I Want To Create iOS Apps. How Do I Do That?

The lightning strike of inspiration for my first app was probably sheer luck, and I was grateful for it. However, once I was inspired, I realized I had no idea where to start. How does someone start if they want to create iOS apps? I discovered one possible process.

Get Some Pen And Paper

If you want to create iOS apps, then you probably would think you'd start with technology. However, you need to first sketch your idea down on paper. Don't worry about knowing how to write coding or handle development just yet. Just make your idea tangible on paper and work out the features list.

Dive Into Market Research

Once your ideas are down on paper, you have to start asking hard questions. Is something like this already out there? Who might want it? What's a good price for this app? If there is competition out there already, try to learn from their mistakes.

Imagine How It Looks

Once you know you're going to continue in the direction of your first idea, know what the app will do, and who it will be useful to, it's time to start envisioning how it will look to users. Go back to the pen and paper and do a rough sketch of the layout of your app, including its flow and user interfaces. This is also when you should start getting a little digital, as you start choosing the graphics and animation. Decide if you're going to do them yourself, hire someone to create them, or if you'll just pool from existing stock libraries.

Make Room For Marketing

There are millions of apps out there. You might already know that, and you think your idea could make you money in this admittedly lucrative market. However, many app makers fall into the traps of trying to write great programming, spending too many hours coding, or just constantly obsessing over the development of their app. They forget to do marketing, or don't do it enough. At the minimum, you need a good landing page that goes over what your app does, who it does it for, why it can be helpful, and then wraps up with a call to action.

Use Xcode And Swift

You've fleshed out your idea, laid out your design, and readied the marketing side. Now it's time to create it. Xcode and Swift are both powerful tools you can use to code for iOS development. If you don't already know coding and aren't taking classes, then Zero to App Store is another very useful thing to look up.

Release Your App

At some point, you have to decide it's ready for the world. You likely won't think it's perfect, and it might not be, but if it's ready enough, get it out there. This is actually a crucial step in your app's development, because you might have put every idea you have into it and can't take it any further.

Do It Again

If you decide it was worth it, go through the cycle again. At first, if your app is at all successful, you might take user feedback to heart and improve your current app. However, you might also just decide to try something else. Good luck!