DEV Community: Alisha Saifi

Learn To Create An App From Scratch In 13 Steps

Alisha Saifi — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 04:27:49 +0000

Well, you might be bubbling with excitement to dive right into the production phase of your dream application. But, it is always wise to hold your horses and cover the journey bit by bit. Focusing on these steps will ensure to a substantial extent that your application becomes successful.

Here’s a stepwise guide to help you make a successful app. Read on!

Brainstorm and Pick an App Idea

Like everything else, an app-making process begins with an idea which must solve some real-world problem. Once you have an idea ready you can start researching and coupling it with the best tech stack to forge the solution.

Although everyone has got their own strategy for coming up with ideas, if you don’t have any, these questions can help you while building a mobile app:

What real-world problem does the app resolve?
How will technology prove useful in the project?
What features will make the application highly useful?

Make sure you keep the features and design of the app such that its benefits can be experienced by the users. The benefits can be in the form of problem-solving ability, customer experience, productivity enhancement, etc.

Identify the Audience

Of course, you won’t be keeping the app for yourself. It is a set stratum of a population you would want to serve it to, right? Thus, it is crucial to identify and define your target audience. Once it’s done, you must look forward to discovering habits, behaviour, interests, economic level, and other demographic details about the audience.

The closer you get to recognize their needs and interests, the more likely your app would strike a chord with target users.

Not just that. You’ll have to assess the mobile platforms and devices over which the app may function. Furthermore, to prevent any issues from emerging later, considering factors like performance constraints, battery life, needed peripherals, device support, and battery life would prove life-saving during mobile app development.

Clarify the Tech Stack, Budget, & Revenue Model

Tech stack, frameworks, and tools are important factors that exercise immense influence over app functionality, features, and tech limitations. Thus, analyse well before deciding on the tech stack you would deploy for the mobile app.

Finance & budget can’t be ignored when it comes to app development. Knowing the budget for development & design, marketing, and app release is important before starting the journey. In addition to resolving an actual problem, a developer expects the app to generate some revenue as well. Thus, attention must be given while choosing a revenue approach that aligns with your application goals. You can choose from various models like the subscription model, advertisements, pay-per-download, paid-app model, and so on.

Sign the NDA

Once you’ve finalized the budget, it’s time for signing the NDA (non-disclosure agreement). This contract legally binds both the app development studio and the client to preserve the confidentiality of the matters. NDA involves aspects like project objectives, legal clauses, project milestones, annexures, etc., It helps in keeping issues like misunderstanding and miscommunication between both parties at bay.

Application Wireframing

Wireframing lies at the heart of any application or website development. A wireframe gives an idea of how the system will perform in real time and how the module or feature will function. The wireframe activity enables developers to get an estimate of the project timeline and designers to build craft flawless designs.

UI/ UX Design for App

App’s success also rests to a significant extent on its UX/UI design as it determines how seamlessly the app will work and how its interface will look. When done well and strategically, a great app can impact the target audience’s mind instantly.

It is crucial for designers to focus on trends, platform-specific standards of design, fonts, colour scheme, etc. Building an awesome, user-centric app that offers a marvellous user experience preference of the audience and the client must also be considered.
Building an awesome, user-centric app that offers a marvellous user experience preference of the audience and

Identify the Development Approach

The methodology for building a mobile app must be chosen in advance. Majority of the app developers nowadays go with the Agile approach to build apps rapidly while others choose a conventional approach like Waterfall.

Develop App Prototype

Once the designing phase is all set, allocate the responsibilities to your team and start developing the application prototype. Basically, it is a basic version of your app made to grasp the look and feel the final product will offer. Not only it helps draw in investors and funds, but also attracts potential buyers.

An important point to keep in mind at this step is to consider enough security measures. That is to preclude any unauthorized access or threat to data security.

Testing & Quality Assurance

Now is the time to purge the application of bugs and errors before sending it on to the public podium and showing it to the world. You can’t be sure of the app’s success until you consider robust testing and quality assurance process for your solution.

To get this done right, you can always take the help of a skilled and experienced app development studio like StudioKrew. The company has a great hub of professionals who run various tests to make sure the app functions smoothly and delivers a great user experience.

App Release, Deployment, and Publishing

Before you consider the release and deployment of the application, plan, schedule, and oversee the activity of release packages in both test & live environments. The main goal of managing the app deployment process is to ensure the components are released in the right order. There are diverse kinds of app deployments such as internal deployments, multi-user deployments, single-user deployments, commercial deployments, and so on.

Then, go on to publish your app n App Store and Google Play Store while adhering to the guidelines. After deployment, you can track usage metrics through different mobile analytics tools and see where your app is heading. Will it succeed or fail?

Also, consider the crash reports and user-reported glitches about the app, and try offering the best resolutions to them.

Post Production App Support

Try to incorporate relevant changes in the application that cater to the user's requirements. To become as trendy and loved as the earlier times, it is important to allow regular updates in the features and functionalities.

Not only applications but, games as well need to get LiveOps services where updates and changes are done to make the game further interesting & evergreen for its audience. If you’ve got a game that is about to die, LiveOps service from a leading game development company like KrewGames can breathe new life into it.

Use Insights to Upgrade App Features

Capture and analyse insights and feedback you get from the app metrics & users respectively to incorporate features that will enhance the visibility and popularity of the app among users. To stay relevant for a long time, it is advised to put out updates frequently. Make sure you keep tabs on the updates and guidelines of the platform over which your application is running.

Market the Application

With no or poor marketing strategy, your great application is doomed to fail and will ultimately get pushed back into the abyss of apps in the marketplace. Thus, it is always suggested to use effective marketing strategies that draw attention towards your product and boost its visibility, so the application attracts users to install it.

A Quick Wrap-Up

So, that was a handy guide to help you guide through the app development process. Whether it is Android or iOS app development, these general steps will always provide you with clarity about the process.

Know that the app development process is not a one-time process but an ongoing one where owners have to keep making efforts to keep the application engaging.

Have you got an amazing app or game idea? Come to StudioKrew, a leading app and game development company that believes in establishing long-term partnerships with its clients. From ideation to post-launch, the studio guides and assists fully.

To get your queries resolved get in touch with StudioKrew’s business team now.

Top Online Resources To Get Started With Game Development In 2023

Alisha Saifi — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 05:38:55 +0000

If you’re drawn in by the game development industry, then you must be looking for some of the most effective resources to start learning game development. Here, I have enlisted resources to begin your journey. These can be paid as well as free for beginners, intermediate learners, and experts.

Online game development courses

Choose the best online game development courses to gain skills that help you stand out from the crowd. You can find free as well as paid courses on platforms like edX, Coursera, Udemy, etc., where experts and professionals teach technical and conceptual stuff from their hands-on experience in the field accumulated over years of working in the industry.

Bootcamps

Gaming boot camps are helpful not only in levelling up your skills but your professional portfolio as well to shine your resume. Make sure the game development Bootcamp you choose offers surefire learner outcomes, great alumni reviews, and an extensive course curriculum.

Gaming Community

Entering a community of passionate game developers is immensely helpful in picking up game development skills. That’s because, in such spaces, you’ll find more skilled and experienced designers and developers who continuously share knowledge, tips, advice, and effective resources to gain mastery in the game development arena.

Gamedev

Another website dedicated to game development. It features tutorials, news, articles, and Q&A forums to help aspiring game developers. Learners can explore trending games or even collaborate with other developers on hobby projects to level up their hands-on skills.

Game Design Resources

You can access a great range of gaming resources offered by the University of Texas in the form of websites, podcasts, and other informative resources. They would prove immensely helpful for learners seeking to build their careers in the game design sector. That’s because you will also get to explore game engines, free game design resources, sound software, and more.

Unity Learn

This is an all-purpose game engine deployed by countless top game development agencies across the globe. Unity’s learning space offers in-depth training of over 750 hours with live and on-demand learning resources. No matter what level you’re on in your game development journey, the training will prove helpful to your skillset. Additionally, the Unity Learn Platform also offers well-directed learning experiences that help students to acquire the right skills for initiating a successful career in the real-time 3-D tech field and gaming arena.

Game Analytics Blog

This amazing website will give you the information an aspiring game developer needs to craft successful games. From game development tips and marketing tips to success stories, and more you will find everything to build up your knowledge. Learners can go through informative blog posts, news articles, trend reports, watch videos, and so on. So, if you wish to gain up-to-date training in game development, don’t skip this resource.

YouTube Tutorials

There are amazing tutorials delivered on various YouTube channels by game development experts. Brackney's channel is one of the most prestigious and helpful resources on YouTube. From Unity & design to programming, and more, you will find a lot to sharpen your knowledge and skills. Brackneys releases a new video every Sunday explaining the gaming code while he’s scribing it.

Books

Hone in your knowledge by reading game development-related books. Some of the best books that can guide you are:

The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses by Jesse Schell
Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design by Scott Rogers
Game Engine Architecture by Jason Gregory
Beginning C++ Through Game Programming by Michael Dawson
Game Programming Patterns by Robert Nystrom

So, these were some great and helpful resources to help you begin your game development journey. Remember it takes consistency and practice to acquire mastery over any field.

If you are looking for a game development studio to build your game/ app, come to KrewGames, a leading app and game development company. Their deft and experienced will turn your ideas into a striking reality.

Have any queries or want to discuss your awesome idea, connect with the KrewGames business team today!

What Are Some Popular Apps Built With Flutter?

Alisha Saifi — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 04:57:06 +0000

Flutter has taken the app development world by storm. Thanks to its simplicity and immense user-friendliness, developers keep the framework at the forefront globally.

It is no surprise that Flutter has become a popular choice when it comes to cross-platform mobile app development. Not only are the solutions made with Flutter high-performing but as well fast for they are compiled using the C/C++ library which is nearer to the machine code.

To inspire you further, here are some amazing apps with exemplary features built with Flutter. Read on!

8 Popular Apps Built With Flutter

Alibaba

This award-winning International Trade Website chose Flutter to build its wholesale marketplace. The app facilitates its users to buy commodities from suppliers from different parts of the world, thereby making the convenience of global trade just a click away.

Reflectly

Reflectly is an AI-powered mindfulness and journal application. Built using Flutter technology, the solutions present new question sets to reflect upon throughout the day, offer actionable insights and advanced stats for personal development, and allow users to create a personal journal. With a beautiful interface and seamless experience, the application swings it all like a pro!

Google Ads

This is another solution built with Flutter that allows one to gain stats and insights on Android smartphones. Users can also improve the campaign by taking and acting on suggestions offered by Google experts. In addition to real-time notifications, alerts, and details of the campaign, Google Ads also allows the editing/ removing/ adding of keywords.

Hookle

Hookle also chose Flutter as its chief framework. The solutions facilitate users to handle multiple social media accounts in one place, track social activity, and share posts. The platform assists by offering a single roof for creating and publishing posts for different social media channels and monitoring their progress and other activities happening on the platform.

Birch Finance

This credit card rewards app, built with Flutter assists users in managing as well as optimizing existing credit cards. Furthermore, it facilitates users to discover the best cards per their spending behaviour, monitors spending across multiple accounts, and notifies them of different ways of earning and redeeming rewards.

Cryptograph

Cryptograph is a hub for the latest stats, figures, and data regarding cryptocurrencies. It tracks trends, news, and reports of over 1,600 cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum (ETH), Bitcoin (BTC), Ripple (XRP), and more. It presents clear exchange rate charts so users can easily track and select profitable crypto coins and do much more.

Coach Yourself

Another meditation app built using Flutter, Coach Yourself targets a German-speaking audience. It aims to help users strengthen their personal development across diverse aspects while also assisting them in doing away with unwanted or unhealthy habits.

Water Maniac

Oftentimes, we end up ignoring our water intake. To help you with that Watermaniac app was built using Flutter. The app monitors the amount of water the user has consumed and lets users personalize notifications to remind them to drink water.

A Quick Wrap-Up

Flutter offers many benefits such as quick deployment, allows single codebase for both Android and iOS, simultaneous application updates, and more. Its efficiency and simplicity are the reason why the technology is gaining popularity constantly, especially among cross-platform development frameworks.

Are you too having a great app/ game idea? Come to StudioKrew, a leading app and game development company. Their deft and seasoned team of developers and designers will turn your ideas into a striking reality.

If you have got any queries and want to know more about our approach, connect with StudioKrew’s business team now!

Why "Scrollytelling" In UI/UX Design Matters More Than You Think?

Alisha Saifi — Sat, 07 Jan 2023 05:43:04 +0000

Scrollytelling is not a novel concept, rather it’s been around for many centuries. Nonetheless, it’s certainly become a greatly favoured way to tell stories through immersive scrolling experience among web creators.

The technique is targeted at engaging viewers increasingly by displaying content in a narrative, strategic manner. That is done to compel the visitor to interact with content that usually wouldn’t have stimulated their curiosity.

This popular concept, fascinatingly, has become one of the design trends worth considering. However, it is worth mentioning that scrollytelling is subjective and not universal. That means, you’ll have to customize the concept for your marketing and business goals.

Anyway, why scrollytelling is so loved?

5 Reasons To Adopt Scrollytelling As A Web Creator

No one would want to visit a web page displaying a truckload of content scattered confusingly. Who’s got the time n’ guts to do so?!

That’s where great UI comes in, of which scrollytelling gets a considerable share. That means your website “scrolling story or scrolly” can hugely impact its success. Why so? Because scrollytelling makes sure the visitor isn’t facing a relentless blizzard of information, all at once, which will only downgrade their experience on the site.

Here are 5 reasons why scrollytelling is so crucial in UI/UX design. Read on!

For smooth and interactive user experience

When it comes to creating immersive user experiences, UX (user experiences) and user interface (UI) always jump first in the mind of designers. In order to make the user interactive as engaging as possible, the best app design & development company will consider user expectations, needs, and wants as they craft a new product or platform.

To enhance interface aesthetics

Interface aesthetics aren’t solely for the “show” purpose, instead they’re functional. It is what the eyes notice that our minds decide to proceed. While creating interfaces, UX/ UI designers not only focus on ensuring that the site or applications appears aesthetically attractive but is also easy to handle and use. To achieve this goal, scrollytelling has a big role to play.

To make content immersive

It is the demand of scrollytelling to make the site’s content visually fascinating to the extent possible. To keep visitors scrolling through the content, making it engaging and interesting is of much importance. The more enjoyable your content becomes, the more time users spend on your platform.

To make information easily consumable

Scrollytelling, further, can also be used to break down complex info and deets into manageable chunks, thus making it digestible for users. Having confusing content on your site will only drive users away but easy-to-understand information displayed with attractive visuals promises to escalate the visitor count on the site.

To infuse an element of interactivity

Along with other interactive elements like animations, hover states, etc., scrollytelling is a great way to make the content on your platform highly interactive and engaging. So, not only web creators can reap the benefits from this amazing technique but users as well.

Whether it is mobile app development, web app development, or website development scrolytelling always pays off. Control the pace of your story and build an emotional connection with your users. With an additional layer of bewitching visuals and animations, the experience will surely become highly engaging for users.