As mobile apps become more robust, this technique is somewhat lacking. A more sophisticated approach involves developing specifically for the mobile environment, taking advantage of both its limitations and advantages. For example, apps that use location-based features are inherently built from the ground up with an eye to mobile given that the user is not tied to a location, as on PC. Apps are divided into two broad categories: native apps and web apps. Native apps are built for a specific mobile operating system, usually iOS or Android.
Native apps enjoy better performance and a more finely-tuned user interface UI , and usually need to pass a much stricter development and quality assurance process before they are released. The user is redirected on a specific web page, and all information is saved on a server-based database.
Web apps require a stable connection to be used. Other app types include mobile commerce M-commerce apps used to purchase goods online such as Amazon or eBay, travel apps that help a traveler in many ways booking tours and tickets, finding their way through maps and geolocation, travel diaries, etc.
By: Justin Stoltzfus Contributor, Reviewer. By: Satish Balakrishnan. Dictionary Dictionary Term of the Day. High-Performance Cloud Computing. Techopedia Terms.
Connect with us. There are several good prototyping tools available online to simplify the process. Your goal is to finalize your app design concept and create a high fidelity prototype that will guide you through the actual app development process.
Actually developing the app involves a number of steps and processes. You need to narrow down what mobile operating systems your app will work on. Android developers are needed if you want your app live on the Google Play Store. Developing mobile apps for multiple platforms cross platform development is definitely in your best interest. These high-resolution renderings of your wireframes represent the interface your users will eventually use to interact with your app, so make sure your designs incorporate all the ideas and feedback collected during the earlier testing phase.
This is an exciting time in the app development lifecycle—you finally have a complete app concept with exciting graphics and perfectly placed text. Now you need to rigorously test your app in a variety of real-world scenarios to sniff out and correct any technical flaws. You may even want to use one of the online mobile UX testing tools that give you real-time feedback and analytics; several work on a freemium model that is cost effective for SMEs.
Be sure to test for cross platform compatibility of images, graphics, and user experience. The steps you take to prepare for your app launch may have the greatest effect on its ultimate success, and getting your marketing department involved early in the process is one of the most important. Marketing will help you with keyword research, which is essential for SEO and app store optimization ASO , both of which are key for discoverability.
Your market and keyword research will guide your choices for app titles and descriptions as you prepare to submit your mobile app to the various marketplaces for distribution.
Be sure to promote your app on your business website and on your social media accounts; if you have a company blog , publish updates throughout the development process to create interest and anticipation. Depending on your market niche and the type of app you are building, you may also want to enlist the help of experts and social influencers to help promote your app.
Google Analytics is a good place to start. Another option to consider during the pre-launch phase is submitting your app to PreApps , an app marketplace that connects developers with early adopters, for some pre-release feedback. Your official release date should represent the climax of your app marketing efforts up to this point.
Promote your release with an email blast and mentions with links on all your social media profiles. The idea is to generate downloads and ratings, and build some momentum. This is a great time to use push notifications to announce a special offer or promotion so users will open your app. Consider offering incentives such as a one-time discount or free product or service for customers who download your app.
For native mobile apps, you have to choose a technology stack required by each mobile OS platform. Android apps are primarily built using Java or Kotlin. There is more than one programming language and technology stack for building mobile apps —the key is picking a technology stack that is best suited for your mobile app. Mobile technologies advance much faster with new versions of mobile platforms. Furthermore, new mobile devices are released every few months.
With platforms and devices rapidly changing, agility is essential for building mobile apps within timelines and budgets. If time-to-market is a priority, use an agile development approach. This approach supports frequent software releases with completed functionality.
Defining development milestones as part of the agile development plan supports developing your mobile application in iteration. As each development milestone completes, it is passed on to the app testing team for validation. Performing thorough quality assurance QA testing during the mobile app development process makes applications stable, usable, and secure.
To ensure comprehensive QA testing of your app, you first need to prepare test cases that address all aspects of app testing. Similar to how use cases drive the process of mobile app development, test cases drive mobile app testing. Test cases are for performing test steps, recording testing results for software quality evaluation, and tracking fixes for retesting. A best practice approach is involving your QA team in the Analysis and Design stages.
Your app should undergo the following testing methods, to deliver a quality mobility solution. The accuracy of your mobile app functionality is critical to its success. The functionality of your app should be tested by as many users to cover as many potential testing conditions as possible. You might be surprised to catch bugs when two different users test the same feature but get varied outcomes. For example, both users can fill out the same form, but they both might enter different data—which could lead to discovering a defect.
It can be broken down further into system testing the app working as a whole , and unit testing individual functions of the app operating correctly. If you are building an app for iOS and Android mobile platforms, then your functional testing should include a feature comparison between both versions of your mobile app.
There are many quantitative criteria to use for measuring the performance of your app. Even when your app passes basic performance criteria, test the app, API, and backend for load by simulating the maximum number of concurrent users.
Your app should be able to handle the load and perform well even when usage spikes. Security is of utmost concern for enterprise mobile apps. Any potential vulnerability can lead to a hack. Many companies hire outside agencies to perform thorough security testing on their applications. Your QA and development teams can take a few simple measures to make your app secured.
If your app requires users to log in, these log in sessions should be tracked on the device and the backend. User sessions should be terminated by the system when a user has remained idle for an extended time typically ten mins or less on a mobile app. If your app stores user credentials on the device to make it convenient for them to re-login, then you must ensure using a trusted service.
Data entry forms within your mobile app should be tested to ensure there is no data leakage. On average, new mobile devices enter the market every 12 months with new hardware, firmware, and design. Mobile operating systems are updated every few months. Multiple mobile device manufacturers like Samsung, LG, HTC, Motorola use the Android platform, but they customize the platform for their mobile devices since Android is open source.
The devices come in different sizes and shapes. Compare that to Apple, which has a lot more controlled environment, since they control both hardware and the OS.
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