6 Things to Avoid When Developing an App for iOS Platform

6 Things to Avoid When Developing an App for iOS Platform

By Mehul Rajput

Mobile apps have taken over the world. According to Statista, smartphone users are likely to increase to 3 billion by the end of 2019! And by 2022, globally, consumers are expected to download over 258.2 billion apps in total. It is safe to say that app development is a lucrative field.

But, does this mean you will always succeed when developing an app? No. There are various factors you must consider and different things you must avoid.

If you are planning on developing an app for the iOS platform, here are six crucial mistakes you might want to avoid:

1. Using UI operations with the main thread

When it comes to developing an iOS app, one of the most common issues faced by the developers is related to multithreading. This is mainly because of the nature of the UIKit, which is not bug-free or fully secure. Therefore, coming across complex bugs and lags is quite common.

The problem further amplifies by hampering the main thread in the programming process. Addressing the problem is not easy. This is because the Swift programming language does not have built-in support to combat the issue.

Hence, it is essential to be careful when using a code simultaneously for the main thread and the UI operations. Use concurrency APIs to concretely define a block of code which will stop the process of accidentally blocking the main thread operation due to the UI command.

2. Not paying attention to the onboarding and registration process

Developing code is just one of the many phases of app development. The next step is to create the user interface. This is the step that can make or break your app.

Remember, there are a plethora of apps available on iOS platforms. To stand out, you need to pay attention to the onboarding and registration process.

Keep the interface of the app as simple as possible. First impressions of apps matter a lot. If your app doesn’t impress the user the first time they use it, they are likely to uninstall it then and there. Your goal is to ensure that your app user understands how the app functions from the moment they open it.

Make sure the registration process isn’t the first thing your users see. Instead, have some features available without asking the user to sign in. What will this do? It will allow people to test the app. And people prefer apps that satisfy their need for convenience.

If you don’t pay attention to the interface and complexity of the registration process, you won’t be able to attract as many app users as you would like.

Check the ROI of similar apps to make sure that you don’t end up spending too much time developing an app that is not needed by the masses.

3. Using the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern

If you are an iOS app developer, the chances are you have heard about the Model-View-Controller, or MVC, Pattern. This is one of the modes of iOS app development. As the name suggests, it consists of three layers, which include:

• The Model Layer

This layer contains all the main data of the app and also functions as the business logic layer. It is essential that this layer does not directly interact with the view layer.

• The View Layer

The view layers consist of an array of objects that are responsible for building the user interface. UITableView, UIButton, and UILabel are examples of such objects. This layer is bifurcated from the model layer and does not contain any business logic or main material.

• The Controller Layer

The controller layer is present between the model and the view layer. It ensures that the two layers are separated and are not allowed to interact with one another, yet it allows the two to work together.

While the controller layer is vital for managing the interactions between the two layers, it is common for app developers to try and misuse the layers. Many try to alter how the controller layer works to create a code for the two layers.

If done incorrectly, this can negatively affect your app development process. This is why it is advised that you first create an application architecture and outsource the development of logic objects as well as helper objects.

4. Having a little too many features

One thing that everyone agrees about iOS apps is that they are sophisticated and premium. In an effort to keep up with it all, it is easy to get carried away. You might be tempted to add any and every feature to your iOS application.

This is a mistake you don’t want to make. Why? This is because the more features you have, the more problems can arise in your app. And when faced with such problems, you wouldn’t know what the source is since there are too many codes operating at the same time!

Therefore, make sure you don’t include a wide variety of features. Instead, start with the essential ones and then build-up on them, keeping in mind the vision you have for your app. You can always add additional features if you detect the need later on.

5. Only using iOS simulators for testing

iOS simulators are a staple for iOS app developers. No one can deny the fact that the iOS simulator is convenient and fast. If you use a quality iOS simulator, you can speed up the app development process and make your life much easier.

But, the right question is whether the benefits offered by iOS simulators are worth it? Can it replace the need for actual app testing?

Well, while an iOS simulator is excellent for initial testing, it shouldn’t be the only way you test your app. This is because in most cases, an iOS device and a simulator are not synonymous to one another in terms of functionality.

Merely testing your app on the simulator and being happy about its positive performance won’t be enough. The app can very well be problematic on devices, and you would never know!

Therefore, make sure to test your app on both a simulator and on real devices to prevent yourself from nasty surprises after the launch of your app.

6. Not paying heed to memory usage

Yes, the iOS platform, as well as the compiler, will be managing most of the memory required for any iOS app. But, this doesn’t mean that you are free from worrying about memory usage completely.

This is because there is still a chance that the platform malfunctions and some of the data stored in it gets lost. Here, you will be the one at a loss. This issue may arise due to the retain cycle.

And because it is almost instantaneous, you must be well-aware and ready for the problem. Use the debug navigator tab present in the Xcode to keep track of the memory usage of the app.

Final Thoughts

It is not hard to create an app on the iOS platform. However, it is challenging to create an app that satisfies the needs of the platform as well as the users. Make sure you avoid all the six mistakes mentioned. Do you think we are missing out any crucial factor? Let us know!

By Mehul Rajput, who is a CEO and co-founder of Mindinventory, a software development company that provide web and mobile app solutions from startup to enterprise level company. His role involves heading the operations related to business and delivery with strategic planning and defining road-map for the future.

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