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Last updated on Feb 18, 2025
•11 mins read
Last updated on Apr 12, 2024
•11 mins read
We have already witnessed the wave of digitization in almost every sector. The advancement in software technologies helps organizations to provide better service to their customers, but there is another challenge businesses are experiencing today.
The highly competitive market, rapidly changing technologies, and flexible business requirements, all of these driving the need for fast and highly customized solutions that can serve and retain customers for a longer time.
If you are facing the same challenge, this article will help you to get better clarity on custom app development.
Also, here you will get the answer to the following common question related to custom app development:
Custom application development involves planning, designing development, and deployment of applications to fulfill unique business requirements. The implementation logic and the app workflow remain specific to the particular use case.
In short, custom apps are tailor-made software solutions designed for a particular group of users. For instance, there are numerous eCommerce apps in the market but only a few are famous such as Amazon services, Nykaa, FirstCry, AJIO, and Flipkart. The reasons behind their success are,
If you have any business idea but don't have a clear plan for its implementation in the online space then there are greater chances for you to pick a prebuilt solution. That’s what happens with most entrepreneurs who don’t have experience in running a business in the digital space.
Well, this is not the only reason why entrepreneurs choose pre-built applications.
Building custom applications takes time and requires resources on the other hand prebuilt apps can be quickly launched. Then why do businesses need a custom app if pre-built apps are there to save time and money?
So, here is your answer.
Pre-built apps have low flexibility for customization: Pre-built apps are either provided by the software solution companies or are built with LowCode and NoCode platforms so there are greater chances of vendor lock.
Pre-built apps are vulnerable to attackers: As the simple solution is used by several businesses there are major chances of hackers getting familiar with the code, which makes it easy to break into your app. Even if you want to fix such things it may take a longer time as you are buying development services from the vendor.
On the other hand, if you go for custom application development, you can benefit from it in the longer run, and it is highly effective in improving customer engagement. It gives entrepreneurs full control over their apps, so they can easily get exactly what they want.
Especially, with custom apps, businesses can keep aligned with their requirements and focus on customer needs rather than randomly throwing unnecessary features.
With custom application development businesses have complete control over their apps. They don’t need to be dependent on the vendors for things like maintenance, upgrades, security updates, and so on.
Custom applications are built by in-house developers keeping customers at their center. It is designed to fulfill unique business needs. So, it's easy for developers to add new functionality to the existing app, unlike the prebuilt application that has less flexibility.
Pre-built applications are difficult to integrate with others. On the contrary custom, apps are easy to integrate. Therefore, custom apps can survive the changes in technology, flexible market demands, and varying customer requirements. Overall they can adapt to changes.
Pre-built apps are maintained by vendors so if you come up with any issue it takes time to resolve. Custom applications are built by in-house developers, so developers remain aware of the part of the application that requires regular maintenance and even if any issue arises it can be quickly resolved.
Around 7 out of 10 software development organizations face the issue of changing customer requirements. To fulfill these requirements entrepreneurs constantly change their business plans and goals. In turn, developers are forced to rewrite the entire code.
Even if the entrepreneurs are assisted by experts in the implementation of the business plan it's all up to the developer's efficiency and the way they put your plan into effect. To survive these changes developers need a way to quickly build and test their apps.
Custom app development is a time-consuming process, it includes research, planning, designing, coding, testing, and deployment. Besides that, once the application is launched it needs continuous maintenance and support. However, with the limited workforce developing a custom app may take more time than the prebuilt app.
The issue of limited resources can be overcome by automating the grunt work of the development process so the developers can focus on the other complex tasks.
If you have a poorly planned product there are more chances of rewriting code. In turn, it increases the chances of mistakes impacting the quality of the final product. The money you spend on overcoming these difficulties will account for substantially greater expenditures.
Another thing that can have a higher hidden cost in custom software development is testing because every time you make a change in the app you need to test it whether it is due to bug issues or feature additions.
To avoid hidden cost surprises, always create the business requirement document in detail and based on the document create the cost estimation.
Poor collaboration with the team affects product development and may jeopardize the project’s overall success. In software development, excellent collaboration is critical for project delivery.
The problem can be overcome by using the right collaboration tools that help developers communicate through messages, and videos, share files, and code snippets, create and manage teams and team members, and so on.
In today's rapidly changing technological landscape, it's crucial to build apps that can withstand future developments. Here's how custom development empowers developers to future-proof your business app:
Develop an app with a flexible architecture that can integrate with new technologies as they emerge. This allows developers to leverage future advancements like artificial intelligence, blockchain, or the Internet of Things (IoT) without starting from scratch.
Design your app with modular components that can be easily updated or replaced. This makes it simpler to add new features, functionalities, or security patches without affecting the entire app's core functionality.
Build your app with open APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that allow seamless integration with future tools and platforms. This ensures your app remains compatible with evolving technologies and ecosystems.
Deploy your app on a scalable cloud platform that can handle increasing data volumes and user traffic. Cloud platforms also offer automatic updates and security features, keeping your app future-proof.
Embrace a culture of continuous improvement by gathering user feedback, monitoring app performance metrics, and staying updated on industry trends. This allows you to proactively adapt your app to changing user needs and technological advancements.
By following these future-proofing strategies, you can ensure your custom app remains relevant, secure, and scalable for years to come, providing your business with a long-lasting competitive edge.
Creating a custom application from scratch offers immense potential to solve problems, improve efficiency, and reach new audiences. But the journey from idea to launch requires careful planning and execution. Let's delve deeper into each stage:
Identify the need: What specific problem are you trying to address? Is it a gap in the market, an internal business challenge, or a way to enhance customer experience?
Know your user: Who are you building this app for? Understanding their demographics, behavior patterns, and pain points is crucial for creating a user-centric design.
Market Landscape: Are there existing apps that target a similar problem? Analyze their strengths, weaknesses, and user reviews.
Competitive Advantage: What unique value proposition will your app offer? How will it stand out from the competition?
i. No-code/Low-code platforms: Ideal for beginners with no coding experience. These platforms allow building apps visually using drag-and-drop features and pre-built components. They may have limitations in complexity but offer faster development times.
ii. Traditional coding: Provides more flexibility and control over the app's functionality. However, it requires programming knowledge in languages like Java, Swift, or Kotlin. Consider hiring developers if you lack the expertise in-house.
User Interface (UI) & User Experience (UX) Design: Sketch out the app's interface- how users will interact with the screens and features. Prioritize a user-friendly design that is intuitive and easy to navigate (UX). Tools like Figma or Adobe XD can be helpful for creating mockups.
Prototype Development: Build a basic, non-functional prototype to test the concept with potential users. This allows you to gather early feedback and refine the design before diving into development.
Focus on building a core version of the app with the essential features that address the core user need. This "Minimum Viable Product" (MVP) allows you to get the app into user hands quickly and gather valuable feedback for future iterations.
App Store Submission: If your app is intended for mobile users, prepare it for submission to the relevant app stores (Apple App Store, Google Play Store). This may involve following specific guidelines and creating app store descriptions and screenshots.
Deployment and Hosting: Choose a reliable hosting service to ensure the app functions smoothly and can handle user traffic. Cloud platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Google Cloud Platform (GCP) are popular options.
Continuous Improvement: The launch is not the end! Regularly gather user feedback through surveys, app reviews, and analytics tools.
Iterative Development: Use this feedback to identify areas for improvement and release updates with new features, bug fixes, and performance enhancements. This iterative development cycle is crucial for keeping your app relevant and successful.
Building a custom application is a rewarding journey that requires planning, dedication, and continuous learning. By following these steps and considering the additional factors, you can turn your innovative idea into a successful application.
In the above article, we have learned what custom application development is and why it is critical for business success. Further, we have seen what are the biggest challenges in custom app development and how to overcome them.
The multi-technology support platform empowers developers to build custom web and mobile applications in weeks rather than in months by removing the repetitive tasks in the app development.
It simplifies the following tasks with its unique functionalities.
Figma to code conversion (Android, iOS, React, Flutter): Identify UI components quickly and map them into the code.
Clean code generation: Supports clean code architecture that improves code readability and simplifies maintenance.
Creating and Managing APIs: The platform allows you to create and manage APIs efficiently.
Team collaboration: It is integrated with GitHub and GitLab and thus simplifies development team collaboration.
Testing and external deployment: Dhiwise Sandbox support lets developers take code ownership by supporting external deployment and testing.
Prebuilt customizable templates: The platform offers a range of customizable, professionally designed app templates for web and mobile app development.
Explore more about DhiWise and sign up now to start building your next custom app.
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