Must-Have Android and iOS Mobile Developer Skills

With over five million apps in the app store, the app economy is expected to touch the staggering $21 trillion mark. Thanks to the ever-evolving innovation in the mobile app industry.

So when there is so much going on in the mobile app domain, how can we forget about the app developers. It’s the developer who can make or break and app. Therefore, it’s crucial that the app developer should possess all the skills that can fuel any app to the top.

To make it easy for the developers’ community, we have come up with this write up where we will discuss the indispensable skills that every developer should know about.

1. Knowledge of Cross-Platform Development

Every app is targeted for a particular audience and the audience can be on Android, as well as on the iOS platform. At a time when there are over 5 billion mobile devices globally, aiming for an individual platform doesn’t make sense.

Therefore, it’s important that the developer should have a profound knowledge of cross-platform development. It will help the developer to create a single app for iOS and Android platforms. It will also help in speeding up the development process.

Still, if the developer has to choose among the iOS and Android platforms, then Android should be the preferred platform because of its wide user base.

2. UI and UX Skills

It’s the first that matters and in terms of the app, the UI and UX play a significant role in making that impression. For this reason, the UI and UX design can be considered as the mainstay of an app.

Let’s take UX first. The more convenient an app is to handle, the better will be the user experience. It’s crucial that the developer should focus on creating a simple and cohesive app, so that the user can navigate through the app effortlessly. The following are the UX components that can make any app rock:

• Easy navigation and user flows
• Understanding consumer personas
• Evaluation through Wireframing

Then comes the UI, which should be highly impressive and make the user addictive. And it can only be done with the right use of the graphical representation of images, color, videos, the eccentric confluence of audio, and more.

3. Understanding of Popular Programming Languages

The programming language is a set of instructions that defines the outcome of a program. For apps, it’s the base on which the whole process takes place. Therefore, the understanding of the programming language is a must for developers.

Presently, the programming language ecosystem is governed by the likes of Python, Java, PHP. JavaScript, Objective C, Swift, and C#. Only a complete grasp of the languages will help to pick the right programming language for the app.

4. Awareness in Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity has become decisive at the backdrop of eavesdropping and hacking. According to a report by Hosting Tribunal, 300,000 new malware is created every day, which makes cybersecurity an essential part of the mobile app development process.

The app developers should add all the necessary measures to counter malware attacks and other malicious software that can breach into the app. A study on malware affected apps revealed that lifestyle category apps are the most targeted by hackers, followed by music and audio apps.

5. Experience of Agile Methodology

Agile methodology forms a comprehensive part of the mobile app development world. It guarantees complete interaction at every stage of development and the developer can easily switch from the development to the testing.

Agile Methodology works absolutely well for smaller projects and offers added freedom if compared to the waterfall methodology. From the client end’s perspective, it keeps them updated on every change that’s taking place in the app development process.

Therefore, knowledge of this methodology is a must-have for a developer. And for app-based platforms, it’s simply a gem.