How do you make an app?

Hey,

I've thought of an idea that I think has a lot of potential as an app for your phone. However, I have no idea how to turn it from an idea into reality.
How do you design an app? Who would you approach to even begin the process?

Reply 1

CorpusLuteum

21

Original post by adollop

Hey,

I've thought of an idea that I think has a lot of potential as an app for your phone. However, I have no idea how to turn it from an idea into reality.
How do you design an app? Who would you approach to even begin the process?

Do you have a Mac at home?
You can download XCode and create your app so that it'll be compatible on an iphone.
It's only available on mac computers though, I think.

Reply 2

ChrisD0

11

Do you want to make it yourself or have a dev/dev team do it?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 3

Carthaginian

2

Android Studio, etc.
Literally hundreds of programs and engines to do this.

Reply 4

CorpusLuteum

21

Original post by adollop

Hey,

I've thought of an idea that I think has a lot of potential as an app for your phone. However, I have no idea how to turn it from an idea into reality.
How do you design an app? Who would you approach to even begin the process?

Also, just google steps on how to make an app, it usually requires a bit of planning but sometimes it's good to make your first draft and then continue to improve it so you can see what works and what doesn't.

Reply 5

TurtleCub

1

Original post by adollop

Hey,

I've thought of an idea that I think has a lot of potential as an app for your phone. However, I have no idea how to turn it from an idea into reality.
How do you design an app? Who would you approach to even begin the process?

First step would be too look into any programming language and decide which is for you. "Python" is easy for many beginners to understand, whereas "C#" is towards the intermediate end of the spectrum.

Hard work, perseverance and dedication. If you aren't driven by this idea of yours then it'll become progressively difficult once you get deeper into making this idea into reality. However, if you are passionate then go out and analyse similar apps or programs out there. If your idea is completely unique then kudos to you, you might as well draw out a design. This would encompass how your app will look, function, what platform it is to be built etc.

Reply 6

username2854838

OP

6

Thanks for the help/advice guys.

Does anyone know what kind of prices you'd be looking at if you used an app developer to design it?

I would love to do it myself but I have absolutely no knowledge on coding. (Or does this not matter)

Also, how do you go about getting an app onto iTunes/App Store?

Reply 7

TurtleCub

1

Original post by adollop

Thanks for the help/advice guys.

Does anyone know what kind of prices you'd be looking at if you used an app developer to design it?

I would love to do it myself but I have absolutely no knowledge on coding. (Or does this not matter)

Also, how do you go about getting an app onto iTunes/App Store?

The cost of acquiring a developer varies as you may have multiple other developers for graphics (unless they do absolutely everything, then the cost is higher).

Knowledge of coding is a MUST, I am currently nearing the end of developing my own game for PC/ Android and it didn't take very long to learn how to code.

Getting an app onto iTunes is fairly easy, but you have to create a developer account, pay an initial fee to get your app onto the store ( no more than £20 i believe). Don't quote me on the price to get it onto the store please its a guesstimate haha.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 8

Baleroc

13

Original post by adollop

Thanks for the help/advice guys.

Does anyone know what kind of prices you'd be looking at if you used an app developer to design it?

I would love to do it myself but I have absolutely no knowledge on coding. (Or does this not matter)

Also, how do you go about getting an app onto iTunes/App Store?

Funnily enough, I am an APP developer.

Firstly, your first question: the cost of a personal APP developer starts from £40k+ per annum depending on the complexity. Junior APP developers start from 20k+ as the absolute cheapest per annum.

Obviously if the work takes a week or two to complete, then the cost will be much cheaper.

Your second question: making an app without knowledge of coding is studying for a math degree without any knowledge of mathematics - it won't work.

Firstly, you have to ask yourself: Android or iOS? If you opt for Android, you will have to learn Java, which is an easy language to learn with thousands of tutorials out there. Java is one of the most popular language's in the world.

Conversely, for iOS development you would need to learn Swift for iOS 10+. You can learn Objective-C, but Swift is easier, and brand new (Swift 3 literally released months ago). If none of what I am talking about makes sense to you -- don't worry. It isn't supposed to make sense until you start coding.

Pick a language: Java (for Android), or Objective C/Swift (for iOS), and lookup tutorials and start coding.

Android development is available by downloading the Android Development Kit (SDK), available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

iOS development is available by downloading XCode for Apple Mac's only.

Hints for Coding
If this is the first time you are coding, then don't begin coding Android or iOS APPS -- you'll confuse yourself.

First things first: If you want to learn Java, I would suggest downloading Eclipse and practicing Java first (tutorials on the web). Once you get the hang of coding in Java, you can begin coding Android APPs using the Android Development Kit. Likewise for iOS development, XCode has a 'Playground' you can use to practice coding in Swift/Objective C.

Hope this helps.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 9

TurtleCub

1

Original post by Baleroc

Funnily enough, I am an APP developer.

Firstly, your first question: the cost of a personal APP developer starts from £40k+ per annum depending on the complexity. Junior APP developers start from 20k+ as the absolute cheapest per annum.

Obviously if the work takes a week or two to complete, then the cost will be much cheaper.

Your second question: making an app without knowledge of coding is studying for a math degree without any knowledge of mathematics - it won't work.

Firstly, you have to ask yourself: Android or iOS? If you opt for Android, you will have to learn Java, which is an easy language to learn with thousands of tutorials out there. Java is one of the most popular language's in the world.

Conversely, for iOS development you would need to learn Swift for iOS 10+. You can learn Objective-C, but Swift is easier, and brand new (Swift 3 literally released months ago). If none of what I am talking about makes sense to you -- don't worry. It isn't supposed to make sense until you start coding.

Pick a language: Java (for Android), or Objective C/Swift (for iOS), and lookup tutorials and start coding.

Android development is available by downloading the Android Development Kit (SDK), available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

iOS development is available by downloading XCode for Apple Mac's only.

Hints for Coding
If this is the first time you are coding, then don't begin coding Android or iOS APPS -- you'll confuse yourself.

First things first: If you want to learn Java, I would suggest downloading Eclipse and practicing Java first (tutorials on the web). Once you get the hang of coding in Java, you can begin coding Android APPs using the Android Development Kit. Likewise for iOS development, XCode has a 'Playground' you can use to practice coding in Swift/Objective C.

Hope this helps.

I'm guessing you class yourself as a Junior APP developer then? Are you studying a Computer Science related undergraduate degree at the present because I am quite unsure whether its the course for me. Coding and the maths behind it can be tasking but as far as job prospects go for a Computer science undergrad, it seems too competitive for low paying jobs. One software engineer jokingly referred to their work as " it's like being in a coding sweatshop sometimes". Thoughts ?

Reply 10

Baleroc

13

Original post by TurtleCub

I'm guessing you class yourself as a Junior APP developer then?

That is correct. I have 2 months of APP development experience in iOS, but 2 years coding in Java. That also means that I picked up and learned Swift (the iOS programming language) in 2 months; this is much easier to pick up with programming experience since Swift is very similar to Java.

Original post by TurtleCub

Are you studying a Computer Science related undergraduate degree at the present because I am quite unsure whether its the course for me.

Yes, I am studying a computer science degree. This is difficult to formulate without knowing your interests. A definition of computer science is 'the study of formal methods and proofs underpinning technology'. Computer science is discrete mathematics. If you do not like math -- don't study computer science. Computer science is not just learning programming but databases, artificial intelligence, networking, operating systems, computer security, comp sci + economics, comp sci + biology, and many others. It is also about proof. That is, can you prove that your program terminates? Can you prove that your program works for every possible input?

One common theme between all computer science degree's is programming. But, you should note: you do not have to study computer science to learn coding. However, you do need knowledge of computer science for coding. You would need to have knowledge of algorithms, and this is best learned from a degree. Learning algorithms in your own time is far less effective than learning them during a degree, simply because you will have less in-depth knowledge about algorithms.

In summary, you should study for a computer science degree if any of the sub-fields I listed above interest you (networks, artificial intelligence, architecture, algorithms, discrete math, etc). But do note: ALL sub-fields of computer science involve programming.

For example, databases requires knowledge of SQL, Artificial Intelligence has another 5 language's to learn such as Prolog, networks could be a simple language such as Java, and architecture (more advanced) could be a programming language such as Assembly.

In short, if you like programming - go for Computer Science. If you don't -- avoid it. One final thing I should add: do not study computer science for its prospects, study it if you're passionate in it, or you will find it difficult finishing your degree.

Original post by TurtleCub

Coding and the maths behind it can be tasking but as far as job prospects go for a Computer science undergrad, it seems too competitive for low paying jobs. One software engineer jokingly referred to their work as " it's like being in a coding sweatshop sometimes". Thoughts ?

Computer science is one of the only degree's available where you can get a job on your own merit. More specifically, once you have learned programming, you can create your own website, APPs, games, and a lot of other creations. Essentially, once you have the skills, you can build anything. This is important because employers have hired graduates based on what they have created thus far in their portfolio. Even if you achieved a third class honours degree, if you have a large portfolio showing all the creations you made over the years, that will more than likely get you a job.

With respect to competition its self: there are a lot of competition, but the sector is growing each year. In fact, it is said that in the next 5/10 years, there will be more jobs in the field, than graduates. That is why the government have started bringing computing into compulsory education for some primary schools, to attract interest in the field because there is a shortage of graduates in computer science/IT for the upcoming years.

With respect to the quote stated by the software engineer, there are a lot of connotations from a 'coding sweatshop', namely: difficult, underpaid work. A person said to me many years ago: programming is not a job; it is a hobby. If you are programming because you want to make money: you are in the wrong field. Programming is not for those who make money, it is for those who are passionate enough to do the job. You have to enjoy programming, and make it a daily task.

Essentially, programming in a job should be your dream. If programming is already a hobby that you do every day, then getting paid to do what you love is who it is aimed towards. If you do not code every day, and you are only interested in money - then it will be difficult, it will be tedious, underpaid work - because they don't love what they're working for.

In short, you've got to enjoy what you're doing, and do it every day. Otherwise, programming is a waste of time.

(edited 7 years ago)

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