Mobile app development: Difference between revisions

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== Overview ==

In order toTo facilitate the development ofdeveloping 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 Testing[[software testing]] and/or Quality[[quality Assuranceassurance]] (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, or (NDA), which restricts the sharing of privileged information.

In order to facilitate the development of 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 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, or 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.

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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.

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=== 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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==== 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 particulargiven hardware platform (e.g., Apple, Google, etc.), as well asand any third-party software that is officially supported for the purpose of developing mobile apps for that hardware.

First party tools include official [[software development kit|SDK]]s published by, or on behalf of, the company responsible for the

design of a particular hardware platform (e.g. Apple, Google, etc) as well as 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%"

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| [[Xcode]]

| [[iPhone]], [[iPad]], [[iPod Touch]]

| Only via [[App Store (iOSApple)|App Store]], needs review and approval by [[Apple Inc.]]

| Apple tools are available for free for development on [[MacintoshMac (computer)|Mac]]. Applications can be run in a simulator or on a device. Some advanced capabilitiesabilities requireneed 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]]

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| Debugger integrated in Xcode IDE

| Included in Delphi XE2 professional or higher

| [[Embarcadero Technologies|Embarcadero]] [[Delphi (programming languagesoftware)|Embarcadero Delphi XE2]]

| [[iPhone]], [[iPad]], [[iPod Touch]]

| Only via [[App Store (iOSApple)|App Store]], needs review and approval by [[Apple Inc.]]

| Development requires [[Intel]]-based [[MacintoshMac (computer)|Mac]] besides the IDE on Windows. Design is on Windows,. Compiling and deploying must be doneis 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]]

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==== Third party ====

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%"

! [[Computing platform|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 are listed below.include:

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%"

! [[Computing platform|Platform]]

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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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===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 applications across the most popular [[mobile operating system]]s.

* ''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.

* ''The official Android SDK Emulator'' – a mobile device emulator which mimics all of the hardware and [[software]] features of a typical mobile device (without the calls).

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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 == <!-- PleaseDo don'tnot spam or repeat links, please -->

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* [[List of mobile app distribution platforms]]