Mobile phones are something that is kept in pockets by everyone for whole day long. Mobiles have become a need for everyone and as its demand is increasing day by day, it is vital to bring innovations in this field. Mobile app developers are the experts who try and bring innovation in this field so as to shed away the monotony and bring in something new for the consumers. In order to become a good mobile app developer, one must possess following qualities like:
Steps to Become a Mobile App Developer:
1. Education for a mobile app developer:
In order to become a mobile app developer, one does not have to acquire a specific degree or any certification as there is no specific course for that. One can enter the field with a bachelor’s degree in computer science or even the software development, it’s not always necessary to acquire these degrees for engineering jobs only, but one can be a mobile app developer too. The degrees in computer science involve concentration in main areas of data structuring, designing and programming. Learning one or more computer language is also of utmost importance. For any advance positions, one has to acquire a master’s degree in the relevant degree course. In the master degree, focus is given on the specific type of application like internet programming development.
2. The skills required to be a good mobile app developer:
In order to be a good mobile app developer, one has to have a good approach to learning something new and also starting with the basic. You need to start on your own as whenever you move for jobs, the companies only require your own effort towards the mobile app development. No matter what kind of app developer you are, an iOS or android app developer, the requirements will remain the same:
- Having a full understanding of how to create a user interface
- Possessing good computing skills along with strong database management and its security.
- Knowing the basic and very common programming language like C and C++, Java, HTML and so on.
- Make use of analytical skills while designing an app for mobiles. Also making sure it goes in the interest of the users.
- Start with the basic process by developing apps on platforms like Java, CSS, python, flash etc.
- Analyze what sort of skills you possess. Decide according to your skills.
- Start with the simple application first and don’t focus on just hitting a building. Focus on providing high utility.
- Create your own log file and update it according to the progress in the development process.
- Release your first app and also do coding. No matter how small is your app, just give it a start.
- Enhance your skills by attending conferences and learning about more advanced developments and then try and add to your existing app.
3. Application developer job description:
The job of an application developer is to design, create the whole software which is particularly aimed at helping users in completing a task or a program. The application developers mainly work with the computer analysts, engineers by making use of the languages like C, C++, Java, Oracle so as to develop necessary specifications for a software. Developers are also required to test, debug and improve the faults in other applications for their clients.
4. Duties of an application developer:
Responsibilities of developers vary according to the experience, kind of application platform they had worked and the employer. The duties of an application developer are to create, develop, maintain, implement the code of the source which helps in making up the application or the program. The application developers are also responsible for designing the prototype for an application, indicating the program unit structure and also coordinating application plans with the development team and the client.
5. Other skills required are:
Mobile user interface design: The most important part of mobile user interface designing is to create an excellent user interface i.e. (UI). This is because of the UI that interaction takes place between any software and the user. Some of the primary elements of the user interface are activity indicators, general help and basic tips, making use of the colors, fast loading and the operation of an application and so on.
Backend computing includes security, memory allocation implementation, interaction and hardware, security and the database management.
Programming: Another important skill is to learn the programming. It will include learning programming languages like C, C++, Java. Getting familiar with the mobile platform applications like API, i.e. application programming interfaces, learning languages used for the web development, making use of the cross platform mobile suits like AMP (Accounting Management Promotion)
Having business expertise: It is foremost required as one has to stand stiffly in the competition. Many people fail to realize this, but business does play an important role.
6. Future scope of becoming a mobile application developer:
By pursuing this, one gets ample opportunities in areas like mobile UI designing, engineer as a mobile application developer or designer, mobility architect, user experience and usability expert and so on. There are many numbers of other fields in which one can work. The fields can vary according to the experience you have, more the experience more will the preference and less the experience, less will be the preference given to you. So, experience in this field matters a lot. In order to have good experience, one must get training or should internship under some expert or in some company so as to get little practical knowledge. Only practical knowledge will do you some good, rest will be of less importance. So learn while you study in practical sense as it gives more weightage than any other thing.
7. Demand is High for the Future:
With the growth in demand of mobiles, the demand of mobile applications is also rising day by day, so to meet that demand too it is required to know the following:
- More applications are being downloaded. Now a days thousands of apps are being downloaded by the mobile users, so to keep pace with that, one has to grow out little more competitive to support the increasing demand in the market.
- Games are still considered a king. Gaming applications are growing alot in the market . Apart from that, other applications like social networking sites like Facebook, twitter, instangram etc are also being downloaded on daily basis by number of users in their mobile phones.
- With the growing market, the demand is also growing. With the growing demand, people are focusing enhancing their skills in programming and the designing. One can also design their own app by following some of the vital steps.
- Certifications for the mobile application developers. Apart from the degrees, one can also become a good mobile application developer by having certification in that. Though there are no certifications in this, but still there are some of them like compTIA, secure mobile app developer certification, MDICD and SCMAD.
- Designing skills are also vital. While designing the screen size, speed, user friendly are some of the points that must be considered while designing an application.
- Also one has to posses some of the soft skills like having perseverance, collaborativeness and last but not the least, thirst for the knowledge. One has to work and collaborate with number of people at a time so it must be there. Apart from this, one must keep his or eyes and brain open all the time especially when it comes to changes in the new technology and the techniques.
- Now a days the android mobiles, apple IOS mobile apps are different than the others, so developing an application for them is different and requires different set of learning. So one also needs to keep himself or herself updated.
So, above are some of the vital points that will certainly help in making you a good mobile application developer. Follow those above points and you will see a vast change in your knowledge as it will help in enhancing your knowledge. So in order to be an application developer, lot of creativity, innovation, technical bent of mind, alertness, competitive spirit is needed in order to stay different from the competitive world. One must possess both the hard and the soft skills, hard skills will include having knowledge of all the technicalities that are required to become a developer while the soft skills will include having aptitude, natural qualities like patience, understanding, learning to coordinate with others and so on. Acquire both the skills and you will see a great change in you both as a person and as a mobile application developer.
