Have you ever thought about developing an application for smartphones and tablets? If the answer is affirmative but, for one reason or another, you have never followed up on this aspiration of yours, I think this is the right time to start seriously getting busy. Sure, for create an app it takes a good deal of commitment, dedication and concentration (even with the best idea in the world, you can't improvise developers), but believe me: by studying the subject with passion and putting yourself in a good buzz, it is possible to obtain fairly good results even at your first experience.
If you want to deepen the discussion, you could stop by reading this guide. In fact, in the following lines, I'm going to show you the steps to take to succeed in the enterprise and the tools you can rely on to start developing applications for all the main mobile platforms, namely Android and iOS/iPadOS. I will also show you what are the paperwork you need to do to publish your creations and how much you need to spend to keep the apps in the Google and Apple stores.
At that time? May I know what are you still doing standing there? Sit comfortably, take some free time just for yourself and throw yourself headlong into this new adventure. Whatever happens, I assure you that it will come in handy. For my part, I can only wish you the very best of luck. Ready? Yes? Great, let's get started!
Index
- Preliminary information
- How to create an android app
- How to create an iOS app
- How to create a game app
- How to create an app without knowing how to code for free
- How to create an app: cost
Preliminary information
Prima di enter the live tutorial, walking to spiegare how to create an app, there is some preliminary information about it that it is my duty to provide you.
First of all, keep in mind that to develop applications it is necessary to know the related programming languages, or at least have a smattering of it. The currently most popular ones on Android are Java e XML, while for iOS/iPadOS they are Swift (launched by Apple in 2014) e Objective-C (historical language on which iPhone and iPad apps have been based since the beginning).
Once learned, programming languages can be used through software specific for the development of applications, which can be divided into two different categories: the SDK and independent commercial solutions.
Independent software, on the other hand, is made available by third-party companies and allows you to develop content within an integrated environment. They are easier to use than SDKs and, depending on the license you have, they allow you to work on a single project that can be exported in different formats, thus ensuring compatibility with various platforms.
How to create an android app
Having made the due clarifications above, let's get to the point and find out, first of all, how to create an android app. To achieve this, you can rely on the use of Android Studio, the tool provided by Google itself to develop applications for its mobile platform. It's free and works on Windows, macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS.
To download it, go to the program's website and click on the button Download Android Studio placed in the center of the page. Then check the box next to the item I have read and agree with the above terms and conditions located in the form that opens and click on blue button located at the bottom.
When the download is complete, if you are using Windows, april il .exe file obtained and, in the window that appears on the desktop, click on the buttons Yes, NEXT (three times in a row), install and again NEXT, then press the button Finishto complete the installation.
Stai using MacOSInstead, open the package .dmg obtained, move theandroid studio icon in the folder Applications Mac, right click on it and select the item apri twice consecutively, in order to start the program by circumventing the limitations imposed by Apple on applications from non-certified developers (an operation that must be performed only on first execution).
Now that you see the program window on your screen, click on the buttons OK e NEXT (three consecutive times), press the button Finish and wait for the download of the components necessary for Android Studio to start and complete.
At this point, select the option Start a new Android Studio project, to start creating a new project. Then choose the form from which you intend to start, assign a name to the application you are going to develop and select the SDK version to be employed; then click on the button NEXT and indicate which of the preset bases available you want to exploit. Finally, configure the values of the project or leave the default ones and click the button Finish.
After completing the steps described above, you will find yourself in front of theeditor of the program, which is composed as follows: on the left there is the structure with all the elements of the project, on the right the area in which to enter the code parts, while at the top there are the menu bars and buttons for inserting objects , paste the portions of code and so on.
When you're done working on your application, you'll be able to save the project by clicking on the menu Fillet at the top left and selecting the appropriate item from the latter.
How to create an iOS app
Be, invent, you interest capire how to create an iOS app (o iPadOS), I inform you that the most suitable tool for the purpose is Xcode. It is, in fact, the solution officially made available by Apple for the development of apps for iPhone and iPad and integrates an emulator through which it is possible to test the functioning of applications and Internet sites, so as to be able to view everything just like on iOS and iPadOS. It's free and only available on macOS.
To download and install Xcode on your computer, access the relevant section of the Mac App Store, click on the button Get, quindi quello Install and then authorizes the download using password dell'ID Apple o touch ID (if the Mac you're using supports the above technology).
Now, start the program by clicking on the button apri appeared in the window Mac App Store or by selecting the relevant one icon which was just added to the Launchpad and, in the welcome screen of the program that has appeared on the desk in the meantime, click on the button Agree.
After that, type the administration password of the Mac and wait for thecomponent installation necessary for Xcode to function. Afterwards, choose the option Create a new Xcode projectselect il template that you want to use for your app among those available and indicate the name that you want to assign to the project.
Once this is done, you can finally start focusing on the development of the application, using theeditor of Xcode, which is divided into the following sections: on the left there is the project structure, in the center the section for inserting the code parts, on the right the viewer, while at the top and bottom there are the buttons and the menus with useful functions and commands.
After successfully creating an app, save all by clicking on the menu Fillet located at the top left and then selecting the appropriate item.
How to create a game app
Your goal was not to create an app but a game? In that case, I suggest you contact Unity. It is a development environment dedicated to the creation of numerous 3D and 2D simulations, which is usually used for create a game app.
It's compatible with Windows and macOS and it's free, as long as the legal entity that represents whoever uses it doesn't generate income or fundraising in excess of $100.000, otherwise you have to use one of the paid versions (with prices starting at $40/ month).
To download the program to your computer, access its website and click on the button Get Started. On the new page that appears, select the tab Individual and press pulsating Get Started placed in correspondence with the item Staff. After that, click on the buttons Start here e Agree and download.
Download completed if you are using Windows, april il .exe file obtained and, in the window that appears on the screen, click on the buttons Yes e NEXT. Then check the box I accept the terms of the License Agreement, award your bottone NEXT (three consecutive times) and complete the setup by clicking on the button install.
Stai using MacOS, april il package .dmg obtained and move theunity icon in the folder Applications of the Mac, then right click on it, select the item apri that you find in the context menu and press the button apri in the window that opens on the desktop, in order to bypass the restrictions imposed by Apple on applications from non-certified developers (operation to be performed only on first run).
Now that, regardless of the OS in use, you see the program window on the screen, choose whether to record a account Unity or whether to skip this step, then type the name you want to assign to the project, choose a template from the list below and click on the button Create project.
Therefore, use theeditor of the program to start developing your game: on the left there is the panel for managing the elements on the scene, on the right you will find the one that allows you to view and modify the properties of what is selected, at the bottom there is the area for managing the solutions that make up the project and the viewer is placed at the centre.
I would like to point out that not all are present on the computer necessary components to develop games. Therefore, if you do not have ad hoc libraries, modules and software at your disposal, you can proceed with the download in advance by accessing the menu Fillet of Unity, by selecting the option BuildSettings attached to it, indicating the platform name and pressing the button Open Download Page.
How to create an app without knowing how to code for free
If you are wondering if there is any system for create an app without knowing how to code for freeI inform you that the answer is yes. To achieve this, you can leverage AppsBuilder: an online service that allows you to develop native applications for Android, iPhone/iPad and other devices and platforms automatically, starting from any website or online content, which is why it is also an excellent solution for create a site app. Basically it's totally free, but to expand the features offered you need to subscribe to a paid plan (with prices starting from €19/month).
Once logged in, follow the guided procedure that is proposed to you to start creating your application, indicating the relative one belonging category and name. Once this is done, you will find yourself in front of theeditor of the service. Then translate the user interface into Italianby selecting the language from the drop-down menu at the top right.
Then select the card My featuresclick on your bottone Add features and add the functions of your interest to the app, select the related ones icon and making all the necessary customizations through the proposed menus. In the section Style and navigation in the editor, on the other hand, you will find the functions to intervene on the aesthetic aspect of the application.
Whenever you make changes to the app, remember to save them by clicking on the button Save which is at the top. To exit the editor and save the changes at the end, press the button Change completed.
How to create an app: cost
After explaining how to create an app, it seems only right to show you the cost that you possibly have to support to publish the latter on the store of the mobile platform of your interest, as well as how you in turn earn money with the work you have done. To find out more, continue reading, you will find everything explained below, in relation to Android e iOS / iPadOS.
Android
For Android, the publishing of the apps officially takes place on the Play Store, the application store for the “green robot” mobile platform. To do this, you need to create a developer account and associate with it a Google account.
The operation in question costs $25 and it is quite simple to do: just visit the appropriate page of Google Play Console and upload the APK file of the application, manage its metadata (ie version and system requirements) and think about the commercial part (title, description, etc.).
As for the possibility of earn through the apps published on the Play Store, the solutions are different: you can choose to make the apps available paid or free but with ads within or, again, free or paid proposing though in-app purchases to offer additional content.
For more information on the use and operation of the Play Console, I suggest you read the relative official guide.
iOS / iPadOS
Even if you proceeded to create an app for iOS / iPadOS, to publish it on theApp Store, or the digital store of applications for Apple's mobile platform, you must have a developer account.
In order to get it, you have to pay $99 per year and the request must be made through the specific web page of the Apple Developer Program site, by clicking on the button Start Your Enrollment located at the bottom of the page.
Next, to proceed with publishing the app you need to use Xcode, the program I told you about in the step on how to create an app for iOS/iPadOS, and theApp Store Connect, which is Apple's web platform that allows you to enter all the information about the application which will then go to the App Store.
Regarding the possibility of making money with apps published on the App Store, there are several solutions that can be considered: it is possible to make the applications available paid or for free but with advertisements. There is also the opportunity to publish apps for free or for a fee by proposing though in-app purchases to allow access to extra content.
For more information about the Apple Developer Program, I refer you to consult the relevant website.
