7 Essential Tools for Mobile App Development Success

Mobile apps are there to stay at least for a decade or two until something new comes up. The majority of large businesses have apps for marketing and customer service. They belong to diverse domains like banking, travel, hotels, education or eCommerce.

With increasing mobile penetration and introduction of 5G services across the world, mobile apps will increasingly help businesses in engaging with customers. Hence, they need to build with utmost precision and latest technology.

In this blog, we will specifically focus on building world-class apps with the help of the latest tools.

So, let’s get started.

What is Mobile Application Development?

It is a set of processes for writing code for small computing devices like smartphones and tablets. Mobile app development has its roots in traditional software development. However, mobile apps are meant for mobile devices and their unique characteristics.

There are two major mobile app platforms, which are Android from Google and iOS from Apple. Some apps come preloaded on devices while other apps can be downloaded Google Play Store or Apple App store on Android and Apple devices respectively.

Categories of Mobile Apps

In the beginning when mobile apps were first launched, they were meant only for a particular device. These were called Native apps and each device required its own mobile app development code.

However, there are several other categories of apps. Let’s have a quick look.

Hybrid Apps: They act like Native apps and are developed using languages like HTML, Cascading Style Sheets(CSS) and JavaScript. They are most economical in terms of cost and can be developed faster.

Hybrid apps do not have as many features as Native apps.

The only common thing between hybrid apps and cross-platform apps is code shareability.

As hybrid apps make use of a single codebase, there will be features which will function in one Operating System and not function well on another.

Progressive Web Apps(PWA): This is basically a website which behaves like an app. PWAs are developed using Facebook React and other web technologies.

These apps do not have to be downloaded from Play Store or Apple Store. However, users cannot make use of all the features of the device being used like contacts, calendars etc.

Encapsulated Apps: This is an app that runs with another container app. For example, the Microsoft Power App creation tool allows inexperienced developers to create apps quickly. However, there are issues of OS lock-in and lack of isolation from the core OS.

Cross-platform Apps: These apps allow development teams to run apps on different devices and reuse a large section of the code. These apps run smoothly on different Operating Systems.

This approach has several advantages over other types of apps in terms of time and cost of development. 

Mobile App Development Process

The process of launching mobile apps consists of a series of steps in a particular order. We will go through each of these for your reference.

1. Strategy: This is the first step in which all stakeholders discuss why the app would be a solution to the problem or approach to an opportunity. It also involves analyzing the market and competitors. 

2. Planning: In this step, key parameters are decided which include tools, technology, team and the timeline of the project. The features to be included and what resources are available for this project are discussed.

3. Design: This step is all about creating the User Interface of the mobile app and developing a prototype for testing and feedback. Depending on the testing and prototyping, a full app with all the features is developed.

4. Development: This step involves the coding and actual software development based on the previous step results. It includes the technological architecture and stack, front end, back end and the APIs.

5. Testing: This is a crucial step for the mobile app development process, as it ensures that apps have been built as per requirements and there are no bugs. Test cases are created to determine apps performance, stability and security.

      6.  Launch: This is the final step of the mobile app development process in which the app under development and testing is finally released for users. Even after release, the development firm provides support to customers for technical and other performance issues.

Essential Tools for App Development

There are many app development tools in the market but there are some tools which are indispensable when it comes to building robust apps. Let’s have a look at 7 of them.

Android Studio

It is the official IDE(Integrated Development Environment) for Android apps, which is maintained by Google.

Android Studio has features like a built-in emulator, code editor, visual layout editor, and integration with Google Cloud Platform.

It is an open-source software which supports Kotlin, which is the official language of Android. You can build apps for all screen sizes and device types.

However, there are certain drawbacks, like increased RAM usage, which may affect the development process.

Steps for Using Android Studio

We go through a step-by-step process of using Android Studio to create mobile apps. Although it can be challenging for beginners, following these steps will make your task easier.

Step 1: Download

You have to first download the IDE from the official page of Android Studio. The version chosen should be compatible with your OS.

This mobile app development tool is available for Windows, macOS and Linux. Wait for the download to be over and follow the instructions to install Android Studio on your Computer.

Step 2: Required Components

During installation, you will be asked to install necessary components like Android Virtual Device(AVD) Manager, Android Emulator and Android SDK.

Android Emulator helps developers in testing their applications without making use of physical devices.

Step 3: Configure

You need to configure Android Studio after installing it. After choosing the “Standard” configuration, click on “Next”. Select the theme of the IDE and then click on “Next”..

In case you need different settings, it can be customized as per your needs.

Step 4: Create New Project

Once Android Studio is configured, you can start building your first app. You will be asked to choose project name, package name and other details. There is an option of choosing a minimum SDK version, which specifies the oldest version of Android on which your application can run on.

Step 5: Build the App

In this step, you start building your application by making use of various tools and features.

Use the visual layout editor for designing UI and write the code in Kotlin or Java.

Android SDK can be used for accessing device features like camera, GPS and other sensors.

Step 6: Testing

Android Studio has an emulator which allows testing the application on different devices. Analyze the performance of your app and identify performance issues.

After comprehensive testing, your mobile application is ready for launch.

React Native

It is a well-known cross-platform mobile app development tool allowing developers to write code once and use it on multiple platforms.

React Native reduces development time and effort required by allowing reuse of code across platforms. It is free and developers can start with it by official documentation and tutorials provided.

It makes use of native components which provides higher performance and is used by giants like Airbnb and Meta. You can see real-time changes due to the reloading features provided and has large community support, many plugins, third-party libraries. 

Steps for Using React Native

We go through the step-by-step procedure of making use of React Native for building mobile apps by making use of React Native.

Step 1: Install React Native

To begin with, you have to first install NodeJS and NPM in your system before starting the installation of create-react-native-app.

Step 2: Create the Project

You have to browse through the required folder, and a new React Native project needs to be created.

You have to execute the following commands to create a folder with a specified name.

C:\Users\username>cd Desktop

C:\Users\username\Desktop>create-react-native-app MyReactNative

Step 3: NodeJS Python Jdk8

In case your system does not have NodeJS and Jdk8 installed, you need to install them first. Along with that, install the latest version of Yarn to avoid hindrances.

Step 4: Install React Native Command Line Interface(CLI)

Install React Native command line interface on npm by making use of the install -g react-native-cli command, mentioned below.

npm install -g react-native-cli

Step 5: Launch React Native

Browse the project folder and start the project using the start command to verify the installation.

If everything is all right, a QR code will be displayed.

Step 6: Eject

You can run the Android emulator using Android Studio by coming out of the current command line.

Next, execute the run eject command as:

Npm run eject

Step 7: Installing Android Studio

Download Android Studio from its website and install it.

Step 8: Configure AVD Manager

Configure the AVD manager by clicking on its icon in the menu bar.

Step 9: Run Android

You have to open the command prompt, browse through the project folder, and execute the react-native run-android command.

After this, your app execution will begin.

Step 10: local.properties

Now, you have to open your Android folder and create a file with the name local.properties.

Step 11: Hot Reloading

Modify the App.js to build the application, and you will be able to see the changes in the Android emulator.

Kubernetes

Kubernetes is a software for app development specifically for containerized applications and for automating the development process. It has several features for delivering stable and high performance solutions.

Auto-scaling enables distribution of RAM, CPU and other resources as per the apps requirement. Load balancing features are for distribution of traffic evenly amongst the containers to stop overloading.

It has the ability to work with on-premise cloud, public or private cloud, thus making it flexible. Kubernetes provides the feature of rollback in case of bugs or defects being discovered.

It has self regulating features like replication, scaling and automatic restart to maintain a desired state of the system.

However, there can be issues when migrating from a non-containerized application to a containerized application.

The cost of Kubernetes depends on the cloud provider, the number of nodes, and various other factors.

Steps for Using Kubernetes

Let’s go through the basics of the Kubernetes cluster orchestration system.

Step 1: Create a Kubernetes Cluster

Kubernetes coordinates a cluster of computers connected to work as one single unit. It contains two types of resources, which are Control Plane and Nodes.

The control plane coordinates the cluster and nodes are workers that run applications.

Step 2: Deployment

After you have a functional Kubernetes cluster, deploy containerized applications on top of it. Make use of the Kubernetes command line interface, Kubectl, to create and manage a Deployment.

Step 3: Explore Your App

After you have created a deployment, Kubernetes creates a Pod to host your application instance. A pod represents a group of one or more application containers like Docker.

Pods are atomic units on Kubernetes, and a pod always runs on a Node. In this step, you can use Kubectl to get information about the deployed apps and their environments.

Step 4: Expose Your App Publicly

If no pods are found to be running, it simply means that objects from the previous tutorials have been removed. So, you need to go back and recreate the deployment. Next, you need to list current Services from the cluster.

Deployment creates a label for the pod, and to delete services, you can use the delete service subcommand.

Step 5: Scale Up

You can scale your app using Kubectl to keep up with the increase in user demand. This can be accomplished by changing the number of replicas in a Deployment.

To list your deployment, make use of the get deployments subcommand. Next you have to check load balancing of the traffic.

Step 6: Update the App

Users expect that the app should be available always, and developers are expected to go for deployment of new versions many times in a day. This is done with rolling updates, which needs zero downtime.

You can also verify the update by running the rollout status subcommand. If you want to view the current version of the app, run the describe pods subcommand. You also have the option to roll back an update with the rollout undo command.

Kobiton

Kobiton is a tool for mobile app developers which provides continuous testing. It allows users to launch applications faster without bugs.

It helps mobile app testers to develop apps for different device’s unique configurations. Kobiton can be integrated with testing frameworks like Selenium, Espresso, and XCUI and utilize their test suites.

It is cloud-based, which helps with the scalability of a number of devices. There is an add-on

for collecting metrics from Kobiton Cloud, which is a Chrome extension.

An analytics suite generates reports of testing data to get insights, identify issues, and fix them.

Kobiton is an advanced mobile app development tool and needs expert developers to make full use of its features.

Steps for Using Kobiton

We go through a step-by-step process of using Kobiton for the mobile app testing process.

Step 1: Preparation

The first step outlines the testing strategy, prerequisites, targeting devices identification and creating a test plan. It is decided whether to go for manual or automated testing.

Step 2: Identifying Essential Testing Types

There can be automated, manual or cloud simulator tests to make sure that the mobile app performs optimally across iOS and Android devices. This helps in finding out potential defects.

Step 3: Designing Test Cases

Test cases are a series of steps required to carry out a certain test. These are designed as per the mobile app scenarios.

Step 4: Testing Environment Set up

The testing environment is made up of devices, codes for app testing, and configuration. A proper environment is necessary for proper testing.

Step 5: Performing Various Tests

This step involves performing various types of tests which include Usability Testing, UI testing, compatibility testing, Performance testing and Security Testing. Beta Testing is also done in which users themselves test the application.

Step 6: Feedback

In this stage feedback is received from the users about various features and functionality of the apps. Any bottlenecks or issues are addressed to make the app more robust.

Step 7: End-to-End Testing & Release

After all the tests are complete, end-to-end testing is done to ensure the app performs as per server level and backend. After fixing all the issues, the mobile app is finally released for use.

Ionic

This framework is for building hybrid apps by making use of HTML, CSS and JavaScript. It helps in creating cross-platform apps via a single codebase for both iOS and Android.

Ionic also provides integration with front-end frameworks like React, Vue.js and Angular to create vibrant User Interfaces.

It is not very difficult to learn and enables quick prototyping. Iconic has a huge collection of pre-built UI components, plugins, libraries, and a large community of developers.

Steps of Using Ionic Framework

Let’s have a quick look at using the Ionic framework for mobile app development.

Step 1: Download Required Tools

You need to download certain tools for using Ionic for mobile app development. This includes Node.js, a code editor and a Command Line Interface(CLI).

Step 2: Install the Required Tools

Once you have downloaded, you need to install all the required tools using related commands.

Step 3: Create the App

This step involves the creation of the actual app by making use of various templates, modules, and features.

Step 4: Run the App

Once the app is ready, run the app by making use of the “ionic serve” command. This will run the app on the browser itself, where it can be tested as well.

Xamarin

This mobile application development tool also provides a single codebase which can be used both for Android and iOS. It allows building mobile apps using .NET framework and C#.

Xamarin has a large community of developers, a huge number of libraries and is free and an open-source tool. It allows integration with Microsoft Azure which helps developers in building secure and scalable cloud-based apps.

It allows developers to make use of existing C# and Visual Studio skills to reduce the launch time of apps. Xamarin has tools for performance optimization, debugging and testing,  ensuring creating high-quality apps.

Xamarin has all the features required to develop apps of the enterprise level. Xamarin requires much less code to be written comparatively, as a result the number of bugs are also less.

In case you develop a cross-platform app, UI is not affected as Xamarin gives a feel of a native app.

As Xamarin is assisted by Microsoft, there is continuous technical assistance and quick resolution. It does not have hardware compatibility issues, either.

Steps for Using Xamarin

You need to do some preparation before you can start using Xamarin for mobile application development. Let’s have a quick look.

Step 1: Start

To begin, start a new instance of Visual Studio and follow the path File>New>Project. A menu dialog box will appear, then go to templates>Visual C#>Android>Blank App(Android).

Step 2: Set Up an Android Emulator

On the Visual Studio menu, follow the path Tools>Android>Android Emulator Manager. Click on the “Create” button and a screen will be displayed.

Step 3: Modify the App

In this step, you modify the project and add buttons and other features. Next, build and run your application.

Flutter

This is a mobile app development framework created by Google. It uses Dart programming language, reactive programming model for creating responsive and high-performance User Interfaces.

Flutter has a hot reload feature and provides a customizable User Interface with widgets. Hot reload allows developers to view changes done to the code in real-time.

It is open-source with a large community support and detailed documentation, which makes it easier for developers with less experience.  

Flutter code provides fast performance on any device as it compiles to ARM or Intel machine code and JavaScript. A single code base can be deployed for different devices like mobile, desktop, web, and embedded devices.

Steps to Use Flutter

Flutter is very user-friendly and can be used to build high-quality applications. Let’s have a look at this process.

Step 1: Create a New Project

Open the Android Studio IDE and start a new Flutter project. You can also do this by using the terminal command and directly go to step 6.

Step 2: Project Type Selection

You have to select the Flutter application as the project type and then click on Next.

Step 3: Verification

Verify the Flutter SDK path, which specifies the SDK’s location.

Step 4: Project Name

Enter the project name and then click on Next button..

Step 5: Finish

Click on Finish and wait till the project is created by Android Studio.

Step 6: Edit the Code

Once the file is created successfully, the code can be edited to get the output which is required. After this Android Studio creates the app with minimal functionality.

Wrapping Up Mobile App Development…

Mobile apps have inevitable parts of our lives and indispensable tools for businesses. As a result, mobile apps have become increasingly sophisticated over the years and have become much faster and safer.

We have seen 7 essential tools for mobile app development, which can help you in coming up with a robust app for your business. As each tool has its own unique characteristics and features, choose the one which fits your needs.

For your mobile app development requirement, get in touch with Nile Bits.