How to Plan for App Maintenance

Oftentimes app owners imagine that developing the app ends after publishing it on App Store or Google Play. And then there’s a wave of users trying it out, some bugs are found, and something crashes… Before you make a commitment like mobile application, think about what comes after. Long-term maintenance and monthly updates should be a part of the business strategy ??

The tips that I find most useful:

?? make a budget for maintenance and be ready to pay more in the first year after the release?

No fixed number here but plan for 50% of the total development cost

?? pay attention to technical requirements as well as business ones (reviews on app markets, mentions of the app, marketing, and user feedback)

?? ?? try not to change dedicated teams for maintenance?

Most development companies include that in the agreement before the development starts. You can think about terms and conditions but switching to another team can be costly and unreliable.

Now, let’s discuss what app maintenance includes and the best practices.?

What is included in long-term maintenance??

Common things you’ll need are:

?? bug fixes

?? license renewals

??performance monitoring

?? OS compatibility

?? Server monitoring

?? security checks

Also, if the app is scaling or needs some drastic change, developers work on new features and better user experience. Take any popular app you use like Uber, Spotify or even Tiktok. They get issues fixed monthly and something new added to keep people engaged.?

App maintenance is tricky as it requires prioritizing and finding hidden value behind purely technical things.?

“Urgent maintenance tasks are more important to me as a senior developer but you also need to decide what’s more important for business. Is a minor bug worth putting off new features? What goes first security check or optimizing for performance? Those kinds of questions” - Pavlo (senior software engineer)

How to Make App Maintenance Easier?

Software is a system with many components, processes, and dependencies. Constantly monitoring everything to avoid downtimes or #bugs won’t work (or you’ll go crazy in a few weeks).

To have a comfortable experience with #maintenance, try these methods:

- build software solutions with quality in mind (fewer issues to pop up)

- discuss maintenance prior to getting into the development process

- schedule repeating checks right before the app launches (security checks, server loading, performance reviews, testing, license updates)

- try automating some processes with tools like Grafana, UpKeep, etc.??

- set up autoscale to avoid server shutdowns with too many users

- consider adding DevOps to take care of tools and optimization?

FAQ?

What is the hardest in app maintenance??

“Supporting the app is another skill from developing. It is more focused on reading code rather than writing code. Some find it boring but it’s simply another type of thinking. Understanding systems and communicating on changes is vital.”

Should I hire a separate team for maintenance?

“If your project was made from scratch, it’s best to keep the team on support part-time. They are familiar with every process and won’t take extra time to understand the lines of code. In case the project is legacy and there’s no team, you can find a dedicated team, get them into analyzing software, and get it up-to-date.”

What happens if I don’t support the app?

“It gets less traffic, users are opting out and uninstalling, app markets remove it from the platform. It’s basically an abandoned project that eventually is forgotten.”

What do I do to reduce maintenance costs?

The answer is simple: care about quality as much as you care for speed.

“The price of maintenance is directly related to code quality and team professionalism.” - Senior Back End developer

The strategies to avoid overspending on support:

- refactor and test regularly

- keep an eye on tech debt and keep it manageable

- add reasonable improvements only

- document and redocument code

- ask advice from experienced app owners

- hire the dedicated team you trust to handle the process.?

Wrap Up

As your business grows, improving your app to attract high-quality clients and increase its popularity with less effort is essential. Getting quality maintenance requires planning, budget, a systemic approach, and talented tech professionals.?

Incora | Software Development Company would be happy to help and I can answer your questions.

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