Mastering Mobile Development in 2024: Android, iOS, and Flutter Roadmaps

Communication has evolved in the past years becoming one of the biggest milestones of technology. More importantly, the innovation of producing portable devices to enhance communication has scaled to a higher level with the introduction of mobile phones and more recently smartphones.

As of 2024, the number of smartphone users in the world amounts to 6.93 Billion which translates to 85.68% of the world's population. The metrics of smartphones include access to the internet, access to apps, an operating system, web browsing, ability to run software applications among others. These smart devices have become the most common and essential tools in our world today.

With everybody using smartphones, this opens a new door in the world's market. Now many businesses can scale their services and render them to millions if not billions of users all over the world by use of mobile applications. This also opens a door of opportunities for developers around the world to build scalable and effective mobile applications.

In this article, we will delve into pathways that beginners as well as experts can use to learn to build mobile applications in this era.

Mobile Development - What does it entail?

Mobile development is a technical operation of developing scalable and efficient applications that run on mobile or smartphones. Depending on the business needs or the underlying problem that needs to be solved, mobile applications range from business apps to entertainment apps like YouTube.

When it comes to mobile developments, issues concerning compatibility are a very sensitive endeavor. The smartphone's operating system contributes to this. As of January 2024, there are more than 3.5 billion Android users and more than 1.3 billion iOS users worldwide. According to this information, Android has a greater market share than iOS with 70.89% and 28.36% respectively. Nevertheless, new mobile operating systems like Huawei will be out in the market soon.

The underlying problem for mobile developers is the fact that one has to master the development of both Android and iOS applications since the distribution of the operating system is not balanced around the world. The developments of both Android and iOS applications are different from the core making it harder for developers and presenting an option to choose which operating system to focus on. As for those who would love to be familiar with both operating systems, one has to learn the developments of both operating systems or use a multi-compatible framework which will be looked at later in this article.

Android Development roadmap

As from the statistics highlighted above, Android is the most popular mobile operating system which means it has many users and hence creates multiple opportunities for mobile developers worldwide.

Android development entails creating applications for devices that run on the Android platform. To create scalable Android applications, a developer needs to master several skills and knowledge as well as acquire some features. They include:

1. Install Android Studio

Android Studio is an IDE( Integrated Development Environment) specifically designed for Android applications for mobile as well as wearable devices running on Android. It is a software application that combines capabilities such as mobile application editing, building, testing, and packaging in an easy-to-use application. It also provides an emulator that is used for testing and viewing the progress of the developer in the app's development. Use this link to install Android Studio today and kick-start your journey in Android development.

2. Kotlin and Java Programming Languages Proficiency

Java is the oldest and official native language used in Android development for many years. However, in recent years, Kotlin has risen and is the most used language by programmers in Android development. This is because Kotlin is faster to compile, lightweight, and ensures applications have smaller sizes than Java. To master Android development, both Kotlin and Java languages are a must for programmers. Use these links to learn Kotlin and Java languages now.

3. Other relevant skills

With Android Studio and proficiency in both Kotlin and Java languages, what's left out is the creativity to create scalable, efficient, and user-friendly applications that serve the needed business or solve the intended problem. Also, constant learning is required due to the evolving Android versions which incorporate more and better tools in Android development.

iOS Development Roadmap

iOS development entails creating applications for Apple's mobile operating system, iOS which is used by the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Apple has maintained a luxurious mobile operating system as well as the popularity and modesty of their mobile devices like the iPhone which has contributed to its increased demands worldwide. As of statistics, it's projected an increase of 25% for iOS developers demand by 2030 which makes it worthwhile to learn about this development. Just like Android, iOS has its own set of skills and features that a developer needs to pursue this endeavor. They include:

1. Install Xcode

Xcode is a graphical interface used in the development of iOS applications. It includes the iOS SDK, tools, compilers, and frameworks needed to design, develop, write code, and debug an app for iOS. It also includes an interface builder that allows users to design user interfaces for their iOS app. Use this link to install Xcode today and kickstart your journey in iOS development.

2. Learn Swift Programming Language

Apple developed Swift as the native language for iOS mobile development. Like other languages, Swift is a great language and a must-learn language for every developer wanting to scale in iOS development. Use this link to learn Swift language now.

3. Other essential Skills

Just like Android development, iOS development requires creativity to develop modest applications that satisfy and level up the market in terms of technology and ease of use. A constant learning curve is also required due to the evolving technology evident in the iOS operating system

Flutter: Multi-Platform Development

Flutter is an open-source UI software development kit created by Google. Since mastering both Android and iOS developments is cumbersome, Flutter was created to ensure developers can create applications that would run on both Android and iOS devices. Nevertheless, Flutter is also used to develop applications from a single codebase for any web browser, Fuchsia, Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems.

This feature serves as a perfect tool for developers who want to be "all-round". With its rich features and compatibility power, a developer can build, test, and deploy beautiful mobile, web, desktop, and embedded applications for any screen from a single codebase. With many still emphasizing learning the latter above, I honestly believe that Flutter is the future and the best to learn to be flexible on any platform.

Requirements

To use Flutter, you need to install it on your computer and also download the needed modules for the platform you want to develop its applications.

Flutter uses Dart programming language, best known for its client-centric and fast-paced development capabilities. It also possesses powerful and advanced features like sound null safety which prevents null reference errors in Flutter.

Flutter also uses Skia, an efficient rendering engine that ensures fast app startup times, smooth animations, and high performance on its applications.

Production, Packaging and Publishing

After developing a mobile application, the developer needs to package it and publish it for public use. Android Studio, Xcode, and Flutter provide tools that ensure that all these steps are met and the applications can be rendered on any mobile device.

As for Android applications, developers can use this link to publish them in Google Playstore while for iOS, use this link to publish them in AppStore.

In conclusion, mobile development is an essential skill that any developer should engage in due to the increasing over-reliance of individuals on mobile phones. Start your journey in mobile development today!

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