How To Master The Development Timeline: Launch Your App

If you want to order an app, you probably want to know how long it will take to make one. However, an app development timeline varies a lot. Here, we want to present the key milestones and give the approximate time required for each. Consult this article to know how much time you need to wait for your app to be ready.

App Development Timeline Factors

First, a few factors can affect the app development timeline. Let’s take a look at the key ones.

• The app. What app do you want to create? If it is relatively simple and has few features, it might be completed in a couple of months. An app that is average in complexity can take a few months to make, even half a year. And an app that is very complex can require many months to create, sometimes over a year.
• The team. Is your team experienced and proficient in making apps like yours? Do they know the language or no-code platforms you want them to use? Or is it something new that they are learning as they go? Of course, the team’s readiness to work with apps can affect the development timeline. More experienced teams will work faster.
• Integrations. Integrations with third-party services usually require extra time to create. So if your app needs integrations, it might take longer to make.
• Compliance. Depending on where you are located, your app may need extra legal considerations. Of course, to make sure that it complies with every regulation can take some time.

App Development Timeline: The Milestones

Let’s take a look at different stages of app development. In fact, there is no uniform approach to those, and different sources will cite different numbers of steps. Still, on average, the following milestones are important. 

Idea

The idea step is crucial because it creates a foundation for what is to come. In fact, it can help you decide if your project is successful. Do not simply describe your idea; you need to cover a few key topics with its help.

• The concept. You need to develop the core of your app idea.
• The target audience. Who is going to use your app and what needs will it satisfy? What is the size of your potential market?
• The operating system. Is it iOS, Android, or will you be looking into cross-platform apps? This question is very important.
• The project. How are you going to approach building your app? Will you hire a freelancer or work with an agency? What is the budget? Create a rough plan for the project and update it as necessary.

Some of these questions require substantial research. You can also employ a professional to answer the most difficult and specialized of those. For example, a marketing expert might help with determining the target audience. Due to these complications, expect to spend a couple weeks on this step.

The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.

Walt Disney

Design and Pre-development

The first stage of actually developing the app is called pre-development, and it normally includes design as well. Here are the tasks of this step.

• Coming up with a design for the app. Its overall looks and key elements of user interface are established at this point. That includes the logo and icon, too! In general, the appearance of the app is supposed to be figured out during this stage. 
• Determining the features of the app. The functionality of the app needs to be conceptualized during this stage. 
• Establishing a plan for the rest of the project. You need to figure out deadlines and milestones. This article should help you with both, but do not hesitate to ask an expert.

This is a time-consuming part of the project. Depending on your app and team, the process should take from 4 to 7 weeks. 

App Architecture

Architecture means the structure and organization of an app. During this stage, the more technical aspects of the app are discussed. Generally, you (or your team) need to work on the following.

• Choosing the technology. During this step, you need to establish what technologies you are going to use. Do not worry — a professional you hire will help you with that.
• Working on the database. Then, the database needs to be designed. The database will contain all the information that your app needs to function. It is a crucial element!
• Creating the technical design. This refers to the architecture. All algorithms, APIs, and other technical elements need to be designed in detail.

This is another time-consuming stage, and it requires 4 to 7 weeks depending on the app’s complexity.

App Development

App development means taking the results of the previous work and combining them into an actual app. That involves both the frontend (the interface that the user interacts with) and the backend (the part that ensures the app’s functioning). The following are the common elements of this process.

• Writing the code. If your team is using code, this is the time to create it. There are no-code options for apps, but a lot of people still rely on code, which generally offers more flexibility.
• Creating the user interface. This process requires actually implementing the results of the design stage and making a workable interface. Navigation and controls are an important part of this step.
• Working on the backend. It includes, in particular, connecting the database and implementing the data flows.

App development is likely the most time-consuming element. It can take anywhere from 1 to 6 months and more for a particularly complicated app. But after this step is done, most of the work is also done.

Testing

There are a variety of tests that have been developed to check if apps work. Here are a few of them.

• Functional testing exists to check if all the functions of an app work as intended. 
• Performance testing checks how an app performs under a variety of circumstances. For example, the conditions can be high load or bad internet connection.
• Security testing is supposed to check the safety of the data it uses. 
• Usability testing exists to test how usable an app is; in other words, whether it is convenient to use.

Despite the numerous tests you might want to run, this stage usually takes just a couple of weeks.

Launch and Maintenance

With all the bugs fixed and last-minute changes made, it is time to launch your app! The timing depends on app stores and their approval. However, launching the app is not the end: you also need to provide maintenance. Even if there are no bugs (which is unlikely), regular updates let the app stay relevant. So do take into account the ongoing maintenance phase when considering launching your own app.

App Development Timeline: Conclusion

As you can see, app development timeline can take anywhere between 16 and 42 weeks and more. Depending on the app’s complexity, your team’s experience, integrations, and compliance, the timeline can be vastly different. However, the general steps are the same, from ideas to various stages of design to testing and launching. Do not forget to keep working on your app to maintain its relevance, and you are bound to find success.

If you need help with your app, consider posting a task with Insolvo.