Make an Android App With App Creation Software
The mobile app market is booming, and there hasn't been a better time to make an app. Apps are everywhere, and serve nearly limitless purposes. A few years ago, creating an app meant learning complex programming languages and creating everything from scratch. As app technology has progressed, new tools have become available that allow anyone to create a fully-functional app in just a few minutes. See Step 1 below to learn how.
Contents
Steps
Designing the App
- Determine the point of the app. A good app focuses on one thing and does it well. Determine the need that your app will be addressing. This will help you figure out what your audience is, as well as the types of features it should include.
- For example, if you're creating an app for your business, determine which facets of your business should be addressed by the app. You may want to allow the user to quickly contact technical support, or allow them to pull up the nearest location of your business.
- If your app gets too complicated, there's a good chance that any app creation program you choose will not be powerful enough. Complex apps will typically require custom coding and art design.
- Create some rough sketches. Apps live and die by their design and usability. Take some time to create some initial sketches of what each screen of the app will look like. Use arrows to show how each screen will transition to the next.
- These sketches don't need to be detailed, but should include all of the information that you want to include in each screen.
- Try to keep a unified design throughout the app. Similar elements should generally be in the same location on each screen. This will make the app feel more natural for the user.
- Look at other, similar apps. Browse through the Google Play Store and look for apps that are similar to what you are trying to accomplish. Play around with them and see what works and what doesn't. Don't be afraid to crib design ideas and flow from the better apps that you find.
Choosing Your Software
- Read up on your options. There are a large variety of app-building tools available, ranging from free to quite expensive. Most of the free options have very limited publishing options, or may force you to include ads (which you won't receive revenue for). If you pay for a program, you are more likely to be able to publish the app yourself and monetize it however you'd like. Some of the most popular tools for Android app creation include:
- ShoutEm
- Appery
- Mobile Roadie
- The App Builder
- Appy Pie
- MIT App Inventor
- AppMakr
- Take a tour of each service. Most of the popular app-creation programs allow you to take online tours that can give you an overview of how the program will work. This can give you a good idea as to whether or not the app will be good for your needs.
- When touring the program, ensure that it will be powerful enough to create the app you want. Most app creation programs are collections of prebuilt functions that you can string together to create a cohesive app.
- Try a few different programs. Many of the programs listed above have free versions or trial versions available. Use these to get a feel for each piece of software and find the one that suits your needs and skills the best.
Creating Your App
- Log in to the program you choose. Almost all app-creation programs will require you to create an account and log in before you can get to work. You may need to download software, or apps may be created entirely through the website.
- Start a new project. After logging into the creation tools or downloading the creation software, you will need to start a new project. The process varies from program to program, but generally involves naming your app a name and description.
- Choose a theme. Most app development programs will ask you to set a basic theme and color palette before you begin building the app. You will be able to change these choices later once the app is under construction.
- You may be able to add your own images for screen backgrounds. These images should typically be 1024 X 768 px.
- Add functions, or activities, to your app. Most app creation programs work by letting you add prebuilt functions into your app. The combination of these functions and how they link together is what will make your app yours. There are a variety of different functions you can add to your app, including calendars, photo galleries, podcasts, Facebook integration, audio players, and more.
- Typically, each one of these functions will be its own screen on your app.
- As you add functions, you will be able to customize each screen with your own text and content. For example, if you add an RSS feed function, you can link to your blog's feed and automatically populate the app with your latest posts.
- Adjust the layout of each of your screens. After you've added a few functions to your app, spend some time organizing the layout of each screen so that you have a cohesive look for your app. Your title bars should all be in the same location, and content should appear in consistent parts of the screen.
- Different app creation programs will give you different levels of control over how everything is laid out. Some apps only let you add completely prebuilt functions, while others allow you to drag and rearrange each element on the screen.
- Choose icons for your functions. You will have the opportunity to assign icons to each of your app's functions. Many app creation programs have a library of icons you can choose from, or you can Create-Icons your own. Good icons will help set your app apart and contribute to the overall feel of the app.
Testing and Releasing the App
- Build the app. Once you are finished adding features and filling out content, you can build the app so that it can be ran on your Android device. The process will vary depending on what program you are using. If you are using an online app creation program, you may have to wait a few minutes for your app to be constructed by the program's servers.
- You are generally provided with an APK file that can be downloaded onto your device. You will need to set your device to allow installation from unknown sources. You can allow this from your device's Security menu.
- Some app creation programs will email you the link to your app that you can open from your phone.
- Test the app. Once you've installed the app on your device. Test it out to ensure that it is functioning properly. Send the APK file to some friends and family so that other people can help you test it. You are more likely to catch bugs and problems if you have more people looking at the app.
- Try to do things during testing that the app isn't made to do. This will help you find ways that your users may accidentally break your app.
- Fix any errors. After you have tested the app for a bit, fix any errors that you come across or anything that doesn't work as well as it should. Your app should be easy to navigate above all else, so ensure that your app flows smoothly from one task to the next.
- Publish the app. Your publishing options depend heavily on what program and package you signed up for when choosing your creation software. If you chose a free service, your app will most likely be ad-supported, and may only be available through that company's app store. More expensive options allow you to publish directly to the Google Play Store and may even include promotion and marketing.
- Consider releasing a free version with ads and limited functionality and a paid version with no ads and full functionality. This is one of the most common ways to monetize a mobile app.
- Make sure that your app has a good description and accurate tags. These tags will help users find your app through relevant searches, and are essential if you want your app to succeed.
Tips
- The best way to test out an app is to use it in your daily life. By using your app, you can easily identify the issues and flaws.
- You can actually have your own personalized application where you can combine all your favorite links, contacts and photos in one place. These work great for families too, creating a private space for just your family members to share discussions, photos and click-to-call directories, without uploading to the millions of people on Facebook.
