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Building an app from scratch is an exciting and empowering endeavor. But it can certainly present some challenges, especially if you've never developed an app before and have limited or no coding skills.
However, creating your own app is not unachievable. You don't need to know everything from the start. By leveraging your strengths and actively working on your weaknesses, you can learn the necessary skills to successfully build apps.
In this article, we'll explore how hard it can be to code an app and why leveraging AI is not always the best starting point for beginners. We'll also share how two entrepreneurs, Artem and Jane, persevered in app development despite setbacks.
Coding an app can seem daunting for beginners, but it's a skill that can be learned with dedication and the right resources.
The difficulty level depends on various factors:
For those with no prior coding experience, the learning curve can be steep from a few weeks to a couple of years depending on which tools they choose to build their app and the complexity of their project.
However, by breaking down the process into smaller, manageable tasks and focusing on the core concepts of web development, beginners can gradually build their skills and confidence.
Starting with the basics is crucial.
Familiarizing yourself with programming fundamentals, such as variables, data types, control structures, and functions, will provide a solid foundation for more advanced concepts.
Online coding bootcamps and interactive video courses, like Codecademy, OpenClassrooms and freeCodeCamp, can be invaluable for beginners.
It's important to remember that learning to code an app is a journey, and progress may not always be linear.
Embracing a growth mindset, being patient with yourself, and consistently practicing your skills are key to overcoming the initial challenges and making steady progress.
Choosing the right tools for your skill set can also help a lot.
Absolutely! No-code platforms have made app development accessible to a new generation of developers: no-coders, also known as visual programmers.
These platforms offer intuitive, drag-and-drop interface that allow you to build apps visually, even if you have little or no experience writing code.
Coding an app often involves setting up complex environments and managing servers, which require technical expertise. No-code platforms simplify the process with pre-built components and secure infrastructure, letting you focus on your app’s design and functionality.
Whether it’s a simple app for personal use or a more complex project, no-code platforms empower makers to bring their ideas to life irrespective of their technical expertise.
To further dive into the benefits of no-code low-code platforms, check out our detailed guide: The Benefits of Low-Code & No-Code Platforms.
The time required to build an app can vary significantly depending largely on factors such as the complexity of the app and the chosen development method.
Apps that require advanced features like realtime data sync, complex user interactions, or integration with multiple systems will naturally take longer to develop.
Over time, as you gain experience from building your first app, you'll find that subsequent projects can be executed more quickly and efficiently.
With the advent of AI, you'll be able to go faster and faster.
Today, the integration of artificial intelligence in app development is cutting down the development cycle even further by taking over technical tasks like code generation, layout design, and backend organization.
This is very exciting but, when starting out, it's crucial not to rely solely on AI.
While AI tools can streamline the initial phases of app creation, they often gloss over crucial elements of design, user experience, and functionality.
As someone new to app development, it's crucial to ground yourself in the fundamentals of UX/UI design, database design, and web development fundamentals.
You won't be able to learn everything all at once, but it's important to keep in mind that you will need to learn all of this little by little if you want to build an app that works well for your users.
Using AI can quickly bring your project from zero to about 70%, handling tasks like initial UI design, first database setup, and basic features like data filtering and authentication.
However, the final 30% can be extremely challenging. Tweaking the UI to make it pixel-perfect, adding complexity to business logic workflows, changing the structure of a database table can all become quite challenging if you rely solely on AI to generate code for you.
At this stage, a visual development interface as well as a deep understanding of the underlying mechanics and strong problem solving skills become essential.
Without these, you risk becoming overwhelmed, potentially leading to project abandonment.
First-time app development can be tricky, but knowing the challenges ahead of time will make the journey smoother.
The User Interface (UI) or layout of the app needs to be easy to navigate and look good so that users enjoy using the app.
Solution: Before you start creating the actual app, make a basic sketch (wireframe) of what each screen will look like and how users will move from one part of the app to another. Tools like Figma or Adobe XD can help you create these wireframes easily.
Setting up the backend means choosing the right tools to handle all the app’s data and making sure it can serve a lot of users at once without breaking down. It also has to keep users’ information safe and respond quickly to what users do in the app.
Solution: Use a no-code backend like Xano or Supabase to manage your app’s data and user accounts without coding. These platforms handle technical tasks like data storage and security for you, so you can focus on building your app’s functionality.
Integration and deployment involve ensuring all parts of your app work together seamlessly. This includes connecting essential services, like payment systems or social media, using APIs. Once your app is ready, you’ll also need to set up servers to share it with the world. These servers should manage user traffic that scales and keep your data secure. For mobile apps, there’s an additional step of meeting iOS and Android app store guidelines to publish your app.
Solution: No-code platforms offer built-in integration features to connect external services like payment options, social media, and more without needing to write code for APIs. They also take care of secure and scalable server setup and hosting, so you don’t have to worry about managing the technical details. Additionally, some platforms help you create and publish native apps directly to app stores.
Debugging involves meticulous testing to identify and correct flaws or errors in the app. Developers run tests on various devices and operating systems to ensure functionality and address any issues.
Solution:
No-code platforms simplify debugging by providing built-in tools to test your app’s functionality on various devices and operating systems. These platforms often highlight errors visually, making it easier for beginners to identify and fix issues.
Artem and Jane, entrepreneurs at heart with no coding experience, set out to prove that app development is challenging but feasible without traditional programming skills.
They successfully built their first app, Huxley, a tool to expedite Google indexing of web pages, in one month using Xano and WeWeb.
Utilizing the educational resources provided by WeWeb and Xano, they learned key development practices such as:
Importantly, whenever they encountered hurdles during the development process, they sought assistance from the platforms’ supportive communities.
Artem and Jane then leveraged what they had learned from their first project to create their second SaaS: Magritte, a comprehensive library of ad creatives and templates.
They launched Magritte in just a couple of weeks.
Artem and Jane's journey underscores that with the right tools and willingness to learn, anyone can overcome challenges in app development.
With WeWeb, you can start small and learn as you go. Start building your first project for free.
Sign up now, pay when you're ready to publish.
