Android app development is one of the most lucrative business venture ideas for 2021. There are around 3.45 million Android apps on the Google Play store and the biggest market chunk of smartphone users, around 71% is captured by Android. More importantly, Android does not only work on smartphones, it has other trendy devices like wearables, smart TVs, and tablets.
If you too are planning to launch an app, Android can be your gateway to profitability and success. But before you start working on it, here is a quick guide to simplify the subject for you.
Programming Languages for Android
But before we move on to check how to find the right developer for your domain, it is ideal to gain some basic knowledge of the technical side. For every application, a developer writes code in a programming language. Here are 2 languages that proved to be a hit for Android for decades.
1. Java
Java is the primary programming language for Android apps. It was created in 1995 and since Android came in 2008, developers have been using it for native Android development. According to Oracle University, 9 million developers around the world use Java.
It is an object-oriented language, and other languages like Kotlin (one we’ll also discuss later) have the primary contribution of Java.
Java is a way more mature language, an industry standard for Android mobile app development. It is easy to create reusable codes in Java.
It is a cross-platform language. So, an app that developers code for Android can also be converted for use on other digital platforms.
2. Kotlin
Kotlin is a modern programming language for Android and developers are making a quick switch from Java to Kotlin.
According to research, around 4 million programmers including 1 million mobile developers use Kotlin for coding. Part of its popularity also comes from the fact that it is a cross-platform development language.
According to Google, 60% of Android developers now use Kotlin to code applications.
Kotlin is a relatively safer language to code in. They have 20% lesser chances of crashing while in use. Because it has primary seeds of Java, it is highly interoperable with an intuitive syntax.
Frameworks for Android Development
Frameworks are complete software development kits used by developers to minimize the time and cost of development. These frameworks come with sample codebases and libraries of resources to be used in native apps. Here are two frameworks that global developers use for Android development, especially when they have plans to transform that code for platform-independent apps.
1. React Native
As for Android development, React Native is one of the most popular frameworks trusted by global developers. It was created by Facebook in 2015 after Mark Zuckerberg pointed out that Facebook apps were retrieving data slowly and that using HTML only was not a very decision.
While React Native allows developing truly native apps, developers can use the same codebase to create other platform-specific and platform-independent applications for iOS, Windows, and web browsers. Apps created in React Native have high-quality user interfaces because of the library that comes with the framework.
2. Flutter
Another Android development framework gaining quick popularity is Flutter. It is a complete software development toolkit launched by Google and lets users create native as well as cross-platform applications with a single codebase.
Flutter is a free, open-source toolkit that comes with a huge library of widgets, UIs, APIs, and other design and development resources. Google has rolled out the newest version of Flutter called Flutter 2.0 which facilitates creating desktop and web applications.
Understanding the process of Android App Development
When you actually shortlist developers and talk to them about your Android app, they’ll suggest the following 5-step process. This agile method has become a norm in the industry.
1. Planning The App
This stage includes scoping the app. Before you scope your app, you need to have an epic app idea that solves a modern issue or creates utility for users in one or another way. If you don’t have a unique idea, try to come up with an app that makes an existing product or service convenient or cost-effective to buy or use.
While planning, make sure to create an app business plan that talks about the cost of app development, download rates, app features, monetization strategies, projected revenue, modes of marketing, etc.
2. Designing the App’s UI and UX
Once you have created an app business plan, it’s time to design the app according to technical specifications. Start with creating a user journey map, then create initial diagrams called the wireframes. Design icons, notification and dialogue boxes, brand aesthetics, placeholders and then convert them into a high-fidelity prototype.
3. Developing the Technical Tiers
After you have the wireframes and prototypes of UI and UX, it’s time to do the most primary part of the development – back-end, front-end, and API integration. While some development teams have dedicated personnel for each layer of the app, others have full-stack developers who code the back-end first, then the front-end and then integrate API for databases.
For reference, the back-end is the server-side of an application. It is the layer that responds to user queries, saves personalized data, and does everything a user expects from an application.
The front-end, as the name suggests is the client-side of an application – a layer that directly interacts with the app user. It is coded with design specifications in mind.
The API is the intermediate layer between the front-end and back-end. It exchanges data between layers.
4. Testing and Quality Assurance
For developers working on distributed systems, using tools like a gRPC test tool can help simulate realistic traffic patterns such as unary requests and bidirectional streaming, ensuring the app performs well under various conditions. After receiving reports comprising user experience feedback, security issues, bugs, and crashes, the app is reverted back to developers to fix the issues and implement important feedback. After that, the quality assurance department checks the app for speed and performance.
5. App Release on Play Store
Once the app has passed all security, testing, and quality assurance checks, it’s time to deploy it and make it available for users. For this, developers submit the Android app to the Google Play store for approval, which can take 48 hours to 3 months depending on the app size, category, features, quality, and accuracy of information provided.
For app submission, a developer has to pay a one-time $25 fee for a Google developer’s account.
Hiring The Best Android App Development Services
It has now become excessively easier to find an Android app developer in the United States. You can explore the plethora of options including:
- Hiring dedicated freelancers for different stages of the process
- Hiring a remote team for all the tasks
- Outsourcing app project to an app development company
If you are a beginner and have a limited budget, we suggest you outsource your app to a full-cycle app development company. They understand beginner’s requirements, provide business consultancy, advise the best monetization models, and complete app projects within stipulated budget and time. These companies also offer flexible payment structures and instead of going for an upfront fee, you can choose to give a down payment and break cost in installments.
Here are 4 tips to follow when hiring Android app development services
1. Check time zone and location.
These factors matter because they affect the business hours of your chosen developers. If you can operate in the same location, you can even go and communicate your specifications in person. Additionally, your overall virtual communication will become easier if you have chosen a company that operates in the same time zone.
2. Check independent review sites.
While all searches start from Google, we suggest users look for app development companies on sites like Clutch and GoodFirms. They feature the best companies based on their specialties and set specific standards to rank the services of agencies to enterprise-level corporations.
3. Assess social proof.
Social proof includes testimonials, reviews, and ratings on social media handles, endorsements on professional platforms like LinkedIn, and engagement with users on community platforms like Quora and Reddit. You can also check your shortlisted company’s reviews on Google Business listings. Do also check their portfolio and the magnitude of previous projects.
4. Discuss innovation strategies.
With cut-throat competition in the Android app development domain, it is ideal to add an innovative feature or two in your app that your prospective users will find fascinating. While your developers can guide you better for that, you can also suggest features like AR and VR integrations, IoT-enabled embedded systems, wearable integrations, Blockchain-based wallets, machine learning algorithms, and AI chatbots.
Wrapping Up…
Remember that every great venture starts with a great idea, and its success significantly depends on the right execution. While it is ideal to make your Android development decisions based on price and quality, we recommend users strike a fine balance between technical expertise, price, and quality of services, app development timelines, flexible payment structures, maintenance services, etc.
