Android Application Development Process Decoded!

In a broader context, the Android app development can be classified into two parts: the setup and the design. However, there are a lot of steps involved in this process and unless you know the whole pipeline it’s no good.

Here we’re breaking it down, yet avoiding any technical details so that a newcomer Android developer isn’t overwhelmed with all the details there are in Android app development.

1. Ideation

Any process begins with a well thought-out idea.

·        An Android app’s true purpose is sketched.

·        The idea of the app, the purpose, the selling point, the call to action, the promise, or the core message – it has to be communicated clearly.

·        Your app’s whole idea has to be clear in your head to build an app that communicates the right idea, clear and swiftly, to the target audience.

·        You need to explore and discuss your idea in detail to flesh it out and perfect it.

·        In more professional stages, it’s not rare to see the feature details and update requirements being planned out in the ideation stage itself.

2. Making the blueprint and initial design

Now that the concept is clear, the next stage in Android app development is creating the blueprint and initial designs.

·        Just like how to web the design begins with a blueprint in Photoshop and industrial design with a blueprint on a blue paper – app development blueprint also begins without the actual tools used in the process.

·        Wireframe and blueprint designs are made in various different media for displaying or getting feedback about the visual look and styles.

·        Creating the initial design basically means going over the finer details like the specifications, features, functionalities, and platform details.

·        In the design stage, service providers often send mock-ups and first-looks about how the app will look without actually coding it.

3. Development

The development is, in a nutshell, the coding part. Although it’s much bigger than just that, this is what’s most important in it.

The app is coded using the language most suitable for the platform, budget, time frame, and requirements. The app developers work on coding the user interface first, then they move on to more complex parts like handling of data or customizing abilities.

Once the UI and systems are designed, all navigation lists and database integrations are up and running, the app is considered officially developed.

4. Testing for bugs and functionality

Developing the app means half the battle is won. The other half is testing.

·        The app is tested in optimal as well as extreme situations.

·        Bugs are identified and isolated and corrected.

·        It’s also tested how functional the app is – or how much does the app resemble the real idea and the use it was supposed to have.

5. Launch, submission, marketing

Building and functioning are out of the way, now what’s most crucial are these three stages.

·        Launch is the release of your app for any device to use. You can spread it to friends and family.

·        Submission is the official plan sent to the target store.

·        Marketing basically means digital promotion, advertising, and offline marketing aimed at increasing users.

6. Maintenance, support, and updates

The story doesn’t end there!

·        Maintenance means bug fixing and taking care of any technical or visual glitches you find later on by yourself or your users.

·        Support means providing help to users when they need it.

·        Updates keep your app running and popular. Be sure to tweak and enhance. The biggest update points are increasing security, stability, and visual appeal.

Lastly, this infographic lays it all out really well. 

Authored by Ellis Shawn. Ellis loves to experiment. He’s known as a guy who can explain all design languages in the world to you in one breath. His Android development career began when he first tasted fame with his first Android app – a basic app about calculating taxes. Ellis hasn’t looked back since then.