Everything you need to know about mobile app architecture

https://www.peerbits.com/blog/all-about-app-architecture-for-efficient-mobile-app-development.html

Surpassing the traditional methodologies, business houses are adopting mobile applications to enhance the output of their business. According to a report, the global mobile app revenue is expected to reach $77 billion, which is a commendable hike in comparison to $58 billion in 2016.

However, the tough competition doesn’t allow each of them to reach the set target. The primary reason behind this is the loopholes in mobile app architecture & mobile app development process. 

In a layman’s language, mobile app architecture is a set of patterns and techniques which are required to be followed in order to build a fully structured mobile application. The techniques and patterns are formulated keeping the vendor requirement and industry standards in mind.

The various elements of an app’s architecture

Normally, a mobile application can be structured in different layers including, business, user experience, and data layers.

Building the ultimate app architecture

While building better app architecture is vital for any business, not many appreneurs succeed in doing it. Here are few considerations you need to check at the time of building mobile app architecture:

1. Determining the device

Here you need to keep the device types in mind. This covers the screen size, CPU characteristics, resolution (DPI), storage space and memory, and development tool environment availability.

The features in the application might have special requirements from hardware or software; this is why at the time of building app architecture you need to have the knowledge of devices that the app will support.

2. Considering bandwidth

There are times when connectivity is either intermittent or not available. Your app architecture needs to be build keeping in mind the worst network scenarios.

Design your caching, data access mechanism, and state management considering times of intermittent connectivity. Batch communications and choose software and hardware based on it.

Read also: Points that are affecting the cost of app development

3. Defining user interface

You have the world and entire future ahead to show your creativity. Do not pour it all at the very first stage. Keep your user Interface as simple as possible. It has been noticed that a muddled UI becomes a major reason behind a mobile application’s failure.

4. Navigation methods

This one again comes on the design front. However, it requires expertise in both front and back end. There are numerous ways to navigate through app features, it is important for you to analyze which one’s good for your mobile application. The list includes:

• Single view
• Stacked navigation Bar
• Tab controller
• Scroll views
• Search driven
• Model controller
• Gesture-based

Understand your customers and the app requirement and according chose the navigation method as it directly impacts your user experience.

Bringing a consistent flow to the architecture

App architecture designing is a process which has to be executed in a defined flow. The flow basically includes three different layers. Namely:

1. Presentation layer

This layer comprises UI Components and UI Process Components (Views and Controllers). Being at this layer, the team has to define the way the mobile app will present itself in front of the end users.

On this layer deciding the features and their location is primarily focused. However, simultaneously, the team also decides other aspects like the theme, font size etc.

2. Business layer

As the name suggests, the layer focuses on the business front. In simple language it focuses on the way business will be presented in front of the end users. This includes workflows, business components, and entities beneath the hood of two sub-layers named Service and Domain model layer.

Read more: Innovative strategies to build your apps around

While the service layer focuses on defining a common set of application functions that will be available to client and end users, the domain model layer represents expertise and knowledge linked to the specific problem domain. The entire plan is formulated in a way to explore and enhance the future of application.

3. Data layer

At this third stage data related factors are kept in mind. This includes Data access components, data helpers/utilities, and service agents. Here one thing that you need to keep in mind that the three components sit under the two subheads, precisely, persistence layer and Network layer.

While the former provides simplified access to data, which can be stored in a persistent storage or backend, the latter is responsible for networking calls.

What’s next?

Once the three layers are looked after thoroughly, it’s time for the fourth participant, cross-cutting. This comprises security, configuration, and communication/connectivity. After successfully working on all these, you can expect completion of better mobile app architecture.

Conclusion

Designing mobile app architecture is the first and most crucial step. It plays a very important role in the growth of an app’s market. Whether you are a developer with a firm grip in mobile app development, or you are a client hiring a team of app developers, ensure that the entire flow is followed religiously. Having this done will make you cross half the boulevard towards your set target.