You’re new to mobile app development. What tools should you start with?

Based on my 6 years of experience if you are just developing mobile app for your one-off project than going through it via cross-platform route can be really good but if you are making a career in mobile app development then picking native language as starting point is really helpful. If you choose Kotlin or Swift as starting point you can understand the entire app development in more depth and later on you can master other cross-platform languages. Many reason behind choosing native over cross-platform is that even cross-platform at expert level requires knowledge of native code and the performance of native apps is much better, even the new OS features come to native first and then to cross-platform.

Android? Kotlin & Studio guide your journey. iOS? Swift & Xcode pave the golden way. Dream bigger? Kotlin Multiplatform lets you write once, rule both kingdoms. Choose your tools, conquer the mobile world!

Selecting a Coding language is one of the difficult tasks for most of the people and most of them get confused in many things. There are several languages which support native and cross platform mobile apps. I'll be mentioning them in the end. Firstly, you need to know about each and every language (basic) to know which language makes you happier. Go with your interest. For iOS, you obviously need a MacOS. Prefer not to go with it if you don't have Mac Remember, each and every language has their own Pros and Cons. You can search over google. I personally prefer Flutter, Kotlin & Swift. Coding Languages: 1. Android Native # Java, Kotlin (Best), C++/C# 2. iOS Native # Swift (Best), Objective C. 3. Cross Platform # Flutter, React Native.

Coding languages: - Android Development: Kotlin, Java - iOS Development: Swift, Objective C - Flutter Cross-platform app development: Dart - Kotlin Multiplatform Cross-platform app development: Kotlin

Mobile Application Development has 2 pathways, Native and Cross Platform, both have it's own advantages also with there own languages, for eg. Native Android uses Kotlin and Java. Native iOS uses Swift. Whereas in the cross platform world we come across languages like dart and all. After all the language choice depends upon the requirements of our applications and the needs of our target audience.

For people having some web development experience and specially React JS, I think React Native is a great choice to start with. Reason: It's almost similar to React except for some styling and deployment differences.

1. IDEs and editors: IDEs and code editors are crucial tools for writing and debugging code. For mobile app development, popular options include Xcode for iOS and Android Studio for Android. 2. Testing and debugging tools: Testing and debugging are essential parts of the development process. Various tools are available to help you test your app's functionality and fix bugs. Xcode offers tools like the iOS Simulator, while Android Studio provides the Android Emulator. 3. Version control and collaboration tools: Version control allows you to track and manage changes to your codebase. Git is a popular version control system, and tools like GitHub and Bitbucket provide platforms for collaboration and code sharing.

As I mentioned the selection of language and platform is more important because the reason, that will be the base of all the future action item decisions. You have to check what are the libraries available according to your app needs. Is it feasible for all the platforms? If you choose the native platform - in that case, you may have a different library but the objective of the output more be similar. What if not available according to your needs? Do you or your team have good skills to create a custom module for your requirement? Even for existing libraries you need to check how that is effective and safe to use. That should no more open bugs and defect in the library that may lead to problems in the future.

Frameworks and libraries are pivotal in mobile app development, streamlining processes. Android relies on Jetpack, offering tools like Navigation and LiveData. RxJava aids in reactive programming for asynchronous tasks, and Butter Knife simplifies view binding. Retrofit handles HTTP requests, and Glide efficiently manages image loading.

In iOS development, UIKit is fundamental, and SwiftUI offers a declarative approach. Alamofire, a Swift-based library, eases networking, while Core Data manages model layer objects and persistence. CocoaPods serves as a dependency manager for third-party library integration.

Xcode: For iOS development. Android Studio: For Android development. Visual Studio Code, IntelliJ IDEA: Popular editors for cross-platform development. above is the most usage IDEs and editors for development.

Android Studio is excellent for Android and Flutter app development, but for Flutter, VSCode offers convenient plugins, making it my preference. When it comes to iOS, Xcode is essential. The choice depends on specific project needs and personal preferences, with VSCode being favored for its robust Flutter support.

For Android and Flutter App development Android Studio is good but VScode offers more convenient plugins for Flutter app development in my case I prefer VScode. For iOS you need to adopt Xcode.

Recommended IDEs: Xcode: For iOS development with Swift or Objective-C. Android Studio: For Android development with Kotlin or Java.

For Android development - Android studio For IOS - Xcode For Cross Platform Development ( like Flutter,React Native ) - VSCode.

Essential Tools: For iOS: Xcode's integrated debugger, Instruments for performance analysis. For Android: Android Studio's debugger, Logcat for logging, and Profiler for performance. My Experience: Regularly using these tools helps catch and fix errors early, significantly improving code quality and app performance.

When making a mobile app, testing and fixing errors are really important. Testing tools help you try out your app on different devices and see how it works. Some common testing tools are Firebase Test Lab, Appium, and Espresso. Debugging tools like Xcode Debugger and Android Debug Bridge help you look at your code, find mistakes, and fix them without restarting your app. Using these tools ensures your app works well and doesn't have any problems.

Testing is a critical aspect of app development. Here are essential testing tools for iOS native, Android native, and Flutter app development: 1. iOS Native Development: ? XCTest Framework ? Xcode Instruments 2. Android Native Development: ? JUnit and Espresso ? Android Studio Profilers 3. Flutter App Development: ? Flutter Test Framework ? Driver and Integration Tests ? Codemagic and CI/CD Tools 4. Common Tools for All Platforms: ? Appium ? Detox ? Firebase Test Lab Remember that the choice of testing tools also depends on the specific needs of your project, and you might use a combination of these tools to ensure comprehensive test coverage.

If you develop your app based on Flutter, please try all what DevTools support. DevTools provide layout & state inspection, UI jank inspection, CPU profiling, Network profiling, Source-level debugging, view general log and diagnostics information about a running Flutter or Dart command-line app, analyze code and app size. Any issue can be identified as fast as posible.

Before learning testing will need to learn logging and debugging To understand why exactly the app returns wrong data, you will need to follow the variable data journey across screen or screens, and that can only happen by logging and debugging Learning the proper methods for language or IDE debugging and logging is an expertise by itself After being expert in that subject that you can test during coding, then you can learn testing, to create code unit tests, and UI test, instrumental tests, and integration test The later test can run through QA testers black box testing, or through running CI/CD, and will help insuring nothing being broken in the last code modifications

When you're working on a mobile app with others or want to keep a record of your code changes, you need tools for teamwork and version control. Version control tools help you save and organize your code in one central place, and you can make separate branches for different features. Collaboration tools help you talk, share, and check your code with your team and work with other helpful tools. Git, GitHub, and Bitbucket are some tools for version control, while Slack, Trello, and Jira are great for collaboration. Using these tools makes it easier to work together and keep your code organized.

In my experience Git or GitHub those are the best control sources code and version control code. And Jira is the best tool for managing task and tracking progress and also easy to manage product backlog items.

Version control and collaboration tools enable multiple developers to work together and track code changes. Popular version control tools provide robust features for code management and collaboration. They allow efficient branching and merging, code reviews and issue tracking. Collaboration tools facilitate effective communication, sharing, and code review among team members. By leveraging these tools, you can enhance productivity, teamwork, and the overall development process. They enable efficient code management, easy communication, effective code review, and streamlined project management. Incorporating them into your workflow helps you stay organized, track changes, and collaborate effectively on mobile app projects.

Tools like Git and platforms like GitHub or Bitbucket are essential. They’re not just for code storage; they’re a hub for teamwork and progress tracking. In my first group project, using Git saved us countless hours by managing code changes efficiently. These tools are vital for coordinating with teams and keeping your project organized and on track.

I have used GitHub and GitLab for version control and collaboration in different projects. Here is list of pros and cons according to me. GitHub: Pros: 1. Vast Community 2. Rich Collaboration Features 3. Integration Ecosystem Cons: 1.Access to private repositories is a paid feature. 2.Pricing can become a factor for large teams or enterprises. GitLab: Pros: 1. GitLab includes built-in CI/CD pipelines. 2. Offers an all-in-one solution, covering version control, CI/CD, project planning, monitoring, and security. 3. GitLab can be self-hosted. 4. Free for Private Repositories Cons: 1. Self-hosting GitLab can be resource-intensive, especially for smaller projects.

If you are willing to learn Android Development or Kotlin Multiplatform then here are some resources. - Official Documentation - Android Codelabs - Android official Youtube videos and Kotlin official Youtube. - Medium blogs to learn more and deeper - Youtube channels like Philip Lackner, Stevdza San, Android Developers, Cheezy Code, JetBrains Kotlin Series - GitHub Repositories including Google Codelabs, Google Samples, Kotlin Multiplatform Samples, and many other developer Github repositories.

If you intend to learn Flutter, I can boldly say that Flutter's documentation is one of the best documentations that exist for a framework, this documentation is rich in all kinds of explanations and media. To get deeper into Flutter's core issues, I suggest you use Flutter's site documentation as your reference.

Useful Resources: Official Documentation: Apple Developer Documentation, Android Developers site. Online Courses: Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and Codecademy. Interactive Learning: Swift Playgrounds for learning Swift. My Experience: Always refer to official documentation for the most accurate and up-to-date information. Interactive learning tools can make the learning process more engaging.

Continual learning is crucial for staying current and thriving as a mobile app software developer. Here are some tips to keep learning: 1. Stay Updated with Industry Trends 2. Explore New Frameworks and Libraries 3. Engage in Continuous Practice 4. Participate in Online Communities 5. Contribute to Open Source Projects 6. Read Documentation and Source Code 7. Attend Meetups and Conferences 8. Take Online Courses 9. Follow Tutorials and Blogs 10. Set Personal Projects 11. Explore Cross-Platform Development 12. Mentorship and Pair Programming 13. Regularly Update Your IDE and Tools

React Native es una excelente opción para el desarrollo móvil por varias razones: Código Compartido: Permite crear aplicaciones tanto para iOS como para Android usando un solo código base en JavaScript. Componentes Nativos: Proporciona acceso a componentes nativos, ofreciendo rendimiento cercano al nativo. Desarrollo Rápido: Facilita un ciclo de desarrollo más rápido gracias a la recarga en vivo y las herramientas de depuración. Gran Comunidad: Cuenta con una amplia comunidad de desarrolladores, lo que significa abundancia de recursos y soporte. En resumen, React Native combina eficiencia y flexibilidad, ideal para quienes buscan una solución versátil en el desarrollo móvil.

Code search, is a very important neglected point To open new code, you will need to easily navigate to the new code base, easily update when needed, and find class references and usage By doing that you are now capable to read new code, and contribute to it in short time, which will increase your confidence, and your manager trust

If you're starting Mobile development, consider the market before going deep as well. AI is changing so many things, and the first thing it changed, is mobile applications. Consider analyzing the future of mobile applications, and also, having a look at the other technologies and roles.

Cross-platform vs. Native Development: Decide whether to develop separate native apps for iOS and Android or a single cross-platform app. This decision impacts your choice of languages and tools. Performance Optimization: Learn how to monitor and optimize the performance of your mobile app. Tools like Android Studio's Profiler and Xcode's Instruments can help in identifying performance bottlenecks. Stay Updated: The mobile development landscape is constantly evolving. Following blogs, joining forums, and participating in communities like LinkedIn can help you stay updated with the latest trends and best practices.

The contributions above are invaluable and to build on them, necessity is the mother of all invention, start with your WHY. Not the complex whys that warrants a meditation session. For example, I want to learn mobile development because I want to build a cool game like Temple Run. Once you know why then break it down to a what you want to build. Is it a game, a mental health app or an alarm app. This will give you a project to work on. Once you have this, start asking Google, Gemini and ChatGPT how do I build this? By doing this, you'll learn a lot in the process and because you're building something you care about, you will have fun learning it. Learn by doing. This is the philosophies we embody at The Tech Hut ??. Look up! ??

If you're new to mobile app development, start with Android Studio (for Android) or Xcode (for iOS) as your integrated development environment. Use Git for version control, and consider Kotlin (Android) or Swift (iOS) as your programming language.