How To Create an App – A Simplified Guide

Still in a dilemma on how to create an app?

Know how developers at aPurple have made their mark in developing mobile apps.

Recently, mobile app development service providers have played a massive role in building amazing apps like Clubhouse, Instacart, Spotify, etc.

Did you ever wonder what makes an app successful?

Tested app development steps will result in a powerful, robust mobile application. Yes, these mobile applications have tested app development steps.

If you remember, it all started with the traditional black and white phone when people liked an easy ‘Snake game’ and is now catering to the needs of every individual with the latest web development trends.

Building an innovative app with years of experience is tricky. So, step into the field and learn how to make an app.

But, before we step into the stages of mobile app development, let us read the fundamentals of an app.

Fundamentals of Creating Mobile Apps

As we step further in this decade of 2021 to 2030, the in-app purchase worldwide of the mobile app market will be a whopping $613 billion in revenue by 2025.

Why is considering fundamentals necessary to make an app?

Setting up fundamentals is the early stage that not only helps in the app’s success but avoids the extra cost and effort that is involved in fixing bugs before the launch.

Let us now understand the five fundamentals that you should always consider.

User Experience

A user-friendly and intuitive application keeps the mobile app alive and interactive. Ensure the app is faster and easy to use from everywhere.

Security

As mobile apps are used for everything today, people are worried about their data security. Apps contain sensitive data of the users, and it isn’t easy to secure and integrate the component simultaneously during development.

Know the Target Audience

Know the audience you want to cater to before developing an app. It becomes easy to add features that a user would wish to see in the application.

Native OS Technology

For improved performance and faster loading time, native mobile technology provides a high-quality user experience.

Easy Deployment

The development team’s efforts are more focused if the supporting structure is simplified and helps enhance the app.

However, to develop a successful app, you must also follow a method to efficiently manage the entire process of app development.

At aPurple, we follow the best practices by implementing the Agile and Scrum method. The difference between the two methods is the Agile method has the core set of values, whereas Scrum is a specific Agile method to facilitate a project. Choose the best fit for your application that efficiently manages the app development process.

Let us now look at the steps to build an app.

How to Create an App – Stages of App Development

“I have an idea for an app” is a very common statement that every business owner and startup enabler would say.

However, building an app is not only based on the idea but there is a procedure to execute it effectively.

All the industries need to adopt the new era of digitization where developers strive to convert your plan to have an application into a real one.

But how to create an app is a question that we will answer in the next section.

Let’s start!

Explore the Idea

If you have an app idea, discuss the project with your team and stakeholders. You may have many questions as having an idea alone will not work. Ask yourself a few questions mentioned below:

1. What is the app for?
2. Who is the target audience?
3. How will it help the customers?
4. What makes my app unique to gain users’ attention?

Once you find answers to these questions, you can proceed further with planning the strategy and researching the market. So, the first step is to evaluate the app’s benefits by discovering the profitable space.

Assess the Project Requirements

Determine the core purpose of developing an app. Choose the platform according to your target audience or you even have an option to build an app with native platform. You can discuss this with the app development company or the team you have hired to understand the flow of the app.

One of the options is to build an MVP product that includes readability, design, functions, and usability.

Once cost estimation is ready, make it official by signing an NDA between both parties. Let us understand why an NDA is needed and what it includes.

Non-Disclosure Agreement

There are multiple points that make an NDA. A leading mobile app development company will ensure to sign an NDA to avoid any misunderstanding during the process. Let’s check a few points to consider-

• Name of the parties
• Timeline of completing the project
• Mode of communication
• Security
• Data security
• Tech stack
• Features
• Transparency of each stage

Designing the Application

What comes to your mind when you read the word design of an app?

Design or custom mobile apps according to your business. The look and feel of the mobile app is what attract the users.

The two main elements that make the design alluring are the UI and UX.

So, what are UI and UX?

User Interface

The UI design is the graphical representation of the mobile app. In short, the look and feel of the app for the users.

User Experience

It is an outline of the app for a user to interact with the UI elements of the app. With UX, a user gets seamless navigation of the app.

The core purpose of UI/UX design is to provide a seamless experience with a sharp look of the app. It helps in grabbing the user’s attention with an intuitive design. The design also depends on the data fetched by the users from the app. It contains a lot of functions and varieties while building an app’s architecture.

Now that you are aware of these terms, let us give you a list of the mobile app design process that aPurple follows.

• Wireframing of the app– Digital sketches with conceptual layouts to give a visual structure to the app.
• Style guides– This includes color schemes, typefaces, and graphics according to the client’s requirements and branding guidelines.
• Mockups– High-fidelity designs are the app’s visual design with applying style guides on the wireframes.
• Prototype of the design– If mockups display the app functionality, prototypes help identify the modifications to those functionalities, saving time and money.

App Development

Isn’t this what you have been waiting for?

Development is the guts of any app. If you are new to the development, you should know the sprints. It needs frontend and backend components to make it a successful one. After getting the backend wireframe and frontend designs ready, you can now get going with the coding.

There are three parts of backend operations:

• Server-side
• Application
• Database

The frontend developer analyzes the code, designs, and debugs the applications to provide a seamless experience to the user. There are multiple other platforms like Native app and Hybrid app. Native apps operate only on specific operating systems and devices whereas Hybrid apps are a combination of native and web app elements by using JavaScript, CSS, and HTML.

Creating a single step-by-step android app development process will cost you more than building a hybrid application on Android and iOS.

It takes a considerable amount of time to build an app. Any hasty decision can permanently block the road to creating a successful app.

You May Also Like: How To Build Real Estate App Like Zillow?

Testing

Your app might seem perfect, but at a later stage or post-launch, you need to ensure flawless working of the app. Therefore, a set of activities is conducted by the software tester after completing the development process. It helps in verifying the quality, performance, user experience, and compatibility.

Testing an app will leave no chances of any bugs even in the future. Consequently, there are various types of testing. Check below.

• Functional testing– Verification of the features.
• Use acceptance testing– Target users test the app and leave feedback for improvement.
• Performance testing– Performance testing to determine the stability of the mobile application.
• Usability testing– New users perform the usability test to check the ease of the app.
• Device-specific testing– Testing the app on different devices to check the app’s screen size, responsiveness, flexibility, and versatility.

At aPurple to keep track of your app testing, our QA team follows an approach to build and test the bugs or issues continuously.

Deployment of the App- Launching Phase

Once the first version of the app is ready, whether it is an Android or iOS app development, launching the app is the climax of the entire process. If you pull off this phase successfully, the ball is in your court.

According to the statista reports, there are 3.48 million apps in the Play store and 2.22 million apps in the App store.

This means you need to have a lot of focus to rank your app.

Once you deploy the app, the developer’s team will keep an eye on the analytics, crash reports, and user issues.

Post-Launch Update

Now that the users have started using the app, you will receive feedback and reviews. So, the mobile app development chapter is not limited to the launching phase.

There may be chances that you will have to add or remove features liked or disliked by the users worldwide. However, a successful app can also have ongoing bugs, where post-launch support comes into the picture.

Our mobile app development company is eager to serve you with any query on updating or changing features.

Here’s an end to a full-length mobile app development process.

Interested in following the Process of How to Create an App?

We are sure you have the solution for how to create an app, now.

If you are still confused, get in touch with aPurple. One of the most prominent and well-known app development companies is the best fit to launch your first mobile application in the market.

Our team of experts will take your app from plinth to paramount. You would be happier to know that aPurple stands with their clients throughout the app development stages and also provides post-launch support.

You can contact us to discuss your app idea and get the best advice for a seamless process.

FAQs:

1. How much does it cost to create an app?

There are multiple factors that together build an app. The development process or the stages will incur costs that cannot be fixed. A basic app or high-end featured app differs in cost. With extensive research by the team of developers, they can come to the conclusion on the working hours and the cost per hour.

2. How to create an app from scratch?

• Develop an idea
• Discuss the requirements
• Know the target audience
• Wireframe and mockups
• Create design
• Development
• Testing
• Deployment

These are the stages of app development. Following these simple steps will give you an amazing application for your business.

3. How long does it take to make an app?

Designing or developing a simple app will take a few weeks. A complex app requires months of development. The steps of app development are the same due to the complexity, the features and functionalities become a little difficult and time-consuming process. Although, it all depends on the industry that you are into and what kind of an app you want to create.

4. How to develop an app for beginners?

With an app idea and good research, you can build an app for your business. Try to figure out what extra benefit can you provide to the customers other than your competitors. Create mockups, and graphics, and build a landing page using WordPress if you have zero knowledge of HTML or CSS. To know more about the tech stack, you can discuss it with the app development company and proceed further with them.