What mobile app skills do you need to succeed?

Starting with iOS? Prioritize Swift and SwiftUI. Create apps and get hands-on experience. You'll eventually encounter UIKit; it’s here to stay for years. I'd avoid Objective-C unless it's specifically needed. If you're well-versed in Apple's SDKs, transitioning to Objective-C isn’t a stretch. For Android, Kotlin's my pick. Use Java only if a job insists. In the cross-platform realm, React Native is my top choice conceptually. While Flutter is efficient, its approach to UI feels redundant. Also, consider .NET MAUI, Xamarin's successor. Note: React Native uses TypeScript or JavaScript, Flutter employs Dart, and .NET MAUI utilizes C#.

To get started with Android, your language of choice should be Kotlin, and your preferred UI framework should be Jetpack Compose. While you still can write Android apps in Java and build user interfaces with XML and Android Views, these tools are considered legacy. To provide a balanced point of view, it is worth mention that the above assertion is questioned now and then. However, Google coined a term called "Modern Android Development", and it centers around Kotlin and the Jetpack libraries. As you gain experience in Android it is still worth looking at Java and Android Views, because the core Android framework is, and will likely always remain a Java framework.

In my perspective, when it comes to working on native applications exclusively for either iOS or Android, it's crucial to concentrate your efforts on a single path. For Android development, honing your skills in both Java and Kotlin is essential. You should also familiarize yourself with XML for designing layouts and consider delving into Jetpack Compose as a way to expand your design capabilities. By dedicating your focus to one specific platform, you'll be able to accumulate the expertise and knowledge necessary to propel your career to new heights.

?Quieres programar para iOS? Mi recomendación sería hazle caso a Apple "The best way to build an app is with Swift and SwiftUI". Ahora no digo que sea el único camino, ni que no sea necesario quizás profundizar en otros. Hay muchas cosas que pueden tenerse en consideración para tomar esta decisión, qué se pide en el mercado o qué deseas tu como profesional. Buscar un equilibrio entre ambas es ideal, al mismo tiempo, empezar por el lenguaje mas moderno te puede ayudar también a conseguir lugares que valoren adoptar nuevas tecnologías mas rapidamente o incluso trabajar en proyectos de migración de legacy code que puede ser un reto profesional interesante.

As a beginner, try to understand what is common in all of the popular architectures of the day: Separation of concerns. Learn what parts should be kept together or apart (this is called "cohesion") and different ways for these parts to communicate and know about each other (this is called "coupling"). The worst thing you can do is to fall into the trap of searching for the best software architecture. The truth is that different architectures will suit different project requirements. If you want to approach mastery of software architecture, you need to try many approaches in many different contexts. Eventually you will be able to look a project's requirements and have the requirements tell you the how the architecture should look.

1. Focus on the separation of concerns, and learn how to layer your code. 2. Use Dependency Injection to decouple your code. This allows for better testability and makes your code a lot more flexible and modular. 3. Think about the long-term implications. The cool new library/approach might not be here tomorrow. You need to evaluate your choices based on the complexity and needs of the specific project. Keep in mind that there is no universal solution that fits every situation perfectly.

To make your code understandable for everyone, start by getting why architectures matter. Begin with MVVM—it's pretty common and sets a good foundation. Then, check out Clean Architecture principles. They help keep things organized and scalable, making your code easy for others to work with. Following these ideas not only makes your code clear but also keeps it in sync with how things are usually done in the tech world.

The choice of architecture pattern depends on the specific requirements and complexity of your application. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and the suitability can also depend on the platform you're developing for (iOS, Android, cross-platform, etc). But you should not over complicate the code base just to follow the architecture just strive to make anyone who sees your code understand it and can easily maintain it.

Understanding mobile app architecture is crucial for developers. It involves structuring an app's components for efficiency. This includes separating concerns, ensuring scalability, promoting code reusability, enhancing maintainability, enabling effective testing and debugging, supporting collaboration in teams, optimizing performance, and allowing adaptability to changes. A well-defined architecture streamlines development, promotes consistency, and facilitates the creation of robust, scalable, and maintainable mobile applications. It is a blueprint that aids decision-making and ensures a smoother development process.

On the initial day of my career I lost many clients not because of code quality but due to the design of my app. Because the End user will consume the design aspect but not the code behind it. So the moment i realised the importance of design in Mobile Application, i started working on design techniques. Like : Material design, and many other design libraries to make design more attractive and user interaction. The more interactive design will create the interest of the user to explore more. One best thing i learnt was , use of Figma to use the predesigned elements code. So we need to focus on the learning of new available tools to save time and effort.

Don’t think about UI until you narrowed the core business of the project (like MVP), then based on the requirements pick and stick to certain design system For example some UI want to reflect the business brand in a professional matter like a large corporate or an app made for video gaming, based on the desired image pick the suitable design system (or get inspired by it)

We might write amazingly clean code with superb practices and architecture. But at the end of the day, these are "under the hood" items and the end user will never see / appreciate these things. To them, the aesthetics is what matters. Therefore, UI is very important. Developing an app with industry standard practices but very poorly designed UI will have a catastrophic result. It is our prime duty to liaise with UI / UX and ensure the interface is not cluttered and provides adequate information to users.

Sometimes mobile developers tend to focus too much on things like clean code, dependency injection, app architecture that they forget to polish the app's UI/UX. Which is arguably the most important aspect of the app, because at the end of the day, that is what the users will focus on. I would suggest looking at Material Design for Android and Human Interface Guidelines for iOS, for design inspirations, check out Dribble.

The most critical point the success of an app depends on is probably its User Interface Design. In my experience, it should be as simple as possible (don't make the user think). For example, there should be as little as possible interactions needed for a user to achieve a result. Also, it should be intuitive and easy to learn. Instead of experimenting with some fancy elements, the designer should rather rely on platform specific and well known UI patterns, which the users are already familiar with.

The truth is that working with an experienced UX team is essential for designing engaging and user-friendly experiences. Mobile developers alone may not cover all the necessary aspects, and collaboration ensures a holistic approach to meeting user needs effectively. But, if you want to endeavor the design work, I endorse the mentioned aspects of a good design approach already mentioned. You will need to work on the user's needs and ensure they have a good experience using your app.

User Experience Design is the unsung hero that turns your app from "meh" to "wow." This isn't just about what's on the screen, it's the full ride, ya know? Understanding who your users are, what tickles their fancy, and how they navigate through your app is crucial. Methods like user research, personas, and user journeys help you get into the user's head. Then comes the real deal: wireframes, prototypes, and all sorts of testing. Is the app accessible? Check. Usable? Check. Are the users vibing with it? Big check. It’s like the special sauce in your app burger; everyone notices when it's missing.

UX is to looking in the way of user. You should learn psychological effect when user view the UI, if you are UX designer. And update with famous apps as case study since it change quickly.

Upon crafting a polished and visually appealing app, it becomes paramount to allocate substantial attention to usability, user satisfaction, cleanliness, and clarity, ensuring a seamless user experience. Adopting a user-centric approach involves envisioning the app from the perspective of others—understanding their phone usage habits, preferences, and behaviors.

Finally, you've built your masterpiece. But wait, the world needs to see it! That’s where deployment comes in. Sign it, package it, and roll out the red carpet on the app stores. But once it's out there, it's not "set it and forget it." You need to keep up with maintenance, fix bugs, and adapt to new platform requirements. For eCommerce, the "keeping up" part is crucial for seasonal promotions or flash sales. Trust me, you don't want to be fixing bugs when you should be capitalizing on Black Friday traffic.

In my experience, an efficient way of securing your app is to implement a jailbroken and root detector for iOS and Android respectively. These detectors will ensure that your app does not work when installed on jailbroken or rooted devices.

Much like a website, a mobile application is downloaded into the device of whoever's using it. We can then easily assume that to a certain degree, an ill-intentioned person can and will be able to find breaches if we don't take care with what we're shipping. Secrets, tokens, URLs, authentication flows, etc... everything needs to be double checked so as to avoid sensitive data leaks. Third-party services used by mobile applications must also forbid unauthorised operations (e.g. unauthenticated HTTP calls, insuficcient user roles, malformed or fake tokens). Lastly, security checks should NEVER happen on the frontend of a mobile application.

One thing most of the Apps forget but it’s quite important (specially if your App handles personal information) is SSL pinning to prevent your network calls from being captured. A Jailbreak detector is also recommended. No one wants his app stolen and to be available in unofficial stores.

The most crucial aspect of development is app security; we must protect our sensitive data, such as API keys and URLs, from prying eyes. Even though nothing in the IT industry is safe, we still took various precautions to make it harder for hackers and crackers to access our private data. Rather than using a hard code or strings.xml file, I advise you to store your Android keys and data on your server. Use the R8 tools to minify your code and the Gradle properties to try to hide information. To stop production-level log messages, use Timber instead of Log.

Mobile app security is three tier, according to my understanding, that is Environmental, Data related and Network related. Majority is focusing on the last two while the first one is the most important in my opinion. Because an app resides in an environment more time than it spends on Data and Network interactions. When it comes to Android, one reason why many take it for granted is ways of Environmental attacks are diverse and enormous, so that you need to anticipate and harden your app to make it really difficult to be attacked from the environment perspective. This is a really interesting exercise for someone who is enthusiastic about Mobile app security and also an endless research opportunity.

Monitoring crashes using analytics tools like Crashlytics is a crucial aspect of app deployment and maintenance. With countless mobile device types in use, it's virtually impossible to test your app on every configuration. These tools provide valuable insights into your application's behavior across various devices. It helps identify and address issues promptly, ensuring a smoother user experience and enhancing app reliability.

App deployment isn't the finish line; it's the beginning of an ongoing journey. Regularly update your app to address user feedback, fix bugs, and enhance performance. Stay vigilant about platform changes and emerging trends. Embrace analytics to understand user behavior, and leverage reviews and feedback to shape updates. A commitment to continuous improvement ensures your app remains relevant, reliable, and appealing to users in the ever-evolving landscape of app stores and mobile platforms.

The biggest challenge with mobile development is the plethora of devices with bad configurations. There are cheap android devices that are available in the market and accessible for all. Sometimes no matter how well we write apps, there is a potential to have weird issues on certain devices. Installing tools like crashlytics is very essential because it can help detect or keep track of issues across various OS versions and devices. If these problems are not addressed, the app's reputation goes down. Also, keeping all external libraries updated to atleast 2-3 versions closer to the current latest one is recommended to weed out most of the issues in the app. Keep track of all the genuine feedbacks from the app stores and provide timely fixes.

As a developer, this should be the second most important if you want to work for a company. In most company, the user interface design and user experience are under the design department and it is a separate discipline of expertise.

Launching an app is like opening a new store. But unlike brick and mortar, it doesn’t just stop there. Keep the paint fresh, fix the squeaky doors (bugs), and maybe add an annex or two (features). And always, always listen to your customers. Reviews are your real-time feedback, and analyzing app metrics can be as revealing as A/B test outcomes.

Certainly, in the realm of mobile development, it's vital to remain vigilant about emerging technologies. Staying informed about new tools, frameworks, and trends is key to staying competitive and delivering cutting-edge solutions. Additionally, considering market demand is crucial; align your development efforts with what users seek and industry trends. Furthermore, the age-old wisdom of not putting all your eggs in one basket holds true here as well. Diversifying your skills across multiple platforms or technologies can provide a safety net and open up more opportunities in the ever-evolving mobile development landscape.

So, let's talk soft skills and mindset, the underrated MVPs of product development. No amount of coding or design chops will make up for lackluster communication or teamwork. You're not a one-man show; you're part of a unit. Also, remember, the tech world's a fast-paced rodeo. You gotta be like a surfer on a big wave—adaptable and eager to learn new tricks. Let's not forget the hustle of staying updated. New frameworks and tools pop up like weeds, and you need to decide what's the dandelion and what's the rose. And hey, don't be that guy who's all work, no play. Burnout is real; take time to recharge those creative juices. Hit the gym, binge a show, whatever floats your boat. Lastly, don't forget to celebrate the wins, no matter how small.

My first big Kotlin Android project was a health app. Initially, coding felt magical, but as the app grew, challenges mounted. The architecture crumbled under new features. One night, battling a bug I realized I needed to think bigger. Refactoring everything was tough but worth it. Integrating wearable data in real-time was tricky. Kotlin Coroutines became my lifesaver, though mastering them took time. Later, I tackled Jetpack Compose. The learning curve was steep, but it revolutionized my UI work. This journey taught me that great Android development isn't just about coding skills. It's about adapting and solving complex problems. Each project reminds me: code is just part of the story. The real magic is in overcoming unexpected challenges

To add more details on UI/UX, usually we need to look into app screens navigations, and fetching data from backends. Also, we will often need to work with hardware’s capabilities such as geolocation, camera etc. These are the components that usually involved in mobile app development

Learn at least one backend framework, it will help when you need to build an mvp/prototype to test out an idea. Mobile development is great, but mostly serves the client part. Learning at least one backend framework will help broaden your understanding and come in handy when you need to test a potential start up idea.