Best Mobile App and Website Development Concepts and Practices
A great mobile app or startup idea can only be as successful as its Business Analysis, Architecture, Design, Development, Support and Business Execution. Choosing the right technology and technology team to build a mobile app or website is just as important for success as the concept itself.
Below we briefly discuss these concepts and then we describe the best software to use for software / mobile app development:
Concepts:
Business Analysis
A Business Analyst’s goal is to define software solutions to support the business initiatives. The business analyst starts by meeting with various stakeholders of the business in order to understand the company’s vision and business goals. The business analyst utilizes this information to define how technology can support the business plan, UI/UX design and help build the overall framework for the mobile app / website.
We have found this step in the process to be very important as a lot of the clients that we encounter have great ideas but need assistance in developing the various details that are needed to be considered to have a successful product.
For more information, please refer to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_analysis
Software and Database Architecture
Software and database architecture involve creating software component designs, database designs and security mechanisms that are needed for the project. These are fundamental components of any business venture because this is the time when the architect will define various technologies and platforms to use.
If the software will be in the form of a mobile app and a website, the architect needs to create the designs in a way that the coding duplication is minimized. This will not only decrease the development cost but also lead to a more stable product that is easier to maintain and support.
If this architectural phase is not done properly, it will create issues with the usability, growth and the overall success of the project. A seasoned architect is a valuable asset to any project.
For more information, please refer to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_architecture
User Interface (UI) Design
UI designer creates the best visual and functional experience for the user. The designer takes into consideration various aspects of the potential users’ including but not limited to users’ demographics (age, sex, education, income,…) and how tech savvy they might be. The designer may also take into account what types of devices the users will potentially be using to access the software / mobile app (desktop pc, tablet, mobile phone). As an example, a user base that encompasses non-native English speakers who are not tech savvy need to be approached in a different angle than a typical U.S.-born millennial.
The UI designer creates the visual aspects of the mobile app or website so it is most intuitive for the user groups. The designer will create 3 different mockups in Photoshop or other similar software (desktop, tablet and mobile phone). Since there is much more limited visual space on tablet and mobile phones, the visual elements need to look and function differently in some cases to create the best user experience.
For more information, please refer to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_interface_design
Development
All the designs are complete and now you need to have programmers perform the actual coding. It is now very important to select the right coders that are experts at the technologies defined as needed. You need to make sure they are U.S.-based so you have a much better control of the day to day operations and goals.
During the development process, you need to have a dedicated Technical Project Manager to make sure the progress is always on track, meeting deadlines and within your budget.
Best Software to Use for Mobile App / Website Development:
We recommend a Node.js + Express software development platform for mobile apps and website development as described below:
What is a Node.js + Express Platform?
Node.js is an open-source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_software runtime environment that is used to develop fast and highly scalable network applications including mobile apps.
Express.js is a server-side web application framework for Node.js that has continued to grow popular among developers. When combined with frontend libraries such as ReactJS and React Native, developers are able to produce fast and robust applications. When deciding if these technologies are right for building your application, consider the following: usage, time & cost, and scalability.
For more information, please refer to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Node.js
Who created the platform and when?
Ryan Dahl created the first version of Node.js in 2009.
What are the costs of the platform?
Since it is open-source, there are no costs associated with obtaining the platform.
Are there any major companies using the platform?
Yes, a number of examples are: Netflix, Medium, Trello, PayPal, NASA, LinkedIn, Walmart, Yahoo, Uber, Groupon, Ebay.
Usage
Express.js is a popular web application framework for building apps that are reliant on real-time information. Node.js is able to handle large amounts of I/O operations and simultaneous connections which is important for building feature-rich real-time applications. Some popular examples of real-time applications include Uber, Netflix, and Trello.
Time & Cost
Development time and costs have considerable impact on the ability of a business start-up to succeed. One of the advantages of choosing to develop your application using Node, Express, and React is to keep your application written in a single language, JavaScript.
This enables the organization to reduce development time by allowing developers to work on both the frontend and backend without having to context switch.
Additionally, this reduces the amount of time that must be spent during debugging by allowing developers to better understand the full system.
Development costs are also reduced by allowing for a smaller team of skilled JavaScript developers to be able to implement both the frontend and backend.
Scalability
Scalability is the capability of a system, network, or process to accommodate a growing amount of work / users. In the context of an application, as more users begin to use an application, there is an increased number of simultaneous computations that must be performed by a server to be able to provide a seamless experience.
To build a mobile app with Node.js allows it to grow as your user base grows in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The key to its scalability lies within its minimalist and modular design. You only add modules that you need to your system, therefore reducing its overall size while increasing performance. All this results in requiring a server with less memory and computing power.
As your user base grows and you need multiple servers to handle the load, Node.js can be implemented to have the code to run across multiple servers, spreading the transaction processing in a load balanced way.
These factors combined, allow your application to have more availability when faced with a large number of users at lower cost to you.
Please take time to review our Node.js services page at:https://www.kentosystems.com/node-js-react-software-development/