How to Learn Mobile Development

Mobile development skills cover computer programming skills that ensure that mobile software applications run perfectly. Dedicated mobile applications require specific coding knowledge to run on any given device. The number of options for learning mobile development might be overwhelming at first glance. There are books, video tutorials, classes, and more to choose from; it all depends on your learning style and personal preferences. 

Here, we’ll discuss the various methods of learning mobile development so you can decide how you’d like to get started.

What is Mobile Development?

As of 2021, there were as many as 6.4 billion smartphones worldwide. For smartphone users, The vast majority of smartphone users engage with their device using their apps–up to 88% of total use. Mobile applications are quickly becoming the most common way we interact with the digital space, and this shifts virtually every industry, company, and institution to prioritize using mobile applications in their branding and marketing strategies. In addition, adjacent industries, such as the mobile gaming industry, are becoming massive sources of revenue, meaning that more and more companies are moving towards mobile development as a primary, rather than a secondary, focus.

Learning mobile development skills involves learning general programming principles and tools, and languages explicitly designed for popular mobile devices. Both iOS and Android devices take advantage of proprietary programming languages built from the ground up to be optimized for those devices. Mobile development differs from general programming in that it emphasizes how applications can be designed to run optimally on any mobile device since there is a world of difference between an iPhone 12 and a Surface Tablet. Mobile Developers will be tasked with learning all the skills required to ensure that all of the application's necessary features are functional and easy to utilize regardless of who is accessing the application and on what device it is being accessed.

Read more about what mobile development is and why you should learn it. 

What Can You Do with Mobile Development?

One of the most compelling reasons to learn mobile development skills comes from the fact that the technological infrastructure is constantly improving. What was unheard of five years ago has become the technical default, and developers are constantly improving the hardware and software associated with mobile devices. This evolution makes mobile application development an incredible specialization for developers who want to be on the cutting edge as new industries and practices emerge. Whether you are interested in designing new mobile games, essential accessibility services, or working within newly emerging digital marketplaces, mobile app development skills will significantly boost your potential.

Mobile application development is also an excellent skill set for working within the developing world of the internet of things. Our phones and tablets are becoming more directly integrated with the devices and objects we interact with daily. From QR code readers to digital assistants to medical alert technology in wearables, mobile devices serve many seemingly mundane but still vital functions in our everyday lives. While developers looking to work in this field will need to learn other advanced programming skills, students with a background in mobile development will have a much easier time creating complex applications meant to extend the reach of the mobile device.

In-Person Mobile Development Training

Many students find in-person training options the most immersive and effective way to learn a new skill. Live instructors teach these mobile development courses at dedicated training facilities, often professional learning environments with their dedicated classroom space and technology labs. Students will have the advantage of being able to learn skills as part of a cohort of like-minded individuals, and they can benefit from interpersonal networking opportunities. The drawback to these courses is that individual training programs are rarely offered outside one or two training facilities, which are often located in major cities. Unfortunately, this issue means that curious individuals will be restricted in their courses based on their location, and many people may need help.

Those interested in in-person mobile development classes may want to explore the options available through Noble Desktop. These classes are taught at Noble’s state-of-the-art training center in Manhattan. Individuals in the New York area are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to learn in person with Noble’s expert instructors. Beginners who don’t live in the Manhattan area may want to consider exploring the options available through other service providers, such as Big Nerd Ranch in Atlanta or Think BIG. Learn Smart in Baltimore.

Live Online Mobile Development Training

Learners who don’t live near an onsite training facility or simply don’t want to commute to their classes will want to explore their options for live online mobile development classes. These courses allow their students to learn mobile development skills from the comfort of their workspaces, and they offer individuals far more options for training than in-person courses. These courses will still require their enrolled students to attend regularly scheduled classes, which can prove difficult, and they aren’t significantly less costly than in-person training options.

Those who don’t live in the Manhattan area can still enroll in Noble’s mobile development courses as live online classes. Students will enter a private digital classroom built to keep class sizes small and allow them to interact directly with their instructors. Virtual students will also benefit from all the same perks as in-person students, including the option to retake classes for free within a year and professional development assistance like one-on-one mentoring options. Using Noble’s Classes Near Me tool, learners can compare Noble’s options to other online training providers, such as Code Fellows and Coding Dojo.

Free Online Courses & Tutorials

Potential students who aren’t ready to jump into a complete mobile development course may consider looking at some free training options. Since mobile development languages are advanced programming skills, the most common kind of free training resource that students will benefit from is a more generalized web development programming tutorial. Interested individuals can take advantage of Noble Desktop’s Intro to front end Web Development seminar to learn the basic coding principles of HTML/CSS and JavaScript. This seminar can help participants decide whether or not they want to continue with an advanced programming education. Once students have decided to continue, they may wish to take advantage of the course offerings available on Noble’s official YouTube page on their Web Development playlist.

Noble also offers an Intro to React seminar, which covers the basics of using JavaScript’s React library for front end development. While this seminar isn’t focused on mobile development, it does cover how React Native, Meta’s open-source software framework, can be utilized to develop applications for Android and iOS devices.

Curious individuals may also explore the free training seminars available through service providers such as Udemy and Coursera. On top of these options, since most major mobile applications are developed for iOS and Android, both Apple and Google offer tutorials on using the proprietary languages and code editors used for developing applications on their platforms.

On-Demand Mobile Development Classes

Many career seekers may have no room for a live training session in their schedules. Those with family or work commitments that prevent them from full-time training will want to consider enrolling in an on-demand mobile development training program. These training classes are asynchronous content delivery seminars that usually provide students with an archive of prerecorded video lessons and individual training modules. In most cases, these will be the least expensive training option available, and the flexibility they provide is often something that students will need to finish their training.

These courses will also vary the most regarding the content they cover and how they deliver it to students. This variability means that students will need to be extra attentive to the kind of training course that they enroll in. Since these courses don’t have live instructors, students will need to find other sources of advice to turn to when they encounter challenges in their training. Even experienced coders may need additional assistance when learning mobile development skills. On-demand training courses will require enrollees to find alternative paths to getting this assistance. Thus, on-demand classes can take students substantially longer than live training sessions, even if they are advertised as significantly less time-consuming.

Which Learning Method is Right for Me?

Learners may look at the wide range of choices they have for learning mobile development skills and worry that they won’t find the mobile development course that best suits their needs. While every person acquires information differently, experts make a few generalizations about mobile development learning options to help curious individuals decide which course is right for them.

The most popular type of training course is a live instruction session, where students work directly with online instructors who give them real-time feedback on their mobile development skills. These live online courses tend to be immersive, and most students prefer them. Live instructors easily guide their students through complex parts of the course, and they provide students with vital feedback on their code. Students can efficiently work with their peers on projects from anywhere in the world. These courses may be expensive, yet they provide enrollees with numerous benefits relative to alternative training methods.

Some people prefer in-person courses at a dedicated training facility. In-person courses let participants interact face-to-face with their instructors, allowing their students to work with a cohort of like-minded colleagues in a controlled training environment. While the lessons being delivered are identical to live online, some participants rely on the physical affordances of the classroom space to be successful. Unfortunately, in-person training courses tend to be taught at a limited few dedicated training facilities, meaning that options are restricted if the potential student doesn’t live in a major city like New York City or San Francisco. 

Live online training courses address the issue of requiring physical attendance by allowing students to learn from the comfort of their homes or office. Learning from live instructors providing lessons in private digital classrooms, participants typically enjoy small class sizes and focused attention. In recent years, online pedagogy has vastly improved, and students may find that learning online is just as effective as learning in-person. Individuals who learn online save time and money by removing the commute to a class. No longer are enrollees restricted to learning at a nearby training facility; they can select the best class even if the instructor teaches it from hundreds of miles away. However, course enrollees have a greater personal responsibility to keep their workstations running, and they will need to supply their hardware and software, which can be a significant cost barrier for some.

Students who need additional flexibility in their training will want to consider on-demand mobile development courses. These asynchronous courses give participants the freedom and flexibility to pick up and put down their lessons when most convenient. Students enrolled in an on-demand class can move as quickly or as slowly as they see fit, which can be essential for some students looking to learn new skills while not ignoring work and family obligations. These courses tend to vary the most in terms of quality, so students must be extra prudent when selecting a course. While they tend to be the cheapest options since the company doesn’t have to pay live instructors, participants may find that they need to take extra steps to troubleshoot when they get stuck on challenging aspects of the course.

Why Learn Mobile Development?

As of 2017, mobile use has surpassed desktop PC use for overall web access purposes, 53-46. This gap is expected to increase meaningfully, and the difference only becomes more and more skewed as it is broken down generationally, with younger audiences using mobile devices far more frequently than older audiences. As such, mobile development is growing more valued in almost every corner of the digital development landscape. Anyone hoping to work in the rapidly changing world of web development will benefit from learning mobile development skills. 

Mobile development is also becoming increasingly pervasive in virtually every industry, especially as younger audiences default towards mobile devices as their primary way of interacting with the digital world. Thus, cutting-edge start-ups and new businesses are beginning to prioritize the functionality of their mobile applications. Services such as Uber rely upon mobile applications for both consumers and contractors. In addition, older institutions, including public sector institutions like government agencies and universities, have shifted towards mobile applications that users must interact with to access essential services. Since 2018, mobile gaming revenues have outperformed PC and console gaming revenues combined to the tune of $70 billion. No matter what kind of field you want to work in as a developer, investing in fostering mobile development skills is likely to help open doors.

Read more about why you should learn mobile development. 

Level of Difficulty, Prerequisites, & Cost 

Mobile development is a relatively challenging kind of computer programming because of the many different variables, and the languages are less flexible. However, it is still an in-demand career skill that comprises a lot of versatile and transferable skills. Mobile development is probably not the best-suited skill for novice developers to try and pick up. Still, with sufficient training and experience, it is a set of skills that are very productive in the long run.

While there are no technical prerequisites to learning mobile development, experts strongly recommend that languages like Swift are not the first programming languages you opt to learn. Enrollees in a dedicated mobile development course want experience working with computer code. There is no specific language requirement, but learning HTML/CSS and JavaScript are likely places to start. Prospective students should also know how to use code editing applications and test and debug code.

Almost all mobile application development languages are free and open source, so participants won’t have to pay a fee to work on their projects. Similarly, even proprietary code editors like Xcode are free to use. All major app stores require users to pay a yearly fee and register to have their apps visible for download. These fees vary depending on the platform but can range from 20 to 100 dollars. In addition, while not a direct cost, app stores will take a cut of the profits from sales, so programs working on their applications will want to consider that.

Read about how difficult it is to learn mobile development.

Learn Mobile Development with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Students looking to learn mobile development skills will need a decent amount of focused training. They will need to learn programming basics, web development programming languages, and specific programming languages built for mobile operating systems like iOS and Android. However, no matter your level of experience, Noble Desktop has a mobile development course that fits your needs. Whether you are an experienced programmer or you need to learn HTML/CSS, Noble Desktop offers individual bootcamps and career development classes that can help you on your way to becoming a skilled Mobile Developer. Experienced instructors teach Noble’s classes, bringing expert-level web and mobile development knowledge. Learners can take Noble’s classes in-person at Noble’s Manhattan campus or online in private digital classrooms. Even online, class sizes are kept small so that students aren’t competing with each other for their instructor’s attention. Plus, anyone enrolling in a Noble training course will have an opportunity to retake the class, for free, at any point within a calendar year, giving prospective students peace of mind. It allows beginners even more chances to get hands-on mobile development skills.

Individuals with prior coding experience may wish to enroll in Noble’s iOS App Development Bootcamp. This class will teach members how to work with Apple’s Xcode code editing program and their Swift programming language to build optimized applications on mobile iOS devices. Students will learn how to build interactive swipe and touch screen elements and how to add assets to the application, its launch screen, and its presence on the App store. By the end of the class, individuals will develop and post their applications to the App store. They will also understand how the mobile development process works from start to finish (people should be aware that posting applications to the app store require a paid Apple account, which every participant will be required to sign-up for to complete the course).

Those with less coding experience but still want to learn the necessary skills to work as mobile developers will want to consider enrolling in Noble’s Full Stack Development Certificate program. This program doesn’t focus specifically on mobile development. Future coders wishing to specialize in that field may need additional training, but learning full stack development skills is integral to becoming a successful and well-rounded developer. In this class, students will learn how to code web pages in HTML/CSS and JavaScript, languages that mobile developers use to build non-proprietary versions of their applications. In addition, students will learn essential JavaScript libraries and how to develop and maintain the infrastructure upon which applications operate. This career-focused course provides participants professional development training, including one-on-one career mentorship and portfolio development workshops. Pair this training seminar with Noble’s iOS Development Bootcamp for further specialization in mobile development.

Key Insights

• Mobile development training courses teach students the specialized programming languages to develop software applications for mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets.
• Individuals interested in learning mobile development skills can enroll in live or on-demand training courses.
• Live courses, which are taught in person and online, are ideal for students with the time and resources required to attend regular training courses. These are the most immersive but also the most expensive options.
• On-demand courses are ideal for those who need greater flexibility in their training, mainly because of time constraints.
• Prospective enrollees interested in learning mobile development skills in person or through live online instruction should consult the comprehensive mobile development training options offered through Noble Desktop.