Mobile applications are something that most people are immersed in, most of the time.
Isn’t it?
Mobile applications are software applications that are meant to run on mobile devices such as smartphones, smartwatches, or tablets.
So whatever we do on our smartphones, we have an app. There are applications to make phone calls, send messages, use social media platforms, order groceries, pay bills, make other payments, book movie tickets, play games, and many more.
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Even there are applications that take care of your health, make diet charts for you, remind you of drinking water, or walk the required number of steps.
Obviously, there must be numerous professionals working behind the scenes of these applications. These are referred to as Mobile App Developers.
With the way we use mobile apps and their frequency, it is obvious that a career in Mobile App Development can be lucrative and rewarding. This is the only domain that has gained tremendous popularity among software developers and IT professionals.
Since the number of people getting connected to mobile devices across the world, getting all the things like sharing a ride, scheduling meetings, or shopping, mobile has become commonplace. Around two-thirds of the global population or nearly 5 billion unique mobile subscribers are there around the world. This makes a mobile app developer an evergreen job title for most software developers.
Another factor that fuels the surge in the demand for mobile app developers is a massive increase in the number of startups that are spreading their wings across their region or over a wider landscape. Since most startups are transitioning to mobile-only environments and no web environments, everything is now carried on the mobile front, keeping aside the revolution brought by computing devices.
Before moving towards the ‘how-to’ section, let’s first look at the why part.
Why Become a Mobile App Developer?
The only job title that will continue to grow, without any doubt, is mobile app development. Mobile app development has the glamor of developing something innovative, new, and fresh.
With a career in this domain, you get a plethora of opportunities to reinvent the ways in which mobile technology is utilized.
A good SDK and a strong internet connection are all you need to start with mobile app development. Also, you need not get yourself a job with commitment, freelancing is always a high-paying option for mobile app developers. Also, these professionals are getting huge salaries and can get jobs in well-established companies. The average annual salary of a mobile app developer is around USD 110,000 in the US and INR 5 lakhs and may go as high as INR 12 lakhs in India.
How to Become a Mobile App Developer?
Educational Background and Skills
A strong background in software development is a must for becoming a Mobile App Developer. To attain the proper knowledge and skills in software development, you can pursue any of these undergraduate degrees:
- Software Engineering
- Mobile Application Development
- Computer Science
- Mobile Computing
- Any related qualification that includes programming
Employers will require you to possess a portfolio with working samples of completed mobile applications and some of your amazing works on development projects. Some of the basic requirements include:
- Understand thoroughly the basic principles of stable and secure software design
- Understand and go through popular software development methodologies including Scrum, Agile, etc., and also development environments and platforms.
- Understanding the SDLC (Software Development Lifecycle) that includes the steps of designing, developing, testing, releasing, and maintaining. Also, the cycle includes long-term support and maintenance of the SDLC.
- Sound knowledge of two or more popular programming languages that may include Java, C#, C++, SQL, JavaScript, iOS, Ruby on Rails, PHP, and most importantly Python.
Mobile Developer Skills and Responsibilities
Some of the typical skills and duties of a Mobile App Developer are:
- You have to be proficient in some popular programming languages including Java, Python, and C++
- You are required to develop, test, monitor, and improve mobile applications
- You should know well how to work with cross-platform developer tools including Flutter, Xamarin, and React Native
- You need to make sure that the functionality and quality are properly aligned with the requirements of your client
- The most important task is to design and develop APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) in support of mobile functionality
- You should know how to come up with new designs and ideas
- You should know well the concepts, terminology, and best practices in order to code mobile applications seamlessly
- You might be required to shift and adapt existing web applications to popular mobile environments
- You should come up with changes and improvements recommendations for existing mobile applications
- To provide all-time support for your mobile applications, such that you can deal with the issues instantly
- You should be able to devise workarounds and fixes for issues that arise
You will be required to work with various departments to brainstorm as well as optimize deployments, namely:
- Software Engineers
- Project Managers
- Analysts
- Other web developers
Training and Certifications
Employers these days require you to stay updated with the latest tools and techniques used in the domain. To get through this, you should get a real-life experience.
How can this be accomplished?
The best way is to take up an online training course. You can easily find training programs for mobile app development through:
- University/College
- Online Training Platforms (such as that of Simplilearn which provides best-in-class training so that you can attain your certification and start developing your own robust mobile applications)
Certifications
The landscape of mobile app development is widening consistently and the influx of both platform-neutral and platform-specific credentials can be observed clearly. Some of the most popular certifications you can pursue are:
- Google Associate Android Developer
- IBM Certified Mobile Application Developer
- ATC Android Certified Application Developer
- Logical Operations’ Master Mobile Application Developer
- Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD): App Builder
- Mobile Development Institute Certified Developer (MDICD)
- Oracle Certified Professional (OCP): Java ME Mobile Application Developer
Conclusion
Mobile App Development over two major mobile environments namely Android and Apple iOS will undoubtedly keep growing. To have an ever-growing career in this domain, you can take up an online training course.
Many resources like Simplilearn enable you to work hands-on with all the popular tools and techniques, platforms and environments, such that you can start building your mobile apps just as you start learning.
Enroll Yourself Now!!
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