How to become a mobile app developer
A mobile app developer is one who is in charge of designing and developing mobile apps. Apps could vary from being a shopping app, a video game, social networking app or just any software that is used on a mobile phone or a tablet. The app developer has to translate code into user-friendly apps through a series of creations and tests.
Table of Contents
The mobile app development industry is continuing to grow and thrives in a very competitive environment. There are several low-cost development tools available and also very inexpensive software for testing purposes. Therefore, it has become very easy to make changes to applications using these.
What does a mobile app developer do?
The job of a mobile app developer involves coordinating with a team of UI designers, UX designers, graphic designers and other programmers to design and maintain an app. Their duties normally include:
- Understanding the client’s requirement and coming up with a solution
- Developing application programming interfaces (APIs) to allow two applications to communicate and support mobile functionality.
- Create a proper linkage between the front-end and the back-end of the app
- Being able to estimate the total cost and time to complete a client’s project
- Testing and fixing any bugs in the app
- Improving and furthering the development of existing apps
Skills that a mobile app developer must have
To be a mobile app developer, you must have the following skills:
- Good and strong coding and development skills in a variety of languages such as Objective C, Java and Swift
- You must be able to create code that is easy to understand and use. You must also design the interface in a user-friendly way
- You must be experienced with graphic design software like Adobe photoshop or Illustrator
- Must have the ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and handle deadlines
- You should be capable of working independently as well as working well as a team.
How to become a mobile app developer?
To be a successful mobile app developer, you need to focus on the following steps:
- Learn the basics of programming
To be a mobile app developer, it is important for you to know how to write code. You can attend an introductory course in college or university and learn to code or you could try learning from online tutorials.
- Attend a coding bootcamp
A coding bootcamp could be the beginning of your educational journey. These coding bootcamp programs teach basic programming skills which will give you the foundation for becoming a mobile app developer. Some of these intensive software development programs teach digital skills, such as full stack development. A bootcamp could take anywhere between three to nine months to complete.
- Consider a degree
You may consider doing a bachelor’s degree in either computer science, software engineering, information technology or any other related major. These programs will help you understand data structuring and programming. Degrees help with better job opportunities when compared to self-learning. You will also benefit from taking some courses in marketing and business so that you not only learn to build apps but also how to persuade people to buy them.
- Choose a platform
You will have to choose a mobile app developer platform, such as Android or iOS and focus on learning in-depth. Each of these platforms uses a different coding language. Therefore, it may be appropriate to choose a platform based on the coding language that you have experience using. For instance, Objective-C is used for iOS development while Java is used for Android. Web development can also be done using HTML5 and CSS3 techniques.
- Practice creating mobile apps
Once you become familiar with mobile development platforms, you can begin developing your own app. Designing the app can help you apply the skills that you have learnt. This can help you with showcasing your ability to code and design to your future employers and adding to your professional portfolio. Creating an app is easy but what is more important is to think about where there is a need and how your app can help solve a particular problem. For instance, you could consider creating an app where people can compile recipes.
- Go for an internship
Going for an internship can get you valuable exposure and gain experience in working on projects throughout each stage of the app development cycle. Internships can also help you expand your network and lead to potential jobs in the future.
Final word
Although it may look easy, it is not a cakewalk to become a mobile app developer. Once you gain knowledge and experience, you can begin applying for open positions hiring mobile app developers. Visiting company websites or looking at job listings could give you good leads as to various open positions or vacancies where people are hiring. Create a strong resume and highlight your skills and experiences.
Related Posts:
How To Become A Blockchain Developer?
How To Become A Golang Developer?
