Saturday, September 3, 2016
How to easily make an App? App Development.
App development is fun and easy, if you love programming and have a solid understanding of basics. Here is a guide for, how to make an app?
If you have a great idea but don’t know how to make an app, this guide is for you. let me clear that developing an Android app isn’t a very tough job when you have a clear understanding of the basics. If you are a
first-time Android developer, do not try to create magnum opus but focus upon building a small app so that you understand how it works. According to me, every mobile app developer should aim to build his/her app simple and emphasis upon building something with an objective. In this post, I will discuss how it can be implemented in few simple steps and throw light on the varied key nuances such as initial inception, ideation, uploading the app to the Play store. This step by step guide provides you basics of how to make an app?
Before initiating app development, you need a viable idea of what you aim to create. Learning becomes easier when you are working towards a project as it creates context and direction. Hence, the first step towards ideation is understanding what you aim to create. The focus should be on creating something that is simple, fun and interesting.
After you have the app idea ready with you, create a basic wireframe for the mobile app. Often used in web design, Wireframing refers to drawing a map of the individual screens, buttons, graphics that will be used such as logos, images, backgrounds, etc.
Wireframing is very crucial step of web or app development process. While it’s very enticing to skip it and jump direct to the project design and information architecture. Wireframing opens up many options and is always advisable and is way more efficient. Below are 54 useful wireframing tools and apps.
Web-
Android-
iOS-
What is an IDE?
Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is a software that offers everything one require to build an app. This provides the window where you feed your code. It will review, format and compile when it is being tested and published. Choose your IDE, programming language and set up.
Android Studio and Java are one of the common ways to build Android apps. Google recommends its usage as it offers flexibility. When a gaming app is developed, Unity and C++ are most used. There are various IDEs - Integrated Development Environments - which allow you to design and program the app to your liking, Google's Android Studio is the official IDE for Android developers by Google which is built on the IntelliJ IDE, once you've installed the studio and the SDKs you will need you may install the various emulators available so that you may run your app as well as be able to debug it, it also features drag-and-drop functionality for creating the interfaces. It may be referred as Android app maker.Most Android developers use Android Studio.
The IntelliJ & Eclipse IDEs have plug-ins which allow you to program android apps, you are mostly limited to editors in which you program in Java and use SQL servers for instance, no pretty drag-drop functionality, but you're still able to create the interfaces using the layout properties in XML and run the AVD - Android Virtual Device - emulators.
Microsoft has recently acquired Xamarin and integrated it's cross-platform developing abilities into Visual Studio. The Express & Community editions are free, in them you are able to program the apps and run them in the available emulators for Android AND iOS. If you are familiar with Visual Studio, you will know that it is a great IDE for developing across a plethora of domains.
You should know how the formatting looks like and be familiar with concepts like variables, classes and conditional statements. You can go through the Java tutorial series available online to brush up your knowledge.
What are the parts of Java you actually need to know in depth before starting Android development?
One way to determine what to focus on: Look at which java.* packages are part of the Android core library. So here's a start:
If your Android app has lots of threads, you may want to know about the classes in java.util.concurrent as well. • Creating images – The next step should focus on acquiring the right images. Based on your wireframe, you should know what exactly you want to be put for display such as icons, logos and backgrounds. In this regard, Adobe Illustrator can be used.
Now, the layout should be created using the ‘designer’ in Android Studio. This tool allows dragging and dropping of the widgets based on the positioning on the page. You can take professional help if you lack the confidence to implement this step.
Latest version of the Android Developer Tools includes a new rewritten Visual Layout Editor.
new features include:
For many writing the code is considered as a challenging task. When you understand the basics of Java and have the widgets in place, adding ‘onclick’ events is achievable. You don’t need to worry if the app is not fully complete. Focus upon setting the stage for basic functionalities like operations, variables, button clicks. It is key to test the working of the code you have built. This can be done by developing a ‘debug’ APK and installing it on your device.
The next and final step encompasses publishing your app on Google Play store. Just sign your application and create a new APK (this installation file will be downloaded by the users).
You need to first create a developer account to gain access to the Google Play Developer Console. It costs $25, but it's a one time charge.
After you've registered and have access to the console, you click the "+ Add new application" button and it should walk you through the rest of the process.
The Amazon Appstore is the obvious one to pay attention to. Others on my radar include:
So we have covered everything from how to make an app, to how to publish it and I Hope this will help you little, for developing an Android app. This guide can be also helpful for making apps for other platforms.
first-time Android developer, do not try to create magnum opus but focus upon building a small app so that you understand how it works. According to me, every mobile app developer should aim to build his/her app simple and emphasis upon building something with an objective. In this post, I will discuss how it can be implemented in few simple steps and throw light on the varied key nuances such as initial inception, ideation, uploading the app to the Play store. This step by step guide provides you basics of how to make an app?
1) Ideation -
Before initiating app development, you need a viable idea of what you aim to create. Learning becomes easier when you are working towards a project as it creates context and direction. Hence, the first step towards ideation is understanding what you aim to create. The focus should be on creating something that is simple, fun and interesting.
2) Create a wireframe –
After you have the app idea ready with you, create a basic wireframe for the mobile app. Often used in web design, Wireframing refers to drawing a map of the individual screens, buttons, graphics that will be used such as logos, images, backgrounds, etc.
Wireframing is very crucial step of web or app development process. While it’s very enticing to skip it and jump direct to the project design and information architecture. Wireframing opens up many options and is always advisable and is way more efficient. Below are 54 useful wireframing tools and apps.
Web-
- Mockingbird – Wireframes on the fly
- Simulify – Interactive, shareable wireframes, mockups and prototypes
- Solidify – Create clickable prototypes
- Concept.ly – Convert wireframes and designs into interactive apps.
- ClickDummy – Turn mockups into clickable prototypes
- Creately – Real time diagram collaboration
- Lumzy – Mockup creation and prototyping tool
- Cacoo – Diagrams with real time collaboration
- Mockflow – Great design tools and collaboration services for designers
- Mockup Designer – Basic wireframing tool hosted on GitHub
- dub –Denim – DENIM is an outgrowth of the original SILK project, a pen-based sketching tool for designing user interfaces.
- fluidIA – A free open source project for prototyping open source projects.
- Justinmind – Nice wireframing platform for web and mobile apps.
- UXPin – It puts everything to your fingertips but is a costly tool.
- RWD Wireframes – Wireframing tool for responsive layouts
- Gliffy – Drag & Drop from library to anywhere on page, creating wireframes easily.
- Wireframe.cc – Free tool for creating quick mockups.
- Pencil Project – This is a free and easy to use open source tool for creating GUI prototyping.
- Wirify – Converting web page to wireframe is just a click away with wirify.
- Axure RP – Premium wireframe tool for detailed wireframe creation.
- PowerMockup – Convert power point to wireframe.
- JustProto – Premium tool with drag and drop feature to create highly interactive prototypes.
- FlairBuilder – Premium tool for easy creation interactive wireframes.
- WireframeSketcher – Instantly creates wireframes, mockups and prototypes for desktop, web and mobile applications.
- Serena Prototype Composer – Build simple, high fidelity prototypes that look like the real thing.
- Balasmiq – You can come up with a design and iterate over it in real-time in the course of a meeting.
Android-
- Framer – Modern prototyping tool
- Indigo Studio – Rapid, interactive prototyping
- Lucidchart – Simplest and most powerful flowchart software in the world.
- Frame Box – Easy, simple wireframing
- Mockups.me – Create and present interactive UI wireframes
- Grafio – Grafio is a custom modifiable app.
iOS-
- LovelyCharts – Diagramming app with desktop and mobile versions
- Tiggzi – The only cloud-based platform with visual development tools and integrated backend services
- Realizer – Interactive presentation prototypes
- iPhone Mockup – Free basic iphone Mockup tool.
- iMockups for iPad – Premium wireframing and mockup app.
- Antetype – Wireframing and prototyping desktop application for Mac.
- iMock – Good app for creating mockups, more features could be added.
- JumpChart – Architecture, layout and content planning
- Mockup Builder – Super-easy prototyping and mockups
- Live Wires – wireframe & prototype your iPhone and iPad app concepts quickly.
- AppCooker – AppCooker is a good tool to bring iOS applications to life.
- UI Sketcher for iPad – Sketch, refine and share user interface ideas rapidly.
- Mockabilly – iPhone mockups with genuine iphone behavior
- Blocks – Create annotated HTML prototypes
- UX Toolbox – Create, document and share wireframes and prototypes
- Moqups – A free tool for making high resolution SVG mockups and wireframes.
- ProtoShare – Good tool for website wireframing.
- JustinMindPrototyper – Fantastic prototypes for web and mobile apps.
- Pidoco – Quick premium prototyping for web apps, mobile and enterprise apps.
- OmniGraffle for Mac – Creates excellent graphic documents.
- HotGloo – Easy and beautiful way to create mockups.
- Sketchypad – Easy-to-use interface for creating websites and soft interfaces.
3) Select your IDE and set it up-
What is an IDE?
Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is a software that offers everything one require to build an app. This provides the window where you feed your code. It will review, format and compile when it is being tested and published. Choose your IDE, programming language and set up.
Android Studio and Java are one of the common ways to build Android apps. Google recommends its usage as it offers flexibility. When a gaming app is developed, Unity and C++ are most used. There are various IDEs - Integrated Development Environments - which allow you to design and program the app to your liking, Google's Android Studio is the official IDE for Android developers by Google which is built on the IntelliJ IDE, once you've installed the studio and the SDKs you will need you may install the various emulators available so that you may run your app as well as be able to debug it, it also features drag-and-drop functionality for creating the interfaces. It may be referred as Android app maker.Most Android developers use Android Studio.
The IntelliJ & Eclipse IDEs have plug-ins which allow you to program android apps, you are mostly limited to editors in which you program in Java and use SQL servers for instance, no pretty drag-drop functionality, but you're still able to create the interfaces using the layout properties in XML and run the AVD - Android Virtual Device - emulators.
Microsoft has recently acquired Xamarin and integrated it's cross-platform developing abilities into Visual Studio. The Express & Community editions are free, in them you are able to program the apps and run them in the available emulators for Android AND iOS. If you are familiar with Visual Studio, you will know that it is a great IDE for developing across a plethora of domains.
4) Grasping nitty-gritty of Java -
You should know how the formatting looks like and be familiar with concepts like variables, classes and conditional statements. You can go through the Java tutorial series available online to brush up your knowledge.
What are the parts of Java you actually need to know in depth before starting Android development?
One way to determine what to focus on: Look at which java.* packages are part of the Android core library. So here's a start:
- Core java in java.lang, esp. Thread and ThreadLocal
- Collections in java.util
- Streams in java.io
- java.net classes esp. HttpURLConnection
- SQL in java.sql esp. PreparedStatement and ResultSet, which will be used with Android's SQLite database.
- Pattern and Matcher in java.util.regex
- Generics: Lesson: Generics
- Reflection: Trail: The Reflection API
If your Android app has lots of threads, you may want to know about the classes in java.util.concurrent as well. • Creating images – The next step should focus on acquiring the right images. Based on your wireframe, you should know what exactly you want to be put for display such as icons, logos and backgrounds. In this regard, Adobe Illustrator can be used.
5) Building layout –
Now, the layout should be created using the ‘designer’ in Android Studio. This tool allows dragging and dropping of the widgets based on the positioning on the page. You can take professional help if you lack the confidence to implement this step.
Latest version of the Android Developer Tools includes a new rewritten Visual Layout Editor.
new features include:
- Full drag and drop from palette to layout for all Layout classes.
- Move widgets inside a Layout view, from one Layout view to another and from one layout file to another.
- Contextual menu with enum/flag type properties.
- New zoom controls.
6) Adding the code –
For many writing the code is considered as a challenging task. When you understand the basics of Java and have the widgets in place, adding ‘onclick’ events is achievable. You don’t need to worry if the app is not fully complete. Focus upon setting the stage for basic functionalities like operations, variables, button clicks. It is key to test the working of the code you have built. This can be done by developing a ‘debug’ APK and installing it on your device.
7) Publish your app -
The next and final step encompasses publishing your app on Google Play store. Just sign your application and create a new APK (this installation file will be downloaded by the users).
You need to first create a developer account to gain access to the Google Play Developer Console. It costs $25, but it's a one time charge.
After you've registered and have access to the console, you click the "+ Add new application" button and it should walk you through the rest of the process.
The Amazon Appstore is the obvious one to pay attention to. Others on my radar include:
- GetJar, http://www.getjar.com/, which is certainly making a big push at being a relevant place to distribute Android apps. While they've been around a long time and are relevant for other platforms, I honestly don't seeing them really mattering re: Android yet. But they just got a chunk of investment money and seem to be working hard on Android, so worth keeping an eye on.
- Bloomworlds, http://bloomworlds.com/, a curated niche app store focused on family friendly apps (i.e. apps for kids and for parents of young kids)
- AndSpot, http://andspot.com/, an Android app store with lots of social features (or a social network focused on Android apps). Some really good ideas, but not much uptake and a long hill to climb.
So we have covered everything from how to make an app, to how to publish it and I Hope this will help you little, for developing an Android app. This guide can be also helpful for making apps for other platforms.
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Great article. This is very useful post. Thanks for sharing.
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