Over the last decade, mobile app development has come up as one of the most promising and bright industries. A large number of mobile apps present show our dependencies on mobile phones for our day-to-day chores and leisure & entertainment. These days, many businesses are also including mobile app development in their business model. Due to this the search for terms like ‘How to create an ios app‘, How to create a mobile app’ has also increased on search engines.
“Currently, the App Store has more than 1.5 million applications.”
But the question is, why do users like iOS so much? Well, first, it is simple. Second, the App Store submission process is rigorous, ensuring that users get high-quality mobile products. Finally, Apple has made it clear that user privacy is one of the company’s primary concerns.
As a result, iOS app developers have to work hard during the iOS app development process and deliver a superior product in one form or another. Making an ios app is not an easy process at all.
How the process unfolds is a rather curious matter.
Table of Contents
The General Flow of the iOS Application Development Process:
Creating an ios app is not merely about creating a mobile application and launching it on a digital store. The process requires planning, research, proper skills, and, most of all, a clear focus. To ensure the final product’s success, the mobile application development company must follow a series of steps in the application development cycle.
Generally, there are five main phases in the development cycle of an application.
#1. Planning Phase
Before launching an application, it is crucial to have a clear focus like what challenges does the mobile application solves, what functions to include, who is the target audience, etc.
Besides, it is essential to conduct thorough market research to ensure that the application is competitive in your market or niche. The planning phase also includes organizing all the requirements in the later stages of the application development process.
#2. Design Phase
In this phase, the design team presents the user interface and user experience, i.e. the look, feel, and navigation. The design is then transferred to the mobile app developers.
#3. Development Phase
This phase of the application development process flow involves creating a functional application from the existing design.
#4. Testing Phase
When development is complete, testing the application is mandatory. QA engineers review the application to make sure it works perfectly and is free of errors.
#5. Application Release and Maintenance
Once the application is tested and reviewed by the customer, it can be released in the market. However, this does not end the application development process steps, as each application requires ongoing maintenance and must be updated frequently to address changing customer demands. So this phase simply marks the beginning of another development cycle.
How to Create an iOS Mobile App? Step by Step Procedure:
The iOS app development workflow also follows the usual pattern explained above. It all starts with planning the application, followed by designing and developing the application, testing the product before launching it, and maintaining the application until it exists continually.
But, in practice, the iOS development process is not that easy. iOS developers must take care of Apple’s various developer rules to ensure a private, safe, and user-friendly user experience. Therefore, hire mobile app developers who can implement the necessary elements and best practices to create a successful end product.
The following section provides a detailed explanation of all the development steps of the iOS application:
1. Initial Steps to Create an iOS App
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Research analysis
There are over a million apps on the App Store. So the market is hugely competitive. To make sure your app gains traction and is downloaded many times, you need to do extensive market research to see what apps already exist. Then see how those apps work and compare them to yours.
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Compliance with app store guidelines
Additionally, the process of creating an iOS app also requires that you adhere to strict Apple guidelines. Apple only publishes those applications that meet its design, security, user privacy, and other requirements. And there is no other way. This is why all the apps on iOS have a similar appearance without losing uniqueness, and this is why most of them are well done.
2. Design before Proceeding with Development
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Concept and metallic structure
Once the motive behind your mobile app is clear, you need to document the design team’s requirements. The team would then develop wireframes and blueprints that show what the app would look like. This design stage lays the foundation for the subsequent application design process and other steps to create an application.
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UI and UX design
A critical process in creating an application determines the user experience and what the application will look like. At this stage, the goal is to create a visually appealing and easy to navigate / intuitive design. The user interface and user experience of the application must also comply with Apple guidelines.
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Software architecture
The other important step that follows along with UI and UX design is planning the software architecture. This step is one of the key stages in the iOS application development process as it represents three components of the Model View Controller (MVC) paradigm: the data, the user, and the software. It implies all those measures taken to guarantee the scalability and stability of the application.
3. Application of the Necessary Steps in the Development of iOS Applications
Although the initial phases of the iOS application development process help prepare all the requirements and complete the application design, the most critical phase of the entire effort begins in the development phase.
The development phase is about bringing the app concept to life. At this stage, the development team has to work with three different but integral parts of the project: the backend, the API, and the front-end of the mobile app.
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Back-end development
When it comes to application functionality, backend development is at the core. It includes all server-side development, including maintenance and operation, user account authentication, account management, push notification services, third-party integration for social media sites, and customization of the user experience.
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API
The application programming interface (API) serves as the link between the front-end and the backend. API of one of the main components of the application development process.
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Front-end development
The front-end of an application is the side that interacts directly with the user. It involves coding various design elements, such as wireframes and mockups, caching, and database synchronization. A well-developed front-end will allow for a smooth user experience in various screen sizes and orientations.
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Aspects to consider when developing applications for iOS
Before moving on to actual development, it is important to select the appropriate technology stack for your mobile application. Also, the choice of a suitable programming language is essential.
Here are some things to consider before starting the application development process.
XCode: Creating a native iOS application requires XCode, Apple’s IDE (integrated development environment), which imports application designs. This tool provides several useful functions, such as editing the source code, debugging the user interface, and exporting the application to the application store.
iOS programming language: Considering the requirements, developers can choose either of the two languages, Objective C and Swift, to develop the iOS application. While Object-C is a superset of the C language, it is gradually being replaced by Swift, Apple’s newest programming language. Released in 2014, Swift runs two points six times faster than Objective-C, according to Apple. It’s more concise, sustainable, more secure, and compatible with most modern hardware drives.
Agile developments: Due to the rapid changes in mobile platforms, it is always good to finish the iOS application development process as quickly as possible. To achieve this goal, developers can opt for an agile development approach, whose milestone system ensures the timely delivery of quality software.
4. Test and Finish the Process of Creating an Application
After finishing all the development phases of the technical application, the next step is the developed product’s quality control test. Testing or reviewing the application for iOS is a crucial step, considering the difficulties in the submission process and approval of Apple’s application. The developer should review the application for optimized performance, a perfect user experience, debugging, optimal memory usage, security, and full compliance with all guidelines set forth by Apple.
After reviewing the application and ensuring that it will not be rejected, your application can be submitted to the App Store for further review and approval. It can take a few days to a couple of weeks for Apple to respond and approve your mobile product.
Where to Go Next?
Developing an app gets completed with the successful deployment of an app to the App Store. However, in reality, this process to create an ios app never ends.
The launch of an app becomes a continuous process of app maintenance. It comprises monitoring app usage through app analytics platforms, measuring its success through KPIs, patching any functional and security bugs that may arise at any time, and updating app features and interface in the light of customer feedback and the iOS requirements and new updates.
Now that you are well aware of what all goes into making a perfect iOS mobile app, the next step is to hire the best iOS development company in India and come up with a top-class iOS app.
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Insightful
Very very informative. Kudos to the writer.