A mobile app developer is someone who specializes in the development of apps for a specific type of mobile technology, be it Android or iOS. The main job of a mobile app developer is to develop and test apps for mobile phones and tablets.
Mobile App Developer is a job that is currently trending and the mobile application industry is a very big one that is expected to grow even bigger in the upcoming years. This market has a lot of potential to grow even more and generate a lot of revenue which is the reason why many people are looking after this job.
Becoming a mobile app developer isn’t as hard as it may sound because you don’t need to go to college or university & get a science degree in order to learn it. You just need to be determined and eager to learn & for the rest, you can find resources online on the internet for free.
To help young individuals in Africa who are looking to make a career in mobile app development and secure their future, we have got a brief guide regarding how you can become a mobile app developer in Africa:
Choose a Platform
The first step towards learning how to develop a mobile application is choosing the platform for which you will be developing apps. There used to be many platforms available such as Android iOS, Windows, Blackberry, Symbios OS, etc but now there remain only two, Android & iOS that dominate the market.
In Africa, you would find people to be using Android & iOS only, but most Android because of their cheaper price. So, if you really want to become a good developer then learning both Android & iOS would be a good choice but if you can’t manage to learn both then learning Android is better than iOS since you will find more Android users in Africa and you can make a unique tool like Word Unscrambler for Android & become famous in the time of a few weeks.
Learn the Basics of Coding
If you are a beginner then you might need to start with the basics of coding and it might become essential for you to get a degree in this field that will strengthen and refine your skills. If you don’t have any degree in this field before or you’re too lazy to get one then you should at least opt for a diploma in the field of Mobile App Development.
Research & Learning the Required Programming Language(s)
Once you have chosen a platform to work on, you will need to gather knowledge about that platform by doing research on it. For instance, if you have chosen Android then you will have to learn either Kotlin or Java to develop apps like Scrabble Word Finder for Android devices. For beginners, Java is recommended which can be learned through Google’s Android Developer Library.
If you have chosen iOS as your main platform then you will also need to master either Swift or Objective-C. Swift is recommended if you are planning to work independently and Objective-C is recommended when you are planning to work for a company or as a team.
Learn Other Required Skills
Along with all of this, you will also need to be creative in order to think creatively and introduce unique applications in the market. You should also have good critical thinking skills & understanding of technical problems so that if you encounter one then you can resolve it.
You should also have to learn some programming languages other than your main languages. Sticking to just one programming language isn’t going to help. Along with all of this, you should have sound knowledge about IoT, Cyber Security, and Cross-platform App development. And last but not least, you should be able to manage and handle your projects in time.
As the saying goes, ‘Practice Makes A Man Perfect’. And this statement cannot be more true. Coding & app development is all about your practice, your experience, and how much time you give to your laptop and refine your skills.
Practice
To become a good developer, the last thing that you will need to do is keep on practicing to polish, refine, and improve your skills. If you cannot do much then you should at least try to give 4-5 hours to app development on a daily basis and try to learn something new on every new day.
