Mobile app development
Mobile app development is the act or process by which a mobile app is developed for one or more mobile devices, which can include personal digital assistants, enterprise digital assistants, or mobile phones. Such software applications are specifically designed to run on mobile devices, after considering many hardware constraints. Common constraints include central processing unit architecture and speeds, available random-access memory, limited data storage capacities, and considerable variation in displays and input methods. These applications can be pre-installed on phones during manufacturing or delivered as web applications, using server-side or client-side processing to provide an "application-like" experience within a web browser.
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 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.
Overview
To facilitate developing applications for mobile devices, and the consistency thereof, various approaches have been taken.Most companies that ship a product provide an official software development kit. They may also opt to provide some form of software testing and/or quality assurance. 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, which restricts the sharing of privileged information.
As part of the development process, mobile user interface 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. 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 platforms or integrated development environments.
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 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, and service-oriented architecture infrastructure.
Platform
The software development packages needed to develop, deploy, and manage mobile apps 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 and provide the following abilities:- UI design tools
- SDKs to access device features
- Cross-platform accommodations/support
First party
First party tools include official SDKs published by, or on behalf of, the company responsible for the design of a given hardware platform, and any third-party software that is officially supported for the purpose of developing mobile apps for that hardware.| Platform | Programming language | Debuggers available | Emulator available | Integrated development environment available | Cross-platform deployment | Installer packaging options | Development tool cost |
| Android | Java but portions of code can be in C, C++, Kotlin | Debugger integrated in Eclipse, standalone debugging monitor available | 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 | Debugger integrated in IDE | Eclipse, BlackBerry JDE | BlackBerry only, because of RIM API | alx, cod | Free | |
| iOS SDK | Objective-C, Swift | LLDB debugger integrated in Xcode IDE | Bundled with iPhone SDK, integrated with Xcode IDE | Xcode | iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch | Only via App Store, needs review and approval by Apple Inc. | Apple tools are available for free for development on Mac. Applications can be run in a simulator or on a device. Some advanced abilities need a paid developer account. |
| iOS SDK | Object Pascal | Debugger integrated in Xcode IDE | Included in Delphi XE2 professional or higher | Embarcadero Delphi XE2 | iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch | Only via App Store, needs review and approval by Apple Inc. | Development requires Intel-based 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
Third party
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
- Data services
- Reusable business logic
| Platform | Programming language | Integrated development environment available | Cross-platform deployment | Deployment options | Development tool cost |
| Altova MobileTogether Server | Browser-based interface | Proprietary IDE | Server available for Windows, Linux, macOS. Supports mobile devices running Android, iOS, Windows 8, Windows 10 Windows Phone, HTML5 browser-based client | On-prem, cloud, or hybrid | Development tools are free, commercial license needed for deployment |
| GO!AppZone by Globo plc | JavaScript. Custom integrations connectors/server-side logic: C#, VB.NET | Yes, GO!AppZone Studio | Android, BlackBerry, iOS, Windows Phone, 8.x, RT | On-prem, cloud or hybrid | Development tools are free, commercial license or subscription needed for deployment |
| IBM MobileFirst Server | HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, and native SDK languages w/ Native Worklight API | Eclipse plugin, Eclipse-based stand-alone | Android, iOS, BlackBerry 6,7, & 10, Windows Phone 7.5 & 8, Windows 8, Adobe AIR, Mobile Web App, desktop browser web page | On-prem | Developer edition free via Eclipse Marketplace, commercial license for deployment |
| Metismo | Java | Eclipse | Android, iOS, Java ME, BREW, BlackBerry, Nintendo DS, Palm/webOS, Sony PSP, Samsung bada, Symbian, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone 7, Windows Desktop, OS X | On-prem | Commercial licenses available |
| Wakanda | JavaScript | Use Wakanda Studio | Android, iOS, Windows Phone 10, HTML5 app | On-prem or cloud | Community and commercial editions |
| Verivo Akula | Java | Use any front-end IDE | Android, iOS, Windows Phone7 | On-prem, cloud, or hybrid | Free development licenses; per-CPU deployment licenses. Replaced by Appery.io |
| WebORB Integration Server | C#, VB.NET, Java, PHP, ActionScript, JavaScript, Objective-C, XML | Works with Eclipse, Visual Studio, intelliJ IDEA and Amethyst IDE | Android, iOS, BlackBerry Playbook, Windows Phone 7 | On-prem | Free development licenses; free and commercial deployment licenses |
Security add-on layers
With bring your own device 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
- Client actions
- Reporting and statistics
System software
| Platform | Programming language | Debuggers available | Emulator available | Integrated development environment available | Cross-platform deployment | Installer packaging options | Development tool cost |
| Adobe AIR | ActionScript, HTML, CSS, JavaScript | Flash Builder, Flash Professional, IntelliJ IDEA | Android, iOS, BlackBerry | The native distribution format of each platform | Flash Builder, Flash Professional, IntelliJ IDEA - commercial licenses available Adobe AIR SDK - Free | ||
| BREW | C; the APIs are provided in C with a C++ style interface | Debugger support for the native ARM target code. Can use Visual Studio to debug the x86 testing code | No Emulator for the target ARM code, has a simulator for the x86 testing code | Visual Studio 6.0, Visual Studio 2003.NET, Visual Studio 2005 | Compile for the specific BREW version available on the handset | OTA | Related dev fees typically needed for Brew App Certification - VeriSign annual fee for becoming a certified developer. Realview ARM compiler for BREW. TRUE BREW testing fee for distributing the application. |
| Firefox OS | HTML5, CSS, JavaScript | No, but simulator available. | Firefox browser, Firebug | Web browser on other platform | Firefox Marketplace, Web URL | Development requires Mozilla Firefox and the simulator add-on | |
| .NET Compact Framework | C#, VB.NET, Basic4ppc | Free emulator, source code available, also bundled with IDE | Visual Studio 2008, 2005, 2003, Basic4ppc IDE | Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Symbian-based devices via third-party tools | OTA deployment, CAB files, ActiveSync | Most tools free, but commercial editions of Visual Studio needed for visual designers | |
| OpenFL | Haxe | IntelliJ IDEA, FlashDevelop | Android, iOS, BlackBerry Playbook, WebOS, HTML5, Flash, Windows, Linux | The native distribution format of each platform | Free | ||
| Palm OS | C, C++, Pascal | OS 1.0–4.1: free emulator provided by PalmSource ; OS 5.0: - 5.4 device-specific simulators provided by Palm | Palm OS Development System, CodeWarrior, PocketStudio, HB++, Satellite Forms | Palm OS handhelds, or Windows Mobile with StyleTap emulator | PRC files, PalmSource Installer | Free, or commercial, or various commercial rapid-development frameworks | |
| Python | Python | Add-on to Nokia Emulator | Several, including plugins for Eclipse | Interpreted language available natively only on Nokia Series60 though ports exist to other mobile platforms, including Palm OS | Sis deployment with py2sis or can use Python Runtime | Free | |
| Symbian | C++ | Free emulator | Many choices | Compile per target | SIS deployment | Commercial and free tools available | |
| Tizen | Web-based: HTML5, CSS, JavaScript Native: C, C++ | Free emulator | Tizen SDK | Web-based app to be available on web browser | Tizen through App store, Web URL | Development needs Windows, OS X, or Ubuntu Desktop | |
| Ubuntu Touch | Web-based: HTML5, CSS, JavaScript Native: QML, C, C++ | Ubuntu SDK | HTML5 app to be available web browser. | Ubuntu Touch through App store, Web URL | Development requires Ubuntu Desktop 12.04 or higher, Free | ||
| webOS | JavaScript, CSS, HTML, C and C++ through the PDK | Free emulator | Eclipse | webOS, Palm only | OTA deployment, webOS through App store, Web URL, Precentral,.ipk | Free | |
| Windows Mobile | C, C++ | Free emulator, also bundled with IDE | Visual Studio 2010, 2008, 2005, eMbedded VC++, Satellite Forms | Windows Mobile, Windows CE | OTA deployment, CAB files, ActiveSync | Free command-line tools or eMbedded VC++, or Visual Studio | |
| Windows Phone | C#, Visual Basic, C, C++ | Free emulator, also bundled with IDE | Visual Studio 2012, Visual Studio 2010 | Windows Phone | OTA deployment, XAP files |
Criteria for selecting a development platform usually include the target mobile platforms, existing infrastructure, and development skills. When targeting more than one platform with cross-platform development, it is also important to consider the impact of the tool on the user experience. Performance is another important criterion, as research on mobile apps indicates a strong correlation between application performance and user satisfaction. Along with performance and other criteria, the availability of the technology and the project's requirements may drive the development between native and cross-platform environments. To aid the choice between native and cross-platform environments, some guidelines and benchmarks have been published. Typically, cross-platform environments are reusable across multiple platforms, leveraging a native container while using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for the user interface. In contrast, native environments are targeted at one platform for each of those environments. For example, Android development occurs in the Eclipse IDE using Android Developer Tools plugins, Apple iOS development occurs using the Xcode IDE with Objective-C and/or Swift, Windows and BlackBerry each have their own development environments.