Before diving into the world of mobile app development, it is essential to be honest about the realities of the process. Beyond just writing code, there are financial, hardware, and administrative requirements that every developer needs to prepare for.
Here is a breakdown of what to expect when you are ready to take your app from a local project to the app stores.
The Reality Check
| Area | What to Expect | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Building the App | Varies | Learning the system and framework takes time. |
| Updating the App | Occasional | Updates require rebuilding the entire package and resubmitting for review. |
| Apple Developer Account | ~USD $99/year | Required to distribute apps on the iOS App Store. |
| Google Play Account | ~USD $25 (one-time) | Required for publishing on the Android Google Play Store. |
| Mac required? | Yes (for iOS) | Apple requires macOS and Xcode to compile and sign iOS binaries. |
| Windows PC enough? | Yes (Android only) | Android tooling supports Windows natively. |
| Xcode editor involved? | Always (directly or indirectly) but Free to Download | Xcode is Apple's proprietary build system; even if you use a cross-platform framework, it works behind the scenes. |
| Cloud build services (i.e. Expo EAS) | Highly recommended. Free account available with low priority queue. $19 USD monthly for high priority. | These services reduce the local setup burden and allow you to build for iOS even without a high-end Mac. |
Key Takeaways
- Platform Limitations: If you want to be an iOS developer, a Mac is almost a non-negotiable requirement due to Apple’s ecosystem restrictions.
- Recurring vs. One-time Costs: Budget for the yearly Apple fee ($99), whereas Google’s one-time fee ($25) is much more hobbyist-friendly.
- The "Build" Pipeline: Don't underestimate the time it takes to maintain an app. Every time you fix a bug, you must go through the build and submission process again.
- Cloud Shortcuts: Services like Expo EAS are game-changers for solo developers, as they handle the heavy lifting of the build process in the cloud.
Checkout this relevant article: Where Do I "Host" My Mobile App?
Are you planning to launch your first app this year? Let me know in the comments which platform you're targeting first!
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