information you’ll need to preserve. If your app asks users to establish an account, for example, you’ll need to keep track of the username, user ID, user’s email, password, if the user’s email is confirmed, when the account was created, and every time the user logs into your app.
You’ll need to know the tweet’s ID, content, when it was published/retweeted, how many retweets it has, and how many stars it has if you’re making a Twitter clone. You’d have to keep track of a user’s retweets and stars as well.
To map out the data relationship, you can use an ERM (Entity-Relationship Model) diagram.
6. Select a Development Path
After you’ve finished wireframing for your app, you’ll need to pick a platform and coding language, which is one of the most important tasks in the process. We understand that discussing application development platforms and programming languages is not simple for everyone. However, if you’re clear on your requirements, budget, and target audience, this shouldn’t be too tough.
Let’s take a look at different platforms depending on devices and what you should keep in mind while designing your app for them.
Choose a platform that meets your needs and fits your budget.
a). Native app development
Simply put, app development refers to the creation of an application for a specific operating system. iPhones and Android phones are both available. Assume you want to create an app with the purpose of getting as many downloads as possible and generating cash through adverts. In this instance, you may simply take advantage of Android’s user base.
You may, on the other hand, construct an iOS app for Apple consumers if you wish to make ios applications on the iOS platform.
When building native apps from the ground up, keep in mind that you’ll need to make two unique apps for the Play Store and the App Store.
You may also require two distinct development teams to construct your own iPhone and Android app, one for each platform. It’s tough to find a strategy to streamline any update when you’re handling two codebases.
b). Mobile app frameworks
The second option allows you to develop hybrid apps that work on both Android and iOS. There are a number of frameworks available, like React Native, Framework 7, and PhoneGap, that allow you to develop a single app and deploy it to both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. There’s no need to hire two development teams or manage two separate code bases.
If you’re a solo developer or a startup with a low budget, hybrid applications are the way to go. Though they may not operate as well as a native Android or iPhone app, the situation is gradually changing. When it comes to the present, something genuinely appropriate at the gaming level comes to mind.
Finally, you’ll have to think about future features that you might wish to include. These extra criteria might sometimes cause a lot of problems in the future. It may not only cause a delay in your launch, but it may also put a burden on your budget.
c). Drag & drop mobile app builder
Let’s look at another technique to design mobile apps if your budget is severely restricted or you simply aren’t happy with the preceding two options.
Appy Pie, AppSheet, and BuildFire are just a few of the app-building systems that allow you to create mobile apps without knowing how to code. Your Android or iPhone app will be ready in no time if you pick a template or drag and drop pieces.
On these, you have complete control over the design of your app. It is entirely up to you whether or not you want a landing page. There’s no need to wait months or spend tens of thousands of dollars on app development. However, you must keep in mind that these platforms have some limits.
We don’t recommend using free Android or iPhone app builders because they come with a lot of restrictions. First and foremost, because you are including a third party in the process, the security of personal information is not up to pace.
You won’t be able to use the most up-to-date technology, tools, and approaches that will slow down your app’s speed. You won’t be able to fully personalize your app and have access to sophisticated features.
We attempted and tested one of the prominent free application development platforms a few days ago just to get to know them better. We intended to make a basic WebView application. So, I merely entered my website’s URL and exported the APK, which is 67.31MB in size. Not only was the app slow, but it also had watermarks in numerous areas.
We’re not anti-app builders, but we recommend that you pick them carefully. Choose a package that gives you the greatest flexibility so you may personalize and optimize your app as you want. You may save up to 75% on your mobile app and web app development costs by using these best app builders.
Choose a suitable programming language
It won’t take long to choose the correct programming language after you’ve settled on a development route.
The first item you’ll need for the Android app is Android Studio. After that, you may use XML to create your app’s interface, and any or all languages like Kotlin, Java, or C++ to write the code. According to Google, more than half of all developers now use Kotlin to create apps, so if you’re just getting started, Kotlin is the way to go.
For the iOS app, you’ll need the XCode IDE and a basic understanding of the Swift programming language. Though Objective-C is still supported, Apple appears to be moving away from C-based languages. Swift is said to be much easier to learn and work with.
Aside from native app development, another benefit is that you don’t have to worry about programming languages in other development approaches. If you want to create a hybrid app, all you have to do is follow the framework’s guidelines.
7. Develop your Mobile App
Credit: Creative Bloq
Remove any extraneous items that don’t help people complete their jobs. Keep in mind that content serves as your user interface. The importance of a landing page cannot be overstated.
When feasible, use a single input field. Multiple fields and forcing users to move between modes provide a horrible user experience that causes them to abandon your app right away.
Another dangerous habit is to receive too many push alerts. This irritates the user and provides them a compelling cause to delete your app.
Consider making your software future-proof. Today, you may just wish to meet the needs of your target users. However, you must ensure that the application can generate revenue for future growth. The more effectively you promote your app, the sooner you’ll start making money and the faster you’ll be able to add new features and expand your app.
The success of your mobile and online apps is also dependent on selecting the proper and fast database. Always keep the following things in mind when selecting a database: required size, data structure, speed and scalability, and user data safety and security.
8. Mobile App Testing
Credit: Peerbits
After you’ve completed the app development process, test your mobile app to guarantee there are no issues and that the user experience is as straightforward as the wireframes you generated and tested. While there are many different types of testing, we recommend that you do at least two: an internal test and an external test.
Internal testing entails the development team testing your software as though you were the end-user. External testing, on the other hand, necessitates giving the software to others who are unfamiliar with how to use it.
For every piece of software, there are two forms of testing. Whitebox testing examines an app’s core architecture and operations. Test cases are created utilizing a system’s internal perspective and programming abilities.
While blackbox testing investigates the functionality of an app without looking at its internal workings or structures, whitebox testing examines the app’s internal workings and structures. The tester understands what the software is meant to do, but not how it accomplishes it.
9. Launch Mobile App
Credit: Performante
Now that your app has been fully designed and tested, it’s time to share it with the rest of the world.
To begin, submit your app to the appropriate app store. Make sure you follow the app store’s standards, whether it’s the Play Store or the App Store. This level is also explained in length in videos and tutorials available online. You may watch the videos to learn more about anything. This can help you increase your app’s app store optimization score and get the most out of it.
An app development business is familiar with all of the rules and regulations that must be followed in order to publish an app. Indeed, we have over 2000 iOS apps and 1500 Android apps available on the App Store and Play Store, respectively.
We investigate the exact permissions and standards that our client’s app must meet and provide them with guidance. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require further information. We’ll be pleased to walk you through the documentation and launch process for an app. You can make the process of publishing your app on App Stores go more smoothly.
10. Promote and Marketing your App
Credit: Medium
It’s a frequent misconception that superior items don’t require marketing, but this isn’t the case. Marketing is the voice that informs people about who you are, what you stand for, and how you distinguish yourself from the competition.
Companies usually have a huge budget for promotion and marketing these days. If you are a beginner, you can start by simply asking three questions to yourself.
You may begin advertising your app whether or not it has been released on the app store. Use a banner on your website, write a dedicated blog post about the app, send emails to your existing customers, promote it on social media platforms like Facebook by creating interactive videos, upload photos or videos to YouTube, and tweet about it.
If you want to attract more users, you can also invite influencers to promote your app on their social networks via photos or videos.
What Should You Do After Developing Your App?
What happens now that you’ve developed the app, promoted it, and people have begun using it? The life cycle of the app has just begun.
After you’ve finished developing the app, there are two key things you should perform.
User Review
When it comes to optimizing your app’s performance, user input is extremely important. It doesn’t imply you can’t make modifications after the app is published. In fact, once users start using your app, you’ll be able to tell how they feel about it.
You may request feedback on your app from your users. Send everyone an email, simply a sentence or two, asking what they appreciate about the app and what areas may be improved. You can also examine how the people rated things and what kind of feedback they left. You may also engage with individuals on Instagram or Facebook and offer them the opportunity to express themselves. Users’ input is always beneficial to customers’ improvement and growth.
The use of App analytics is another option. You can observe how popular your app has grown and look up facts about the users, such as their age group, location, or the location of the majority of your target consumers. You can see what your audience expects from you.
Maintenance
The purpose of gathering user input is to ensure that your app is kept up to date. There are primarily three approaches to upgrading your app.
Feature requests: You can address concerns or additional requirements in an app’s future feature upgrades if your audience has stated them. If your consumers ask for it, you may add additional features to the app.
Bug fixes: Your app will be used by a huge number of users when it is launched. It’s possible that you’ll discover that the program has certain flaws. Some screens, for example, take a bit longer to load. You can repair these flaws, as well as anything else, in future versions and keep the app up to date.
Major software updates: You must update your app whenever Apple or Google releases a new software update. As a result, you’ll need to keep your app up to date.
Final Tips
Programmers make mistakes all the time, so don’t be disheartened if you can’t pass a test you wrote or keep stumbling over yourself. Consider iOS9, Android Lollipop, or any other app you enjoy using. Even the most mature applications contain flaws, so don’t expect to produce the most flawless, bug-free app on the market (but this doesn’t imply you shouldn’t aim to build high-quality apps).
Furthermore, it’s not uncommon for you to spend hours, if not days, working on something and still not be able to get it to function the way you want. If adding new features was simple, there would be no need for new programmers. We’d be on a perfect iOS100 right now, and we’d have created a digitalized world like the one in the Matrix.
As a result, you’ll frequently hear the phrase “make errors” when others encourage you to start developing stuff. They’re serious about it. As a programmer, you must realize that you will not be a badass coding machine capable of conjuring up features in a flash. You’re going to fail a lot, which is fine.
Remember that you’re a novice, which means that a lot of things will be challenging at first. You’ll be spending a lot of time on something you believe should be simple, and it’ll feel like an uphill battle at first, but things will get simpler as you get more expertise. When you eventually finish your first app, you’ll feel a feeling of success, and you may even consider selling it if you want to.