How to get into Mobile App Development as a Student
It’s safe to say that the mobile app take over is beginning, with 1,251 new apps are being released daily on the Apple app store and 984 on the Google Play Store (42Matters). It’s an effective way to get users familiar with your product offering and to make your business successful.
As a student however, there’s a higher barrier of entry to get into this field of software engineering. What coding languages work on phones and ipads? How long does it take to learn? How do I make money from it? These are all questions that I was wondering before I started.
That’s why in this article I’m going to go over everything you need to know to create your first app and become an app developer as a student.
What we will learn
- Essential Skills and Tools
- Building Your First App
- Leveraging Student Resources and Communities
There are many different kinds of benefits to learning mobile app development. It can diversify your skillsets as a programmer, gives you a competitive edge when applying for jobs, and it even gives you the creative outlet to turn ideas into real products.
💡 An important thing to note Think of your apps like businesses.
You might think they work fundamentally differently, but you need to see your app as a way of expressing your idea to solve a problem and perform a certain task.
Not every software product needs to be an app. Your apps should have some real world benefit or usage, and is much more valuable than a quick program you make in your Intro to Python course in college.
Essential Skills and Tools
To get started you need to learn the right programming languages and frameworks to be able to flesh out your ideas. Mastering the tooling is an important first step on your journey.
⚠️ Before you continue! If you’re a beginner and don’t know much about programming at all, I’d advise you to check out my other article on Getting Started with Programming.
Programming Languages & Frameworks
We have 2 common platforms for our apps to run on, iOS and Android. Both of these platforms use different languages to create apps that will run on their devices with iOS being Swift with SwiftUI and Android being Java with Kotlin.
As a student, you don’t exactly have that much time on your hands to learn both languages and fully master the tools around them.
If you want to move quickly, it’s a better practice to spend time learning a cross-platform app development tool such as Flutter or React Native as opposed to using Native tools.
There are trade-offs in choosing between cross-platform and native development, depending on your goals. If you aim to become an iOS engineer or develop apps solely for iOS, focus on Swift and SwiftUI. For Android-only apps, Java and Kotlin is the way to go.
For apps that deploy to both platforms, a cross-platform tool is recommended. The main benefit is that it’s 1 language, 1 codebase, deploy to both platforms.
My preferred choice is Flutter, running on Dart, as it offers near-native performance, a strong developer community, and deployment to Web, Desktop, and more.
Design Tools & User Experience
Before you even touch VSCode or Android Studio, visualize your app first. A good mobile app developer always has their design principles in place to create intuitive and attractive user interfaces (UI).
Tools like Sketch, Figma, and Adobe XD are invaluable for designing app layouts and prototyping user experiences. Understanding UI/UX fundamentals such as layout principles, color theory, and user journey mapping ensures apps are functional and engaging.
These design skills differentiate good apps from great ones, as user satisfaction often depends on visual appeal and ease of use. Though these things are more entrepreneurial and marketing related aspects, it’s important to think your app like a business, rather than a school project.
You want people to like and use what you create.
Learning Resources & Skill Enhancement
At my high school there were 0 courses that taught mobile app development and at my university there’s 3 courses that require a few prerequisite courses to take them.
Now I don’t know about you, but I sure did not want to wait a whole semester and stress myself with another class I don’t care about to learn app development.
Luckily it’s not hard finding resources online to satisfy your needs. Codeacademy, Coursera, and Freecodecamp offer great courses and certifications for getting up to speed.
You’ll find lots of free and paid options over on those platforms, but if you’re like me, and want to learn for $0, use YouTube! Creators such as Fireship, Net Ninja, and Sean Allen all have amazing videos teaching you a multitude of different skills and languages needed for app development.
Building Your First App
It’s that time. You finished watching a whole bunch of tutorials, and you’re ready to launch your billion dollar startup. Not so fast! It’s important to note that you need to properly learn how to put your skills to use before wasting your great idea.
As a student, consider starting with a problem you face in your daily life or an area you’re passionate about. This could be anything from a productivity tool to a simple quiz game.
Once you’ve chosen an idea, clearly define the app’s purpose and target audience. This step is crucial as it guides your development process and helps you stay focused on creating a solution that meets users’ needs.
Conducting preliminary research to understand existing solutions and identifying unique features your app can offer will set a solid foundation for development and help you think like a mobile app engineer.
With your well-defined idea, the next step is to plan and design your user interface. Now I know you didn’t come here to be a designer, but mobile app engineers need to have both developing and designing in their playbook.
Sketch out the app’s main screens and user flows, ensuring that navigation is intuitive and user-friendly. For inspiration, check out sites such as Mobbin, Dribbble and Behance.
Consider seeking feedback on your designs from peers or mentors to refine your approach. Effective planning and design not only enhance the user experience but also streamline the coding process by providing a clear easy-to-follow blueprint.
With your designs ready, it’s time to dive into development. Begin by setting up your project structure and implementing core features one step at a time, starting with the most critical functionalities. Utilize debugging tools and seek help from online forums if you encounter issues.
Before launching, make sure you test your app on a real device to encounter any other bugs you might not have seen on your simulator. Once your app is functional and polished, prepare for launch by creating an app store listing, including screenshots, descriptions, and promotional materials.
Finally, submit your app for review and be prepared to make any necessary adjustments based on feedback from the app store review team.
Leveraging Student Resources and Communities
As a student, you have access to a wealth of resources that can significantly enhance your mobile app development journey, all accessible through your .edu email address!
Universities often provide computer labs equipped with the latest software and hardware, allowing you to experiment with various development tools without the need for personal investment.
Many institutions also offer software licenses, giving you access to premium development environments and design tools at no extra cost. Search up “[Your School] software tools” and you should find a link containing a list of them that are instantly accessible to you.
💡 GitHub Student Developer Pack The best possible resource I could give is the GitHub Student Developer Pack. It’s almost like receiving funding for your app for just being a student. It contains a gold mine of free resources and tools such as subscriptions, credits, free website domains, hundreds of paid courses and so much more!
Beyond GitHub and campus resources, joining online communities such as Stack Overflow, Reddit, and GitHub can connect you with a broader network of developers.
Additionally, tapping into mentorship programs and seeking guidance from professors can provide valuable insights and feedback.
Conclusion
Getting into mobile app development as a student may seem daunting at first, but with the right skills, tools, and resources, it’s entirely achievable.
By focusing on essential programming languages, utilizing design tools, and leveraging available student resources, you can effectively build and launch your first app.
Remember, the key is to treat your app as a product and continuously seek feedback and improvement. With dedication and passion, you can turn your ideas into impactful mobile applications that stand out in a competitive market.
I hope this article was of use to you! If it was, be sure to read my other articles on my blog for more tutorials, experiences, and guides at www.carltonaikins.com.
In God we trust 🙏🏾