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How to become an iOS App Developer?

by Josh Biggs in Mobile on 24th January 2020

Mobile app development is a growing industry and is expected to grow multifold with the rise of the mobile economy and today’s tech-savvy generations’ inclination towards living on-the-go. Now, there is hardly anything that can’t be done with an app, be it internet browsing, shopping, ordering stuff and commuting, you name it. With the growing demand for apps, the career prospects for app developers are lucrative. In the app development arena, however, iPhone app development is leading the way since the inception of the iPhone in 2008.

While there are several operating systems (OS) available in the mobile space facilitating app development, the iPhone OS or simply put iOS is the most-widely leverages mobile OS. However, actually building an app on this platform can be tricky and require strategic planning at the iOS app developer’s end.

If you are eyeing to build an iOS app or looking to build a career in iOS app development this guide is sure to give you some valuable insights.

Know the Device and Platform

iPhone app development is no piece of cake. There are a myriad of languages, frameworks, and best practices you need to consider before starting to build an iOS app. Getting acquainted with the nuances and usage of an iPhone is ideally the first and foremost step you need to take as this learning exposure will guide you further in the app development process. Learn the functional aspects of an iPhone, its benefits, loopholes, pain points, etc.

Understand the Users

Customer success is more or less the ultimate objective of businesses of any size and dynamics. Similarly, your app’s success relies on its viewer or user base. Step out of your app developer’s shoes and step into the users’ pairs to have clarity on the user’s need. Pay more attention to creating a robust, seamless user interface and deliver intuitive user experience while designing your app’s screens or coding the mundane functions. Complicated navigation menus and hard to learn features will only drive your intended app users away.

Choose the Tech Stack

Several frameworks, tools, and technologies are out there to make iOS app development faster, smoother and efficient. Understanding how each tool out there can make the user’s and your life easier is essential on the path to becoming a great developer.

Organize your Code

Ideally, thousands of lines of code and files are involved in any major development process. Thus, it’s important to start organized and stay organized while you are on your app development stint. Organizing your code, files and appropriately labelling them with nomenclature and filing system will make your life much easier and that of others who would be collaborating with you in the development process.

Testing

Apple’s app store has high standards and stringent guidelines when it comes to validating apps. To meet the requisite tech guidelines, implement a consistent testing mechanism throughout the app development lifecycle. It will help you save a lot on app development cost as well as fewer iterations have to be built before the app gets approved by the app store.

Resources for iOS App Development

iOS app development is a vast ecosystem that involves several tools, technologies, frameworks and so on. On top of that, there are continuous trends that are reshaping the entire space. However, you need not worry as there are a myriad of readily-available resources to assist the beginners in the app development space. So, make use of the excellent tutorials, videos and other resources at your disposal.

Among the plethora of programming languages for iOS app development, Swift is the most powerful language. It’s easy to learn, writing Swift code is interactive and engaging, has a concise yet expressive syntax. It also offers the app developers the benefit of safe and interactive designs and higher speed for software.

iOS Best Practices

To be a successful iOS app developer, implement these iOS best practices during the app development process.

  • Setup the coding style guides for your app development project
  • Choose the OS version and APIs with precision
  • Follow Apple’s basic naming convention for your app being built
  • Set up a persistent integration and delivery process
  • Use different environments for staging, testing and other activities

What’s helped you most in your journey to being a professional iOS app developer? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.

Categories: Mobile