How To Build An App Without Programming Experience

Creating an app sounds insurmountably difficult if you have only minimal programming experience.

In reality, it presents a great learning opportunity that may result in a useful app.

In some ways, this hands-on experience is more productive than learning code, since that isn’t as immersive. Technology drives us to be more productive and efficient, so learning how to build an app with that in mind for both the users and creator is well worth the time.

The Appeal of App Development

Many developers dream of their app having millions of downloads and being a staple on most smartphones. The feeling of knowing your app is helping people daily, whether it’s by finding savings on products or aiding in meeting people, is rewarding enough.

Moreover, the app industry is an attractive field to invest time into. Analysts expect the app market to grow to $77 billion this year, propelled by the fact that 91% of the U.S. adult population owns a cell phone. That translates to a huge audience for any potential app.

Beyond the spotlight, the process of creating and releasing an app is worth pursuing on its own. App stores allow customers to provide their feedback, making the life of an app developer quite busy. They must quickly heeds customer feedback and constantly strive to improve their app, so that it can become synonymous with success.

App Development Without Programming Experience

There are a number of ways you can pursue learning how to build an app, even while lacking advanced programming knowledge.

One method involves contracting an app development firm. This is especially useful if you’re a business looking to get an engaging app off the ground. If you have the ideas and a big enough budget — but lack experience — there are a variety of app development companies that businesses frequently seek out.

If you’re not quite on that scale, yet still want to create a useful app, it may be worth hiring a freelancer. This is easy through a number of sites like Upwork, Freelancer and Rent a Coder.

When working with freelancers, it’s important to research all prospective hires. Ask for examples of past work and check their feedback rating. If a freelancer is charging suspiciously cheap, chances are they can’t produce what you’re looking for. Also, ask around for quotes, as they can vary tremendously. In the case of an app, it’s always better to go with the costlier yet proven option over the unreliable yet cheaper option, especially if you can learn from the proven option in the process.

Consider An App Building Platform

Understandably, some prefer more control when designing their app. An app development firm or freelancer may not grasp your intended creative or functional vision. In this case, if you’re willing to do the extra work yet still lack ample programming experience, it’s time to consider an app building platform.

App building platforms essentially provide a generic, well-designed app that serves as your template. You can customize color schemes, images and other appearance-related aspects, in addition to browsing various examples within your niche. For example, a restaurant seeking a delivery app could use the code of an already-designed delivery app, changing elements like the appearance and title, while retaining the pre-built functionality.

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Recommended app building platforms include GoodBarber, AppyPie, AppMakr and Andromo. Many of them offer cheaper options, like AppMakr’s $1 per month plan, or a free trial, in the case of Andromo and Appery.io. With the options to customize further using Javascript, HTML5 and CSS, these platforms offer a great opportunity to learning how to build an app.

In the end, there are many app development options at your disposal. You could choose to hire more knowledgeable app creators, work alongside them to learn more or pursue the more independent process of using an app building platform. These are all opportunities that can progress your app while simultaneously teaching you new things about software development.