If you own an iOS or Android device, then you’re probably familiar with the number of applications or apps that are available for both devices. There are many developers and companies creating numerous apps for these operating systems everyday.
It is certainly a lucrative business, and in case you are interested in being an app creator, you should get familiarized with what it takes to program mobile apps. This post had some contributions from a professional coder friend of mine who has himself developed a few successful and popular apps.
How to start developing apps for Android
In order to develop applications for Android you should be familiar with Java programming language. Many people consider it a medium difficulty language, so if you don’t want to attend a course on app coding, free up some time, grab a book or watch some tutorials.
After a few weeks of focused learning, you should be able to start developing simple apps, or at least the very basics of it. Of course, in order to do so, you should first cover the Java basics, and then follow up by installing Android SDK on Eclipse, and then start adapting to programming for Android.
If you want to get more involved with Android app development, you should think about buying a few phones for testing purposes. Sure, you can test on virtual devices as well, but having a few real phones can be of great help in the later phases of app development.
Useful resources:
- In-depth Android tutorial http://www.vogella.com/articles/Android/article.html
- Android SDK http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html
- Building your first app http://developer.android.com/training/basics/firstapp/creating-project.html
How to start developing apps for iOS
Developing applications for iOS is a little bit different than in the case of Android. First of all in order to create iOS apps, you will need to buy a Mac computer. It doesn’t matter if its MacBook or iMac, as long as your running Mac OS X on it. In order to develop iOS apps you will need to install Xcode(it comes preloaded with iOS SDK). Instead of using Java for programming, you will need to familiarize yourself with Objective-C. There are numerous Objective-C tutorials out there, so spend some time learning the language.
Once you download Xcode, you will need to enroll as an iOS developer with Apple, if you wish to submit your apps to the App Store. The price if I’m not mistaken is $99/per year, and besides the programming languages used to develop apps, this expense is the main difference between developing Android and iOS apps.
If you start developing iOS applications professionally, it is advisable to equip yourself with several iPhone and iPad versions for testing purposes.
Useful resources:
- iOS Basic Tutorial http://www.appcoda.com/ios-programming-course/
- iOS Development Program https://developer.apple.com/programs/ios/
- App Store submission and distribution guide https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/IDEs/Conceptual/AppDistributionGuide/Introduction/Introduction.html
No matter which operating system is your favorite, if you decide to start developing apps for either OS, keep in mind that you will get better in programming only by programming more and testing everything for yourself, and not just reading different books and watching tutorials. If you run into some trouble, head down to StackOverflow and don’t be afraid to ask any questions, as there are many programmers from all around the world there, who may help you out.