There are lots of career options to choose from, especially when it comes to the field of technology. Do you enjoy solving math, logical, and analytic questions? Do you see yourself creating the next tech breakthrough? Then this might be the right track for you. If you’re curious and amazed by the process of creating mobile and web apps, then maybe you’re an innate programmer. Take this chance to turn your passion into a career. Consider taking web and mobile application development in college. Here’s why.
Career Outlook in Web and Mobile Application Development
You won’t need an expert to know that the app market is growing faster each year. Grit PH listed app developer as one of the top 10 most in-demand jobs in the Philippines in 2019. In fact, according to PayScale.com, entry-level application developers with less than 1 year of work experience can earn as much as PHP 204,000 per year. Likewise, PHP 402,571 for an early career with 1-4 years of experience and PHP 690,000 for a mid-career with 5-9 years of experience. This includes tips, bonuses, and overtime pay.
Does this sound enticing? On top of the good salary, many app developers can attest that this career is rewarding and opens a lot of opportunities for growth. Read on to learn how you can succeed in this thriving field.
What is Application Development?
Application development or app dev is the process of creating software programs or applications that run on computers and gadgets. It’s more than just writing a computer program, for it also involves other aspects such as planning, designing, and testing.
What Do App Developers Do?
- Design, develop, and test apps.
- Devise app prototypes and samples based on given requirements.
- Troubleshoot and debug apps.
- Analyze and assess apps to update or add new features.
- Create technical documentation.
In simpler terms, the role of app or software developers is to solve problems and make our life easier through apps. To ensure that the process works in a smooth, efficient, and productive way; they follow Systems Development Lifecycle or SDLC. Here’s a sample diagram from Tutorials Point.
Stage 1: Plan
This stage includes gathering and studying inputs from customers, sales department, market surveys, and domain experts in the industry. The gathered data is then used to plan the basic project approach and to conduct a product feasibility study.
Stage 2: Define
This involves defining the plan, listing the requirements, and presenting the idea to get the client’s approval. It’s where you determine what the business needs, how you can address them, who will handle each task, and the turnaround time for the whole process.
Stage 3: Design
This point transforms the detailed requirements into a complete detailed System Design Document. The design stage focuses on how to propose and deliver the required features using more than one design approach for product architecture.
Stage 4: Build
Following predefined guidelines, the app developers will build the entire system using the chosen programming language. The team leaders will divide the tasks into modules and assign them to various developers.
Stage 5: Test
Once the app is complete, a QA team will test its functionality and verify if it works based on the given requirements. If there are bugs and errors, the app is sent back to the developers for debugging and revisions, then sent back to QA for re-test.
Stage 6: Deploy
Once the app is bug-free, stable and working based on client specs, it is now ready for market release. After launch, developers will maintain the app through debugging and producing version upgrades and feature enhancements.
4 Types of Applications
If you’re a keen observer, tech-savvy, and heavy gadget user, you probably noticed that there are new apps and app upgrades almost every day. These apps are classified into four groups, each serving its own purpose. Read on and know the difference between web application and mobile application as well as the hybrid and progressive web apps.
Native App
These are apps that are solely built for a specific operating system and native to a certain device or platform. For instance, you cannot use android apps on iPhone and iOS apps on android devices. You can find these native mobile apps in app stores.
Pros
- Fast even when offline
- Easily distributed
- More interactive and intuitive
- Can access various device features
Cons
- Made for a single platform
- Built using languages that are hard to learn
- Expensive to develop
- Needs constant updates
Web App
Web Apps are apps that serve as the responsive versions of a website. They use web browsers to run so you don’t need to install them on your gadgets. Unlike native apps, web apps have limited access to the features of your device.
Pros
- Reduced business cost
- No need to install
- Can be accessed anywhere
- Always up to date
Cons
- Dependent on internet speed
- User interface is not that sophisticated
- Take a longer time to develop
- High security risk
Hybrid App
These apps are a mix of the first two types, but they are mainly web apps disguised in a native form. They are multi-platform with a single code base.
Pros
- Easy to build
- Much cheaper than a native app
- Single app for all platforms
- No browser needed
- Can usually access devices utilities using an API
- Faster to develop than native apps
Cons
- Slower than native apps
- More expensive than web apps
- Less interactive than native and web apps
Progressive Web App
Apps that are like regular web pages but provide additional user features which were earlier only available to native mobile apps. They are “native app like” with features working offline, push notifications, and device hardware access.
Pros
- Low on data use
- Always up to date
- No need to install
- Easy to share
Cons
- High battery usage
- Unable to access various device features
- Missing out on Google Play and App Store traffic
Must-Have Skills to Succeed in Web and Mobile Application Development
Despite the great edge that it could give, being a computer savvy is not enough to develop web and mobile apps. Rather, a specific skill set is required for application developers to succeed in this field. Here are the skills you need to possess to create a great app:
1. User Interface (UI) Design Skills
The app’s UI is in charge of the interaction between the user and the software. To outdo the plethora of apps in the market, you must learn how to create an attractive app that is easy to use, has a superior design, and runs smoothly.
2. Cross-Platform App Dev Skills
To succeed in this cutthroat field, you need to be versatile enough to create apps for any device across any platform. For a wider range of chances, knowing the basics for Android, iPhone, and Windows devices is a must.
3. Backend Computing Skills
Aside from the design, app developers also deal with the server-side of the process. You also need to learn and focus on developing a database, script, and architecture of websites.
4. Modern Language Programming Skills
Besides cross-platform versatility, you also need to keep up and be familiar with more than one programming language. These include JavaScript, Java, Python, Objective C, and Ruby.
5. Marketing Skills
Having a great market appeal is the most crucial trait an app should have. Creating it that way is never an easy feat. Hence, know the basics of branding and the ways to optimize an app’s visibility in the market.
How CIIT Philippines Can Help
Ready to pursue a career in web and mobile application development? If you’re willing to explore all the possibilities technology has to offer, our Bachelor of Science in Computer Science or BSCS can give you a kick-start in this path. Our course can nurture your innate talents and help you develop skills that you can use as you work in this field.
CIIT Philippines is an industry-based academic institution. We focus on providing quality arts and technology courses which makes our students fully equipped in the application development industry. We also offer a cost-effective tuition fee with easy payment methods and scholarship programs for qualified students. Browse through our website now to learn more about this course.
Sources: Grit PH | Tutorials Point | Thinkmobiles | CareerExplorer | Mobile App Daily
