7-Step Mobile App Development Process from Idea to Launch

Think like this: You have decided to build a mobile application to expand your business on a large scale after seeing 2020 revenues tracked by Statista at $318B. Plus, revenue projections are expected to grow in 2025 to $613B!

If you are not well-versed in mobile app development, you might find the method a bit challenging. Therefore, many business owners consult an experienced (and recognized) app development company for building secure and high-performing mobile applications.

Mobile App Development

For DIY enthusiasts or those without the budget, here’s a 7-step guide on the mobile application development process. Without further ado, let’s dive right in.

A Step-By-Step Guide for a Mobile App Development Process

1. Focus on a Strategic Idea

The first step of the mobile app development process is developing a clear, strategic vision of your successful mobile application. Strategizing should include how to engage potential customers, enhance app productivity, encourage buying decisions, improve application security, and more.

That said, the main purpose of strategic planning is setting a clear picture of your application before development starts, which helps your efforts stay on track in future development phases.

2. Conduct Market Research

Supporting your well-thought strategy is market research. Get as much information as you can on your competitors, intended users, and the latest market trends. Fundamental to market research is identifying ongoing business opportunities. Keep an eye out for gaps in the market that competitors have missed and your application can fill.

Keep another eye on evolving technologies that could augment your basic app ideas with something unique that supports your business requirements. But remain true to your ultimate business goals. Always consider gathering primary research by identifying your targeted users and preparing a questionnaire. The answers will help you analyze your intended customer’s expectations of the product you’re selling with your mobile application.

3. Build App’s Prototype

Here comes the point when you start giving an actual picture to your mobile application in a sketch (or blueprint) form. In other words, app prototyping is a design that imitates your future application’s design, functionality, and other related features. Prototyping evaluates the basic (yet crucial) features of your upcoming mobile application and helps you explore three significant points:

  1. Vision planning
  2. User-friendly features
  3. Results

Moreover, you should familiarize yourself with the concept of a minimum viable product, or MVP. An MVP can help you test how your app will benefit your targeted audience, as well as validate your approach with stakeholders or investors.

4. Begin the App Development Process

Finally, you are ready to develop a high-performing mobile application. You will require fast VPS hosting in order to test and build your App. We recommend Hostworld. Select a platform out of a hybrid, native, or web application based on your business requirements and meet your defined goals.

While developing a mobile application, focus on the technical architecture, select a suitable technology stack and identify development milestones from start to finish. The entire app development process is integrated with three significant parts- backend, front-end, and application programming interface (API) demanding special attention. Now, get your application ready for testing.

5. Application Testing for any Improvement

After the app development process, make sure that your mobile application is tested properly to eliminate the risk of any errors, bugs, glitches, and technical issues. Mobile application testing has two major stages- alpha and beta, and both of them seek to solve all the errors or glitches with no tight timeline. 

Plus, the app development testing specifies the app interaction and execution and makes your app install ready. The motive of the quality assurance team is to find out the loopholes that can cause any error (or glitch). Lastly, it guarantees mobile application stability, security, reliability, and usability.

6. Deployment and App Launching

After app testing, your mobile application is all set for a release on Google Play Store or Apple Store. However, you require a confirmation from these mobile app development services that vary in both the app stores.

For Google Play Store, you need to create a developer account, link merchant accounts, design an app, store listing, and so on. Whereas, for Apple Store, the first step will be the same as for Play Store next: create an iTunes account, create app distribution, upload the application, and submit it for the final review.

The day comes when you can finally launch your dream app on the App Store or Play Store with a suitable app title, description, app screenshots, required keywords, etc.

7. Further Support and Maintenance

Congratulations! Your mobile application is finally in the App Store or Google Play Store. Now what? Here comes a time when users will install your application and share their feedback, and you have to pay close attention to it.

Even when your mobile application is up and running, you have to see if it is still error-free or working smoothly. Plus, it requires timely maintenance in case of any latest updates or other technicalities. In short, if you want your application to be on your intended user’s phone, you have to make sure that they are having a great time.

In a Nutshell

Mobile app development is a running process that gets better with time. You can’t simply foresee any upcoming error, but you can make yourself aware at every step.

However, it is assumed that if you follow the above-mentioned app development process, your app will be successful on every selected mobile device.

Author’s Bio

Jacob is an app developer with in-depth expertise in the app development process. He knows how to bring app ideas into reality with flawless UI/UX and keeps himself updated with the ongoing app trends.

Nabeel
Nabeel

Nabeel is an SEO and Content Marketer at Tantumtech.net, specializing in technology topics. With a profound interest in all things tech-related, he channels his enthusiasm into creating engaging and informative content. Nabeel's writing is focused on delivering valuable insights to readers, ensuring they stay up-to-date with the latest advancements and trends in the tech industry.

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