While bad app ideas are obsolete, apps are still incredibly relevant today. Whether that’s for daily habits, seamless functionality, or tasks requiring deep hardware access, they are vital. However, there has been a drop in user patience for downloading apps.

Just last year, Appfigures reported that global downloads via the App Store and Google Play was 2.7% lower than 2024. This meant there was an estimated 106.9 million downloads, which still sounds like a lot. But remember, this is the fifth consecutive year app downloads have declined.

Fortunately, apps are still needed. It is the idea behind the app that matters in particular. So, if you have a great idea, you could develop an app. And anyone can do this! If you want to know how, just keep reading below.

Define Your Idea

First, you need an idea. Defining your app idea is a must, as this stops you from building a solution in search of a problem. Your app should already serve a purpose. This also means developers can focus on core features, which helps you accurately validate your business in the industry and identify early growth opportunities.

Here, you need to define the problem. What specific daily pain point will your app fix? Are users currently using inefficient alternatives to solve this? That might be a different app or even spreadsheets and manual processes. Can this problem be solved effectively in a single sentence?

This will then lead you to identifying your target audience and analyzing any competition. For the latter, look for similar apps on the App Store and Google Play. You’ll want to read the reviews of any similar apps to see if there are flaws or missing features.

Choose Your Development Plan

You want your app to actually succeed, and choosing a solid development plan will help that happen. This defines your budget, scope, and timeline. Expensive reworks and wasted resources are prevented as a result. It is crucial to remember that a good plan will prioritize core features (MVP), align the product with the user needs, and integrate security.

The right app development plan comes down to balancing your budget, timelines, and technical needs. It is best to focus on defining your core features and timeline first. Then choose between a fixed-price model or a Time & Materials model. The former is best for strict budgets and clear requirements. The latter offers more flexibility.

Build and Test

As you build your app, testing is a must. Test as you go is the best method, meaning tests should be carried out throughout the process. Doing so allows you to verify your app’s correctness, functional behavior, and usability – all before it is released publicly.

The best way to do this is by navigating through the app. Unit Tests are necessary. Lots of Unit Tests are necessary, to be more accurate. You will need to take each component, file, or service and test it. This ensures the function does whatever it is supposed to do.

Most tests are considered “blocks.” As a result, all of one function can be tested without interacting with another. Blocking code should be used in some form. If a test is run, and it fails, then it should explain to you what went wrong.

Publish and Maintain

The final step to many is publishing. But even after your work is connected to users, your job continues. It will require ongoing maintenance. Why? Because OS and other systems will continue to update, and your app must keep up. You might also need to fix critical bugs and adapt the app to evolving platform security policies.

No matter if you publish on Google Play or the App Store, you will need an account. This might cost a one-time fee (Google Play) or an annual subscription (App Store). This will allow you to submit your app through the chosen platform.

Then you will need to monitor the app continuously. There are several tools that can help with this, though. Integrated tools like Firebase or Sentry could be used to track crashes, performance bottlenecks, and user drop-off points. All of this occurs in real-time.

To conclude, anyone can develop an app. It isn’t always easy, and a lot of work is required, but it can be worthwhile if your idea is good enough. The tips above should help you achieve your goal.