The custom software development space is becoming more and more defined by mobile app development. The proliferation of smartphones has made mobile apps the must-have tool for any individual or company trying to make a name for themselves. A well-developed app can make a lot of money for its owner. If you would like to develop an app, you must wonder how hard it can be to make your dream a reality. The good news is mobile app development is very straightforward if you have the right partner. Here are the stages of software development for mobile apps.
Research And Wire-Framing
The first stage is to take app idea and outline it into a real piece of software. The best way to start this is to study the market and see how your app would fit into it. Your app needs to serve a purpose, otherwise, no one will download it. During this phase, you should also work out what precisely the app will do and what its functionality will be. To achieve this, consider hiring a custom software design and development company to build a wireframe, or paper blueprint, for the app. If needed, they can draw what the app screens will look like. This stage is important because you have not spent any money yet. If your idea isn’t practical, it is easiest to alter here and make sure it will do what you want it to do.
Prototype Your App
Once you have a wireframe, your app developer can use it to build an actual prototype of the app. This is an important stage to determine whether what you thought up is practically functional. There’s really no way to tell what an apps touch experience is like until you build it. Once the prototype is complete, show it to your investors and others and get feedback about its functionality. This prototype can also be used to draw new investors to the project since it shows that your idea is mechanically sound. The prototype stage will take your ideas and see how well they translate to real life.
Start Development
The development process will turn your prototype into an app that’s almost ready to market. At the start of the development stage, your software development company will have to buy server space and build out the functional back-end of the app. Then your app will go through two builds, the alpha build and the beta build. The alpha build will focus on getting just the core functionality working. In this stage, don’t worry about bugs. The important thing is to ensure the basic functions of the app work on all phone types. The beta build then builds other functionality, like the user interface. Here, glitches and other problems should be addressed, and the style of the app established. This will be the longest stage in the process and you must be patient during it. Rushing here will result in an unusable app.
Testing The App
With a beta build ready to be released, it is time to test your mobile application. Your custom software development services team should test the app as early as the prototype stage, and regularly test it to make sure it is still working right. At this stage, you and your software developers need to test absolutely everything about the app. This is your last chance to clear away bugs or other issues before your launch. Approach this test with the intention of deliberately breaking the app or pushing its limits. Use the app in ways that you know caused trouble early on. If it still works after all this, then it is ready to go to market.
Launching Your App
The final stage of app development is to prepare for the launch. The first part of this stage is increasing your server space and web functionality. Your enterprise mobile app developer will need to make sure you have space for all your users to run the app. Next, they will submit your app to the app stores. These stores will then review the app and might demand small changes to make sure it follows their guidelines. Sometimes, these changes can be negotiated, but many will have to change. Once the stores are satisfied, your app will go live. After that, any user can access it. The development process is over, and the marketing process begins.
A mobile app can go from an idea to an actual piece of software in a few straightforward steps. Flesh out your idea with your custom software developer and work out a wireframe of the actual app. Next, they will build a prototype to prove the app is functional. Your developer will use the development process to expand the prototype into a full app. Afterwards, the team should rigorously test your app to find and remove glitches. Finally, submit your finished app to app stores for review and publishing. After all these stages, your idea will be a great app ready to work.
