Here Larby Amirouche will give you his top 5 best tools for application development.
App development software is an application that helps the process of app development by providing functions like IDE, code-free developments, templates, API, data synchronization, and analytics.
Benefits of Application Development on Businesses Today
Before Larby Amirouche lists down the best application development tools, here are just some of the benefits you can enjoy when you decide to create an app for your business.
1. Strengthen customer engagement:
One of the best advantages of having a mobile app is better customer engagement. Your mobile app serves as a direct marketing channel between your businesses and your customers. This will allow you to have a more direct and effective communication.
There are endless possibilities within your mobile app, you can install and send push and in-app notifications to as many customers as possible.
Just make sure to create an important and relevant notification so your customers will get attracted. From there, you can establish brand loyalty that can lead to higher conversion rates.
2. Increase accessibility:
Another important benefit of mobile apps is that it improves business accessibility. Your audience can be updated on changes, discounts, new products and services first hand through your mobile apps.
Moreover, you can also establish strong relationships by offering special discounts for old customers all within the mobile app.
3. Provide value for customers:
As technology advances, your business should adapt. Rather than using the old-collection card, you can utilize your mobile app for loyalty programs.
You can still provide rewards for every purchase or surprise gifts from time to time for mobile app users. The result of this will be greater downloads and more return customers.
4. Transforming the retail experience
Similar to the previous benefit, having a mobile app enables your business to adapt in the technology, moreover, to the customers’ needs and expectations.
This business investment helps in transforming the retail experience by delivering of unique customer experience.
Also, mobile apps help to drive a digital process, cutting down on store cost and increasing profitability.
There are several modern businesses that are built and based mainly on mobile apps. This helps to reduce the overhead cost of building a physical store.
5. Build brand awareness and recognition
Entrepreneurs and marketers can treat mobile apps as blank billboard signs, as mentioned it provides the owner endless possibilities.
However, you keep in mind if your target audience will like it. Create and design an app that your audience will love and is true to your brand.
Think that your mobile app is a more accessible version of your website and physical store. The more you get your customers involved with your product and services via your mobile app, the higher chances they will patronize it.
In addition, mobile apps are still rare for small businesses, therefore, if you offer one it is automatically a huge advantage among your competitors.
It will be a surprise for most of your target customers and they most probably will appreciate your forward-thinking approach.
Larby Amirouche Lists Top 5 Best Application Development Tools
After learning the benefits of having a mobile app for your business, the next step is to develop it. Selecting the right app development tool can be a tricky process but Larby Amirouche already selected the top five for you.
1. ASP.NET Zero:
The tool is a great recommendation to any software developer that uses .NET technologies. ASP.NET Zero simplifies development activities such as role management, UI localization, and exception handling.
In addition, this tool is also perfect for developers that are looking for an open source environment. ASP.NET Zero provides developers more customization features.
Speaking of features, ASP.NET Zero allows creation of basic user interface (UI) for apps using ASP.NET’s Visual Studio extension.
It also develops single and multi-tenant architecture using the SaaS development kit. In addition, ASP.NET Zero provides customer tenant logos, CSS support, subscription and payment management, and database support.
Another feature of ASP.NET Zero is the creation of iOS and Android apps using Xamarin. It also manages the host and tenant hierarchy with a configurable settings management page.
2. SpreadsheetWEB:
This tool is best for those who have little to no coding knowledge.
SpreadsheetWEB offers a drag-and-drop interface that helps build apps from MS Excel by adding drop-down menus and checkboxes and populating columns with data and query results. With this feature, this tool is mostly used in insurance, investment, and financial services industries.
Aside from the drag and drop feature, SpreadsheetWEB makes it easy for entrepreneurs to get started with ready-to-use, customizable stylesheets or upload one of your own.
Moreover, you can manage apps using a web interface. This tool lets you configure security options, manage user accounts, and access app data.
Lastly, SpreadsheetWEB saves user data into a web database from where you can view the data and share it with others.
3. IntelliJ IDEA:
IntelliJ IDEA is particularly handy for those businesses and developers that work with Kotlin, Groovy, Java, and Scala.
Aside from ASP.NET Zero, this tool is also an option for those looking for commercial development or an open source development environment.
IntelliJ IDEA is capable of automating your code compilation, packaging, tests, deployment, and other development activities.
Using this tool you can manage versions with version control systems such as Git, SVN, CVS, Mercurial, and Perforce.
IntelliJ IDEA also allows you to perform unit testing with an integrated development environment that supports test runners and coverage tools for major frameworks.
Moreover, you can get coding assistance with IntelliJ IDEA’s database tools.
4. GitHub:
GitHub is recommended for all businesses, regardless of size. Similar to number one and three, GitHub is completely open source making it accessible to even small businesses with limited budget.
In addition, GitHub offers an Enterprise version that comes with advanced features suited to the needs of large businesses.
Other features of GitHub is the creation, testing, and deployment of apps with automated workflows. You can access and use workflows created by the developer community.
GitHub also keeps you updated by sending out security alerts about vulnerabilities in code through its advisory database.
5. Google Cloud Platform:
This tool is ideal for businesses of all sizes. It offers a wide range of integrations and features making it fit for independent developers and coders.
Google Cloud Platform builds, tests, and deploys apps in multiple languages and across development platforms such as Kubernetes and Firebase.
This tool also allows the owner to extend workflow and easily manage code by connecting to tools such as App Engine, Cloud Logging, Cloud Monitoring.
You can also track changes and the location and time of the change with Cloud Audit Logs using this particular tool.
Final Thoughts
Last few advice from Larby Amirouche for entrepreneurs, you should always check the user’s reviews when you are choosing app development tools.
These are unbiased opinions that can help you on your decision-making process.
Finally, Larby Amirouche wants you to know that do not be pressured on having a mobile app immediately especially when you are tight on budget and if your product and audience are not adept on this platform.