Beginner Concepts for Building Apps

Smartphone and tablet apps have been around for over a decade now. In that time, they have grown and changed dramatically in both the way they are used and in their accessibility. Depending on how you are building an app, you may need to write entire strings of code. However, some app building software uses no code or low amounts of code. So, even if you’re not a computer ex[ert, you can still make a great code if you are willing to take a few weeks to learn the basics.

Free Coding Classes and Tutorials

To make an individualized app, you will need to learn how to code, at least to a certain extent. There are many different coding languages. As to what kind of coding language you should learn, that all depends on what kind of app you want to make.

If you want to make an app for iOS (Apple smart devices), it’s usually best to use Objective-C or Swift. Objective-C has been around for a lot longer, but some people still find it difficult to learn and use. Swift is a bit newer, launching in 2014. Most newer iOS apps are made with Swift. An app can use both Objective-C and Swift, but ti’s generally best to stick to one coding language.

To make an Android app, you should use Android SDK in combination with Java and/or Kotlin. Android apps were first originally made with Java (in 2008). Java has been around since the mid-1990s, so there are a lot of free resources online to learn how to use it. Coding with Java can be complicated at first, but it’s not too tricky compared to other apps. Kotlin is much newer than Java, but only surpassed it as the “favorite” code to write Andriod apps in, around 2019. Kotliin is like a more compact version of Java. They are compatible, making it easy to build an app suing both coding languages. 

If none of those coding languages speak to you, there are some other popular options to pick from. HTML5 is great for making website apps. Meaning, if you have an app that is basically just the website in another form. As the name implies, this coding usually uses HTML code. It can also be combined with Apache Cordova, which allows an app to use both HTML and JavaScript coding. All of this then opens further doors to using other website-conntected coding langauges.

Low Code Platforms

Low code app platforms are becoming more common. As the name implies, these platforms require the user to know a little bit about code, but not enough to actually need to write any code. Instead, there will be code written into the app making platform. These codes are represented (usually) by buttons or drag and drop options. So, while the app maker doesn’t see the lines of code, the platform does. This is especially good for people who are visual learners and creators.

As with any other app platform builders, there are pros and cons to using low code. Your finished app can only be as good as the platform you use. If there are bugs in the platform, then there are likely to be bugs in your app. To use a more positive spin, if you are using an advanced and clean platform, then your app should also look nice and run smoothly.

Making your first app is going to be difficult, there’s no getting around that. Learning how to use a coding language or a low code platform will make the task much easier. Make sure to do your research to find out what type of coding language or low code platform works best for the type of app you want to make, and for which kinds of devices you want the app to be available on. Once you do this, you can get straight to learning how to use the code or platform to make your first app!