Back to Mobile Development

Module 1: Mobile Development Fundamentals

Understand mobile platforms, development approaches, and the modern mobile ecosystem.

The Mobile Revolution

Mobile devices have become the primary way people access the internet. With over 6.8 billion smartphone users worldwide, mobile development is one of the most in-demand skills today.

📱 Mobile Market Stats (2024):

  • 6.8B+ smartphone users globally
  • 58% of web traffic from mobile
  • $935B mobile app revenue (2023)
  • 255B app downloads annually
  • Android: 71% market share | iOS: 28%

Native vs Cross-Platform Development

Native Development

Build separate apps for each platform using platform-specific languages and tools.

iOS (Apple):

  • • Swift or Objective-C
  • • Xcode IDE
  • • UIKit / SwiftUI

Android (Google):

  • • Kotlin or Java
  • • Android Studio
  • • Jetpack Compose

Cross-Platform

Write once, deploy to both iOS and Android with shared codebase.

Popular Frameworks:

  • • React Native (JavaScript/TypeScript)
  • • Flutter (Dart)
  • • .NET MAUI (C#)
  • • Ionic (Web technologies)

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Native When:

  • • Maximum performance needed
  • • Complex platform-specific features
  • • Gaming or AR/VR apps
  • • Large team with platform expertise

Choose Cross-Platform When:

  • • Faster time to market
  • • Limited budget/resources
  • • Simple to moderate complexity
  • • Shared codebase preferred

Modern Mobile App Architecture

Well-architected apps are maintainable, testable, and scalable. Here are the key patterns:

MVVM (Model-View-ViewModel)

Most popular pattern for modern mobile apps. Separates UI from business logic.

Model: Data and business logic

View: UI components (screens, widgets)

ViewModel: Mediator between Model and View

// Benefits:

• Testable (ViewModel can be unit tested)

• Maintainable (clear separation of concerns)

• Reusable (ViewModels can be shared)

Clean Architecture

Layered architecture for large, complex applications.

Presentation Layer: UI components, ViewModels

Domain Layer: Business logic, use cases

Data Layer: Repositories, data sources (API, database)

Setting Up Your Development Environment

For React Native:

# Install Node.js (v18+)

node --version

# Install Expo CLI (easiest way)

npm install -g expo-cli

# Or React Native CLI (more control)

npm install -g react-native-cli

# Install Watchman (macOS)

brew install watchman

# iOS: Install Xcode from App Store

# Android: Install Android Studio

For Flutter:

# Download Flutter SDK

https://flutter.dev/docs/get-started/install

# Add to PATH

export PATH="$PATH:`pwd`/flutter/bin"

# Verify installation

flutter doctor

# Install IDE plugins

# VS Code: Flutter extension

# Android Studio: Flutter plugin

Understanding Mobile Platforms

iOS Ecosystem

  • Devices: iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
  • OS Versions: iOS 17+ (2024)
  • Distribution: App Store only
  • Review: Strict guidelines, 1-3 days
  • Revenue: Higher per user
  • Development: Mac required
  • Cost: $99/year developer account

Android Ecosystem

  • Devices: Phones, tablets, watches, TVs
  • OS Versions: Android 13+ (2024)
  • Distribution: Play Store, others
  • Review: Automated, few hours
  • Revenue: Larger user base
  • Development: Any OS
  • Cost: $25 one-time fee

Essential Mobile Concepts

Responsive Design

Apps must work on various screen sizes (phones, tablets, foldables).

Touch Interactions

Tap, swipe, pinch, long-press - design for fingers, not mouse.

Performance

60 FPS animations, fast startup, efficient battery usage.

Offline-First

Apps should work without internet, sync when connected.

Security & Privacy

Secure data storage, permissions, biometric auth.

2024 Mobile Development Trends

🤖 AI Integration

On-device ML, ChatGPT APIs, image recognition

🔐 Biometric Auth

Face ID, Touch ID, fingerprint

📱 5G & Edge Computing

Faster speeds, real-time features

🎮 AR/VR

ARKit, ARCore, spatial computing

💳 Mobile Payments

Apple Pay, Google Pay, crypto wallets

🌐 Super Apps

All-in-one platforms (WeChat model)

📚 Module Summary

You've learned mobile development fundamentals:

  • ✓ Native vs cross-platform approaches
  • ✓ iOS and Android ecosystems
  • ✓ Modern app architecture patterns
  • ✓ Development environment setup
  • ✓ Essential mobile concepts
  • ✓ Current industry trends

Next: Dive into React Native development!