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{{
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
'''Mobile app development''' is the act or process by which a [[mobile app]] is [[software development|developed]] for one or more [[mobile device]]s,
The mobile app development sector has experienced significant growth in Europe. A 2017 report from the Progressive Policy Institute estimated there were ''1.89 million jobs'' in the ''app economy'' across the [[European Union]] (EU) by January 2017, marking a 15% increase from the previous year. These jobs include roles such as mobile app developers and other positions supporting the app economy.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Atkinson |first1=Robert D. |title=The App Economy in Europe: Leading Countries and Cities, 2017 |date=October 2017 |url=https://www.progressivepolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/PPI_EuropeAppEconomy_2017_.pdf |website=Progressive Policy Institute |access-date=3 October 2024}}</ref>
== Overview ==
To facilitate developing applications for mobile devices, and the consistency thereof, various approaches have been taken.
Most companies that ship a product (e.g., Apple, iPod/iPhone/iPad) provide an official [[software development kit]] (SDK). They may also opt to provide some form of [[software testing]] and/or [[quality assurance]] (QA). In exchange for being provided the SDK or other tools, it may be necessary for a prospective developer to sign some form of non-disclosure agreement (NDA), which restricts the sharing of privileged information.
As part of the development process, mobile [[user interface]] (UI) design is an essential step in the creation of mobile apps. Mobile UI designers consider constraints, contexts, screen space, input methods, and mobility as outlines for design. Constraints in mobile UI design, which include the limited attention span of the user and form factors such as a mobile device's screen size for a user's hand(s). Mobile UI context includes signal cues from user activity, such as the ___location where or the time when the device is in use, that can be observed from user interactions within a mobile app. Such context clues can be used to provide automatic suggestions when scheduling an appointment or activity or to filter a list of various services for the user.
The user is often the focus of interaction with their device, and the interface entails components of both hardware and software. User input allows for the users to manipulate a system, and the device's output allows the system to indicate the effects of the users' manipulation.
Overall, mobile UI design's goal is mainly for an understandable, user-friendly interface. Functionality is supported by [[mobile enterprise application platform]]s or [[integrated development environment]]s (IDEs).
Developers of mobile applications must also consider a large array of devices with different screen sizes, hardware specifications, and configurations because of intense competition in mobile hardware and changes within each of the platforms.
Today, mobile apps are usually distributed via an official online outlet or marketplace (e.g., Apple: The App Store – Google: Google Play) and there is a formalized process by which developers submit their apps for approval and inclusion in those marketplaces. Historically, however, that was not always the case.
Mobile UIs, or front-ends, rely on mobile back-ends to support access to enterprise systems. The mobile back-end facilitates data routing, security, authentication, authorization, working off-line, and service orchestration. This functionality is supported by a mix of [[middleware]] components, including mobile app servers, mobile backend as a service (MBaaS), and [[service-oriented architecture]] (SOA) infrastructure.
== Platform ==
The software development packages needed to develop, deploy, and manage [[mobile app]]s are made from many components and tools which allow a developer to write, test, and deploy applications for one or more target platforms.
=== Front-end development tools ===
Front-end development tools are focused on the user interface and user experience (UI-UX) and provide the following abilities:
* UI design tools
* SDKs to access device features
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Notable tools are listed below.
==== First party ====
First party tools include official [[software development kit|SDKs]] published by, or on behalf of, the company responsible for the design of a given hardware platform (e.g., Apple, Google, etc.), and any third-party software that is officially supported for the purpose of developing mobile apps for that hardware.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%"
! [[Computing platform|Platform]]
! [[Programming language]]
! [[Debuggers]] available
! [[List of emulators|Emulator]] available
! [[Integrated development environment]] available
! Cross-platform deployment
! Installer packaging options
! Development tool cost
|-
! [[Android (operating system)|Android]]
| [[Java (programming language)|Java]] but portions of code can be in [[C (programming language)|C]], [[C++]],
[[Kotlin (programming language)|Kotlin]]
| Debugger integrated in Eclipse, standalone debugging monitor available
| {{Yes}}
| [[Eclipse (software)|Eclipse]], [[IntelliJ IDEA]], [[Android Studio]], Project Kenai Android plugin for NetBeans
| Android only, because of Dalvik VM, March 2009
| apk
| Free, [[IntelliJ IDEA]] Community Edition - Free
|-
! [[BlackBerry]]
| [[Java (programming language)|Java]]
| Debugger integrated in IDE
| {{Yes}}
| [[Eclipse (software)|Eclipse]], BlackBerry JDE
| BlackBerry only, because of RIM API
| alx, cod
| Free
|-
! [[iOS SDK]]
| [[Objective-C]], [[Swift (programming language)|Swift]]
| [[LLDB (debugger)|LLDB]] debugger integrated in Xcode IDE
| Bundled with iPhone SDK, integrated with Xcode IDE
| [[Xcode]]
| [[iPhone]], [[iPad]], [[iPod Touch]]
| Only via [[App Store (Apple)|App Store]], needs review and approval by [[Apple Inc.]]
| Apple tools are available for free for development on [[Mac (computer)|Mac]]. Applications can be run in a simulator or on a device. Some advanced abilities need a paid developer account.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/IDEs/Conceptual/AppDistributionGuide/LaunchingYourApponDevices/LaunchingYourApponDevices.html |title=Launching Your App on Devices |website=Apple Developer |access-date=2016-04-30}}</ref>
|-
! [[iOS SDK]]
| [[Object Pascal]]
| Debugger integrated in Xcode IDE
| Included in Delphi XE2 professional or higher
| [[Embarcadero Technologies|Embarcadero]] [[Delphi (software)|Delphi XE2]]
| [[iPhone]], [[iPad]], [[iPod Touch]]
| Only via [[App Store (Apple)|App Store]], needs review and approval by [[Apple Inc.]]
| Development requires [[Intel]]-based [[Mac (computer)|Mac]] besides the IDE on Windows. Design is on Windows. Compiling and deploying is on Mac. Simulator testing is free, but installing on a device needs a fee for a developer signing key
|}
==== Second party ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%"
! [[Computing platform|Platform]]
! [[Programming language]]
! [[Debuggers]] available
! [[List of emulators|Emulator]] available
! [[Integrated development environment]] available
! Cross-platform deployment
! Installer packaging options
! Development tool cost
|-
! [[Java ME]]
| [[Java (programming language)|Java]]
| {{Yes}}
| Free emulator, Sun Java Wireless Toolkit, [[mpowerplayer]]
| [[Eclipse (software)|Eclipse]], LMA [[NetBeans]] Mobility Pack
| {{Yes}} although many VM implementations have device specific bugs necessitating separate builds
| [[JAD (file format)|Jad]]/[[JAR (file format)|Jar]] packaging; PRC files under Palm OS
| Free
|}
==== Third party ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%"
! [[Computing platform|Platform]]
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| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| Proprietary IDE on Windows only
| Android, iOS, Windows, browser
| The native distribution for each format
| Free
|-
! [[App Inventor for Android]]
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| The native distribution format of each platform
| Commercial licenses available
|-
! [[Codename One]]
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| Open Source GPLv2 and subscription-based build server
|-
! [[
| [[Lua (programming language)|Lua]]
| {{Yes}}
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| Android, iOS, [[Nook Color]]
| Native deployment for each platform
| Free using MIT license
|-
! [[DragonRAD]]
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| The native distribution format of each platform
| Developer edition free via Eclipse Marketplace, commercial license for deployment
|-
! [[Lazarus (software)|Lazarus]]
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| Commercial licenses available
|-
!
| MemeScript
| Validation is provided in the problems view
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|-
! [[Unity (game engine)|Unity]]
| [[C Sharp (programming language)|C#]], [[JavaScript]], [[Boo (programming language)|Boo]], other [[
| {{Yes}}
| Remote used to simulate device interaction before app is uploaded to the device.
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|-
! [[Verivo]] AppStudio
| WYSIWYG, graphical drag and drop, [[JavaScript]], [[
| {{Yes}}
| Test right in browser or device
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|-
! [[V-Play Engine]]
| [[Objective
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
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| Free, Indie and Enterprise licenses are available
|-
!
| [[HTML5]], [[
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
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| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
|Xamarin Studio (Mac only; deprecated), Visual Studio (Windows only), Visual Studio for Mac (Mac only; replaced Xamarin Studio)<ref name="xamarinrebrand">{{cite news |last1=Linev |first1=Roman |date=2016-11-14 |url=https://winaero.com/microsoft-rebrands-xamarin-studio-as-visual-studio-for-mac/ |title=Microsoft rebrands Xamarin Studio as Visual Studio for Mac |work=Winaero |access-date=2023-03-05}}</ref><ref name="zdnetxamarin">{{cite news |last1=Foley |first1=Mary Jo |date=2017-05-10 |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-makes-visual-studio-for-mac-generally-available/ |title=Microsoft makes Visual Studio for Mac generally available |work=ZDNet |quote=Microsoft is making its Visual Studio for Mac – a rebranded version of Xamarin Studio for the Mac – generally available. |access-date=2023-04-02}}</ref>
|Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Windows Store apps
|The native distribution of each platform
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===Back-end servers===
Back-end tools pick up where the front-end tools leave off, and provide a set of reusable services that are centrally managed and controlled and provide the following abilities:
* Integration with back-end systems
* User authentication-authorization
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* Reusable business logic
Available tools
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%"
! [[Computing platform|Platform]]
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| Commercial licenses available
|-
!
| [[
| Use Wakanda Studio
| Android, iOS (iPhone, iPad), Windows Phone 10 (soon), HTML5 app
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| Free development licenses; per-CPU deployment licenses. Replaced by Appery.io
|-
!
| [[C Sharp (programming language)|C#]], [[VB.NET]], [[Java (programming language)|Java]], [[PHP]], ActionScript, [[JavaScript]], [[Objective-C]],
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===Security add-on layers===
With [[bring your own device]] (BYOD) becoming the norm within more enterprises, IT departments often need stop-gap, tactical solutions that layer atop existing apps, phones, and platform component. Features include
* App wrapping for security
* Data encryption
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===System software===
Many system-level components are needed to have a functioning platform for developing mobile apps.
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| Free emulator, source code available, also bundled with IDE
| [[Visual Studio#Visual Studio 2008|Visual Studio 2008]], 2005, 2003, [[Basic4ppc]] IDE
| [[Windows Mobile]], Windows CE, Symbian-based devices via third
| [[over-the-air programming|OTA]] deployment, [[Cabinet (file format)|CAB]] files, ActiveSync
| Most tools free, but commercial editions of Visual Studio needed for visual designers
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| {{Yes}}
| OS 1.0–4.1: free emulator provided by PalmSource (Access); OS 5.0: - 5.4 device-specific simulators provided by Palm (palmOne)
| Palm OS Development System (Eclipse), [[CodeWarrior]],
| [[Palm OS]] handhelds, or Windows Mobile with StyleTap emulator
| [[PRC (Palm OS)|PRC]] files, PalmSource Installer (.psi)
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|}
Criteria for selecting a development platform usually
===Mobile app testing===
Mobile applications are first tested within the development environment using emulators and later subjected to [[field testing]]. [[Emulator]]s provide an inexpensive way to test applications on mobile phones to which developers may not have physical access. The following are examples of tools used for testing
* ''Google Android Emulator'' – an [[Android (operating system)|Android]] emulator that is patched to run on a Windows PC as a standalone app, without having to download and install the complete and complex [[Android SDK]]. It can be installed and Android compatible apps can be tested on it.
* ''
* ''TestiPhone'' – a [[web browser]]-based [[simulator]] for quickly testing [[iPhone]] [[web applications]]. This tool has been tested and works using [[Internet Explorer 7]], [[Firefox 2]] and [[Safari 3]].
* ''iPhoney'' – gives a [[pixel]]-accurate web browsing environment and it is powered by [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]]. It can be used while developing [[web sites]] for the [[iPhone]]. It is not an iPhone simulator but instead is designed for web developers who want to create 320 by 480 (or 480 by 320) websites for use with iPhones. iPhoney will only run on [[OS X]] 10.4.7 or later.
* ''BlackBerry Simulator'' – There are a variety of official BlackBerry simulators available to emulate the functionality of actual BlackBerry products and test how the device software, screen, keyboard and [[trackwheel]] will work with the application.
* ''Windows UI Automation'' – To test applications that use the Microsoft UI Automation technology, it requires Windows Automation API 3.0. It is pre-installed on Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2 and later versions of Windows. On other operating systems, you can install it using Windows Update or download it from the [[Microsoft]] Web site.
* ''MobiOne Developer'' – a [[mobile Web]] [[integrated development environment]] (IDE) for [[Windows]] that helps developers to code, test, debug, package and deploy mobile [[Web application]]s to devices such as [[iPhone]], [[BlackBerry]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]], and the [[Palm Pre]]. MobiOne Developer was officially declared End of Life by the end of 2014.<ref>{{cite web |title=MobiOne Developer 1.0 M4: Create App Store-ready Mobile Web Applications, Experience True Device Behavior on Windows |url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/iphone/10/prweb2980934.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091008093929/http://www.prweb.com/releases/iphone/10/prweb2980934.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 October 2009 |website=PRWeb |access-date=31 May 2021}}</ref>
Tools include
* [[Eggplant
* [[Ranorex]]
* [[Testdroid]]
== Design principles ==
According to a 2020 Industry Report on Applications, 46% of [[mobile app]] users have stated that they have stopped using or uninstalled an app due to poor performance.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2020-01-06 |title=Apps Statistics, Usage & Downloads (2020 report) |url=https://saasscout.com/statistics/apps-statistics/ |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=SaaS Scout (formerly SoftwareFindr) |language=en-US}}</ref> Design experts advocate for the following design principles to create successful and effective mobile apps:
''Clutter-free screens'' – Keeps interactions quick and simple, allowing users to focus on one specific task rather than being overwhelmed with multiple features and tasks. Design experts strongly advocate for one task per screen and recommend breaking down long forms into pages and progressively revealing new tasks or fields to minimize clutter.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=15 Mobile App Design Best Practices |url=https://www.thoughtspot.com/data-trends/best-practices/mobile-app-design-best-practices |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=ThoughtSpot |language=en}}</ref>
''Reduce cognitive load'' – Makes the use of the app as seamless as possible, and preserves natural flow through the app. Design experts suggest incorporating [[autocomplete]], [[Spell checker|spell-check]], [[predictive text]] assistance, and [[dropdown menu]]s to reduce cognitive load. Design experts also recommend the state of the app be preserved when users temporarily leave the app and re-enter so that users can continue their use from where they left off.<ref name=":1"/><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last1=Cordini |first1=Marcelo |date=2021-01-06 |title=The best mobile app design: Examples |url=https://qubika.com/blog/mobile-app-design/ |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=Qubika |language=en-US}}</ref>
''Simple navigation'' – Around 11% of people have uninstalled apps due to their complicated [[Interface (computing)|interface]].<ref name=":0"/> Design experts state it is paramount to present the navigation bar visibly in your app to help users navigate to frequently used and high-priority screens instantly. They suggest the use of recognizable icons specific to the device operating system to help users easily take actions such as opening a menu, changing settings, going back a screen, and searching within a page. According to them, a user should not be confused while navigating the app, so an orderly, clear, and logical navigation flow drives engagement and discovery in the app.<ref name=":1"/><ref name=":2"/>
''Notifications'' – It’s reported that around 19% of users uninstall an app due to frequent push notifications.<ref name=":0"/> Notifications should be sent with careful planning according to design experts. Experts state notifications should be sent at a time most convenient to users in their time zone and the messages should be personalized to bring great value to them.<ref name=":1"/>
''Speed appearance'' – About 19% of people uninstall apps due to hang up issues.<ref name=":0"/> Design experts state it’s important to make sure the app is fast and responsive so that users don’t have to wait for content. They state developers should deliver content faster or give the perception of progress. Some approaches suggested by the experts are the use of skeleton screens which show the layout of the app with content grayed out, [[progress bar]]s or loading spinners, tasks being carried out in the background and delivering the content quickly when the user requests for it, or giving users some tasks or content while they are waiting for a page to load.<ref name=":1"/>
''Usability'' – Approximately 85% of mobile users use their phone with one hand,<ref name=":0"/> thus design experts state it is important that the top-level menu, frequently used controls, and common action items are within the reach of the user’s thumb. They also stress the importance of readability and it’s recommended that the text size is at least 11 point font so that users can read it at the typical reading distance without zooming in.<ref name=":1"/> It is recommended that headers and titles on the app screens be [[San Francisco font|San Francisco]] 17pt and [[Roboto]] 16sp for operating systems [[iOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]] respectively.<ref name=":2"/> The experts also state there should be 4.5:1 minimum [[contrast ratio]] between text and the background color.<ref name=":1"/> Design experts strongly encourage developers to make apps accessible for all users including people with [[Disability|disabilities]], so they suggest features such as [[Virtual assistant|voice navigation]], [[screen reader]] compatibility, and user interface adaptability in mobile apps.<ref name=":2"/>
==Patents==
Many patent applications are pending for new mobile phone apps. Most of these are in the technological fields of business methods, database management, data transfer, and operator interface.<ref>[http://ipwatchdog.com/2011/04/06/increasing-allowance-rates-by-selectively-targeting-patent-class/id=16283/ Nowotarski et al., "Increasing Allowance Rates by Selectively Targeting Patent Class" IPwatchdog, April 6, 2011]</ref>
== See also ==
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[List of mobile app distribution platforms]]
* [[Lazy user model]]
* [[Mobile application management]]
*
* [[Mobile business intelligence]]
* [[Mobile computing]]
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==References==
{{
{{Mobile operating systems}}
{{Mobile phones}}
| |||