App Development is Simple, Change My Mind

In the world of app development, a prevailing misconception leads many to believe that it's a remarkably straightforward undertaking. This misunderstanding often stems from the idea that the most daunting challenge lies in ensuring that their app functions seamlessly on various devices, such as iPads, iPhones, and various Android gadgets. I've encountered numerous instances where individuals who haven't delved into app development argue that it's simpler than web development because it primarily involves displaying data from the backend or executing straightforward business logic.

It's not uncommon for app developers to struggle when attempting to convey why certain problems in their domain take significantly more time to solve compared to web development, which might seem like a cakewalk by comparison. The intricacies of app development can be challenging to explain, especially to project managers and backend developers who may not fully grasp the unique paradigm that governs this field.

When you're tackling a straightforward problem, working on a personal project, or creating a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), and the scope of your features and project isn't particularly expansive, it's much simpler to devise uncomplicated solutions. In such cases, developing the app can follow a relatively straightforward path, often requiring minimal upfront planning.

If you're building an app with a limited set of features, collaborating with a small, close-knit team, and targeting a specific, localized user base without the complexities of internationalization, your app can progress smoothly along a well-defined trajectory. 📱🛠️👨‍💻🌍

As your app begins to grow and attract more users from around the world, speaking different languages and following various rules, your team expands in size, and your app's codebase becomes more substantial. It's no longer as easy as it once seemed. From my own experience, managing such an app can be quite challenging if you don't plan meticulously, establish strong foundations, and maintain clear coding practices.

A larger-scale app often tries to address multiple issues simultaneously, creating a complex puzzle for app developers. If, in addition to these challenges, the app has to deal with outdated operating systems or a disorganized backend, it can make a developer's job exceptionally hell.

In this scenario, there are no quick fixes to magically resolve all your difficulties. Instead, you'll find yourself having to make numerous decisions to handle each unique situation. It's like embarking on a journey where you must carefully navigate the path, balancing the demands of growth, maintaining order, ensuring smooth operations, and keeping users satisfied.

The truth is that app development, while often seen as a quest for cross-device compatibility, extends far beyond this initial impression. It encompasses a broad spectrum of intricacies, including crafting robust data from backend infrastructure, ensuring data security, optimizing performance, and addressing the complexities of user experience. These challenges can be as demanding as they are rewarding, making app development a multifaceted discipline that requires a nuanced understanding and a significant amount of effort to master.

At the start of the app development journey, everything may appear quite straightforward and enjoyable. However, the honeymoon phase comes to an end when you have to tackle various complex aspects such as:

1. State management 📊: Handling the flow and storage of data within an app can be complex, especially in larger applications with numerous states.

2. Custom Components or libraries 📚: Creating and maintaining custom components or libraries requires significant development and testing effort.

3. Online/Offline Support 📶: Ensuring that the app functions seamlessly without an internet connection can be challenging, especially for apps with where some features are real-time and some features are offline.

4. Multi-device Data Sync or Custom Sync Logic 🔄: Synchronizing data and actions across various devices or implementing custom synchronization logic can be intricate.

5. Push Notifications 📩📵: Managing notifications and ensuring they work correctly for different user bases in different countries can be tricky.

6. Widgets 🧩: Developing widgets that provide useful information and interact with the app can require attention to detail and needs more effort.

7. Device and Legacy OS Support 📱💻: Adapting the app to work well across a wide range of devices and legacy operating system versions can be challenging and need a lot of trade off.

8. App Release 📲: Preparing the app for release, dealing with app store requirements, and ensuring a smooth rollout can be demanding.

9. Accessibility Concern for All Users ♿: Making the app accessible to individuals with disabilities requires careful consideration of user interface and interaction design.

10. Animation 🎨: Implementing smooth and visually appealing animations can be complex, particularly for complex UI interactions.

11. Supporting Watch Apps ⌚: Developing companion apps for wearable devices involves unique design and functionality considerations.

12. Dependencies, Third-Party Libraries, SDKs 🧰: Integrating and managing third-party libraries and software development kits (SDKs) can introduce compatibility and maintenance challenges.

13. Deeplinks 🌐: Implementing deeplinks to navigate users to specific app content can be complex, especially when handling various scenarios and generating a complex navigation architecture.

14. In-App Purchases 💳: Integrating and managing in-app purchases while complying with platform guidelines and ensuring a seamless user experience can be a complex job.

I could make this list longer, but I won't because you're already familiar with many challenges in app development. My main point in this newsletter is simple: App development is pretty tough, with its own set of rules.

This edition aims to help those who don't know much about app development appreciate the complexity without arguing about the details. It's also a guide for new app developers, showing them what to expect in their careers.

Despite the difficulties, app development is a fascinating journey. We, app developers, enjoy solving problems and sharing our work with app users.

It's a rewarding adventure! 🌟🚀🧑‍💻👩‍💻🌍📱