Recommendation of making indie App
Some things I have learned while making App
Introduction
Hi. I’m mmoto. I develop Taskflow (ToDo App for PC). I’ve wanted this application before working as application developer. This App is my first product, through try and error, I’m attached to this.
Looking back, This is good opportunity to learn not only engineering but also planning and design. But, It was not a easy path to release. Sometimes, I think “Oh geez…, too hard, I wonder if I can release”
In this article, I describe making indie App. The reason why I write is because I was encouraged many times by reading articles of other developers who are making indie App. (e.g. Dev as Life)
I hope that it will be useful for those who want to develop their Apps or are already working on it.
Table of contents
What’s good in making indie App
- Become able to make I wish
- Get the opportunity to learn new technologies
- Open up possibilities not only engineering but also others
What’s hard in making indie App
- Face myself earnestly
At the end
What’s good in making indie App
Become able to make I wish
I often think “It would be nice if there was what I wish”. For example, if I’m out of shampoo, I receive a message of “Would you like to order?” with link of that amazon page. In other, if I’m not feeling well, it is rescheduled appointments and contacted to stakeholders automatically.
Making indie App makes it possible to realize daily wish. Taskflow was same, too.
And, it is also attractive to be able to make “as I like”.
Even if the product already exists, it may not suit me because I don’t like the design or it takes time and effort. By making up for the lack, It will be an attached one.
In making indie App, these are not only good points but also required elements. It’s hard to stay motivated unless I want.
If you start to make indie App, first of all, I recommend finding what you want.
Get the opportunity to learn new technologies
Making App gives you the opportunity to try new technologies. In Taskflow, I introduced technologies I wanted to try.
There are various technical fields and purposes, some examples are as follows.
- Firebase Authentication
→ to authenticate by Google account. - GraphQL
→ to compare with Rest API at development cost and maintainability. - Websocket
→ to reflect others’ updates on App synchronously
New technologies are interesting.
Read the official document, know the background and how to use, and try it out. I could understand little by little and handle technologies that I did not understand at first, then I could experience the realization of technical skills as an engineer. Some technologies were difficult to introduce, but overcoming such difficulties made the product with passion.
Besides, the technology learned through making indie App will be useful for another product. In order to determine whether it is suitable for a product, it is necessary to know the technology deeply and to understand the pros and cons. I could not deep dive In tutorial. I could understand both pros and cons by learning technologies repeatedly through making App.
Open up possibilities not only engineering but also others
Product is released through various processes from planning to development. In making indie App, you will take on all the roles.
First, sort out what you want, think of the minimum viable product, and design. Then, you will work on looking into technology and developing based on the design.
I learned not only engineering but also planning and design. Among them, I realized that “working hard with technology is not right”, and it was best thing for me.
I had thought only How to realize design. But If I try to solve it with technology alone, it takes a toll on code and brings technical debt. I learned that I can reconsider what I make through planning and design. And I came to think about the best choice from both product and technology sides.
In addition, when I talk to PDM or designer, I’ve become aware of what they attach importance to. It depends on each perspectives that How they grasp product. In this way, I recommend you planning and design because it can be used for work.
What’s hard in making indie App
Face myself earnestly
I described “Open up possibilities not only engineering but also others” as good point. But in other words, I will be responsible for everything. I hope that all phases go well, but It didn’t work out like that. I revised plan and design, and I’ve been coding while worried. If I continue like this, there are times when I’m not motivated, even if I’m making the product I wish. At that time, By taking a rest and getting inspired from other people’s products, books, articles, I moved on and I was on the PC. Finally, I’ve reached the release somehow.
Making indie App is “ Face myself earnestly”. If you stop, your product will stop growing. Much less, It will not see the light of day if you don’t release. To continue developing App, I recommend you working on little by little steadily while taking a rest and getting inspired from others.
At the end
Thank you for reading this article.
Making indie App is hard, but there are many good points. In planning, design, engineering, It is very interesting and exciting that I can do what I couldn’t do before.
By this article,
- People who will start making apps from now on
- People who have been already working on it, but putting it off.
I would be glad if I could encourage them.
I have so much that I want to do in Taskflow. I’ll keep on trying development to get more people used that.
