This article doesn't going to give you a piece of magic code that you can use, I am going to share the algorithmic process of how this claim is possible and how I made my app
Hey guys, you know I really love sharing these types of posts more but I am just not posting these types of post because you know I don't get a lot of views from these types of post.
That's why I am not posting anything about it. So, I am gonna share about the whole story of how I got the idea to my app and how I broke the steps of making the app and came this far with it.
So, let me tell you something about myself. I try alot of things but I never complete anything fully and I really hate it so much.
Before this app I had an idea for another app but then I left that idea, Now I am finally pursuing on this idea.
The Basic Idea Of The App
It is not a big idea or a rare one, it is basically about ecommerce but a little different, I currently live in my hometown (India, Tamilnadu). So It is not a city though nor a fully developed town.
But there are lots of shops and places you could visit, So this started during the Eid time, I have already ordered a denim shirt from an ecommerce site,
Here in our hometown, we don't wear pants instead we wear our traditional ones (Veshti's). So it is not available online and not outside our town.
So I had to go to a shop and get the dress but the problem was, it was two days before eid and trust me it is like a mess to go out there and get one.
But I didn't had any options, then I had to go there, and I went. I am a little shy person though, And in the veshti's there are no price tags as well.
So if you want to ask, you have to ask the person working there or the shop keeper. And I don't like it. I felt I am not the only person who has this issue,
Literally 6 out of 10 of my friends had this issue. Then I sarcastically said that, Don't worry mate I will make an app for it.
To say it in a single sentence, the idea is to create an ecommerce app for the native people without payments but when they want to buy the dress, they directly will be taken to the whatsapp of the shop.
FYI : I don't earn a dime from this app, it's just an expirimental one and it only costs me 5$ to maintain. So it is not a big deal.
Breaking Down The Making Of The App.
Now, keeping the theory aside we have got the understanding the core idea. We have to start to think of how to start this big road.
It is really simple though, almost every single apps is made by this type of process, It is really easier to understand as well.
- Write down the core concept of the app in an understandable way for everyone.
- Write down all the features that you want.
- Design the app (Figma Or AdobeXD Or Sketch)
- Start creating the skeleton of the app (Java/Kotlin For Android, Swift For IOS, Flutter/React Native/Xamarin/Ionic For Cross Platform Apps)
- Decide to use whether REST API Or Firebase.
- Sketch out the rough idea of the api with pen or pencil or you can use firebase and complete it in this step itself.
- Work On The REST API
- Integrate API And App
- Debugging
- App Release.
You can almost apply this process in any app you want to develop, and some of the steps of the process can be changed as well.
I am right now in the 8th step in my app.
Designing The App
I used figma and it took 4 and half hours to completely design my app (I listened to my playlist in spotify twice during the process).
I did this in a single sitting, It is upto you though you can start at 9 in the morning and work till 11 am and take a shot of caffine and take a walk for your spine. Then start at 1 am till 3.30 and if you still had some works then you can get it done before 5.30.
Here is the preview of my design.
This design is really not that big though, because I alread mentioned that I am not having any online transaction here because if there was, then there would be atleast of four screens more
I really was kinda so bad at this process because I didn't know the basic principles of colours an designs but now I have got a lot of experiences and I am also trying to improve it.
But I really love this process, most people do I think so.
Coding The App.
I used flutter for my app but feel free to choose from the pool of options that you have but I really like the flow of flutter.
It is really similar to web development especially it has a lot of similarities between the css flex property and its designing after seeing that I kinda fell in love with flutter.
Designing complex ui's is really easier with flutter then java or kotlin,
This is one of the process that might take a lot of time to do and so it is for me, it took me about 9 or 10 hours to complete the whole design,
Feel free to take one or one and half days to complete.
Coding The Backend And Testing It
Now I chose REST API because I have a lot of experiences with REST API and for one more reason that is because it is cost friendly in the long term considering firebase which is free in the start and swapping from firebase to REST API is a nightmare.
One more thing, some people might hate this process, because this involves more logic, thinking and processes happening.
But to be honest I really love doing backend stuffs.
It took me just 5 hours for the whole backend and 6 hours for the testing and debugging because you know right if you have made the backend in such a short time then you might probably have made a lot of mistakes.
Integrating The App With The API
I really hate this process and I don't know why but this is one of the hated thing for me to do.
But still it took me about a 2 days I know it is really bad to take that long for integration but I don't know. I still have a lot of room to improve here.
It might be easier for some people but I really hate this process. I have to improve this process.
App Testing And App Release.
Right now I am testing my app and I have given the apk to some of my friends to test it, once I feel good to release after fixing some stuff then I will release the app.
You can release the app in the playstore with this link, Click Here. You have to pay 25$ for the registration fee and you have to wait for app review from google team
If you want to release in app store, Click here
Conclusion
I hope you found value in this article and also hope that you would be also able to take your idea to life.
If you want to contact me on creating an app then, click on the about tab and you will have details to contact me.
Once I publish the app guys, I wil share the link in this post.