Career Tracks

Mobile App Development

101 What Is Mobile App Development?

Mobile Developers build software to run on mobile devices, like tablets, smartphones, and smartwatches. Software may be native (written for a specific platform's language like iOS) or non-native. The average salary of a mobile app developer is $72,442.

Jump to a list of all Mobile App Development Bootcamps

What is Mobile App Development?

Mobile development is building software to run on mobile devices like tablets, smartphones, and smartwatches. Everything from Instagram to enterprise apps fit in this category. Mobile apps are built for the general public, private companies, and the government. Mobile apps might be native (written in a specific platform’s language) or non-native, written to work on multiple platforms. Android apps are typically written in Java while Apple/iOS apps are written in Swift or Objective-C. These languages are preapproved by the vendor who manufactures the device. 

How to Become a Mobile App Developer

You could get a degree in computer science and then teach yourself Swift, Objective-C, or Java online. This option will take ~4 years and cost over $100,000. While Android and iOS aren’t the only platforms out there, they do comprise 99% of the market. 

Mobile Developer Bootcamp

Learning to code with a bootcamp is probably the fastest option. If you learn better in a classroom, need career assistance, or want the connection of a cohort to bolster your learning experience, then bootcamp is for you! Most bootcamps specialize in either iOS or Android. Mobile bootcamps can range from 5 weeks to 10 months, and vary in price from $5,000-$15,000. Tuition range depends on a variety of factors based on location, immersive vs part-time, online vs in-person. Many bootcamps now offer deferred tuition, Income Share Agreements, and financing options. 

Online Learning Resources

Of course, you can learn the technical skills to become a Mobile App Developer entirely online. This option is for the self-starter who is disciplined and creative enough to build their own curriculum or pay for an online, self-paced curriculum. Online resources like Team Treehouse and Codecademy offer free trials and paid monthly subscription.

How to Choose a Mobile App Development Bootcamp

The best mobile app development course for you depends on your own learning style, career goals, availability, etc. Here's our advice for choosing the best app developer bootcamp:

  1. Narrow down your options – you can rule out some bootcamps based on location, cost, and time commitment.
  2. Examine the curriculum – does the bootcamp teach the most modern mobile app developer tools like Swift and Unity? On top of those new languages, you should also be learning fundamentals like Java and iOS.
  3. Ask About Projects – in the world of mobile app development, your portfolio is important! At a good mobile bootcamp, you'll build at least 2-3 projects to add to your portfolio!
  4. Meet the Instructors – do the bootcamp instructors have real-world design experience? Have they worked for mobile app agencies or built their own apps? Pro-Tip: Take an intro course or free workshop hosted by the bootcamp to really understand the teaching style.
  5. Ask About Outcomes – do past bootcamp graduates get jobs in mobile app development? Ask the school directly for their CIRR report or job outcomes report, read bootcamp reviews, and even reach out to alumni on LinkedIn to ask questions.

Red Flags – instructors don't have experience building specifically for mobile, the school can't tell you about past student career success, or the bootcamp only teaches no-code tools instead of training you in the underlying programming languages. 

Mobile App Developer Jobs

Mobile app developers are in high demand regardless of which platform you choose to build for. The mobile app economy is expected to hit $102.5 billion in revenues in 2020. There have never been more mobile devices on the market as there are right now. After a mobile development bootcamp, you can design native apps for a vendor like Apple or Google, develop apps at a startup, or even create your own app and start a business yourself

Here is a list of the most common Mobile App Developer job titles for bootcampers:

  • Mobile Application Developer
  • Mobile Application Programmer
  • iOS Mobile Application Developer
  • Android Developer
  • Mobile Engineer
  • Mobile Software Engineer
  • Hybrid Mobile Application Developer
  • Mobile Developer
  • Software Developer, Mobile

Mobile App Developer Job Description

The job description for a Mobile App Developer often depends on the employer. The primary duty of a Mobile App Developer is to create, maintain, and implement source code that meets the requirements of the client. A Mobile App Developer should understand the different platforms, tools available, and be able to design for any mobile device. They should be able to communicate clearly and effectively with their team in order to fulfill the client’s needs. The Mobile App Developer should understand the entire development process of an application. As such, they’ll also understand how to develop a minimum viable product (MVP). Their duties may include one or all of the steps in the design, develop, test, release, maintain lifecycle. 

Mobile App Developer Salaries

Mobile Developer Job Average Salary
Mobile App Developer $41,195-$108,890
iOS Developer $80,343
Android Developer $77,442

Mobile App Developer Skills

Most app developer positions do not require a degree but they will require you to prove your skills with a coding challenge or whiteboarding. You should have a portfolio of your own apps ready to show potential employers, too! Strong communication skills are a must in app development because most positions require collaboration with other designers, developers, and departments as well as interaction with clients. 

A Mobile App Developer should have strong analytical skills, be creative, pay attention to little details, and be able to solve problems with little to no assistance. Depending on whether you choose to develop for Android, iOS, or both will determine if you need to know a few of the technologies listed below or most of them. You will be able to learn these skills at a mobile development bootcamp.

To be an Android Developer you’ll need to know:  

  • Java - is a core language that is the most commonly used language for Android development. Apps built in the Android Studio are written in Java. 
  • C++ - C++ is an object-oriented core language that is less commonly used but still sometimes found in Android mobile apps. 
  • Android Studio - Android Studio is the official Integrated Development Environment for Android app development. 
  • Eclipse - Eclipse is a tool similar to Android Studio used to develop code for android apps. 
  • XML - XML is a markup language used to store information. 
  • Kotlin - Kotlin is an open-source, programming language. It’s designed to be more concise and work well with Java and JavaScript. 
  • Unity - Unity is used for Android game development. 

To be an iOS Developer you’ll need:

  • Objective-C - Objective-C is a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language that was created in 1980. It is the main language used for iOS and macOS. 
  • Swift - Swift was created by Apple in 2014 as the first protocol-oriented programming language. It’s used to build apps for the iOS platform. 
  • Xcode - Xcode is the Integrated Development Environment for iOS apps. 

You can develop on both operating systems using:

  • React Native - React was originally released by Facebook as a framework for JavaScript with User Interface in mind. React Native is the mobile development version which also keeps User Interface as its top priority. It brings web development concepts to the mobile development world. 
  • Text Editor - A text editor is a computer program that allows users to edit a variety of programming language files. 
  • Chrome Debugger - The Chrome Debugger API can be used to debug JavaScript and CSS. 

Other useful skills for Mobile App Developers include: 

  • HTML - HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language. It is a standardized markup language used for creating a webpage. These pages can include writing, links, pictures, sound, and video. HTML is used to denote these elements so that the web browser can display them correctly. 
  • CSS - CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets. CSS is used alongside HTML and JavaScript to control the layout and presentation of a website.
  • JavaScript - JavaScript is the most popular language on the web. It is a scripting language used to enhance and manipulate web pages by adding interactivity.
  • Frameworks - JavaScript frameworks are collections of JavaScript code that provide developers with prewritten code to use for routine actions and to easily implement best practices and standards. 
    • jQuery - jQuery is a JavaScript framework that simplifies a variety of programming operations like mouse clicks and keystrokes, adding and deleting elements, and dynamic content that is readable by search engines.
    • Bootstrap - Bootstrap is a CSS framework for developing responsive and mobile-optimized websites.  
    • ReactJS - React is an open-source JavaScript framework from Facebook that provides a view for HTML data or user interfaces.  

Android vs iOS Mobile App Development

The demand for Android and iOS Developers are about the same, with about 5,000 open jobs each in the US on average. The pay for Developers on both platforms is almost equal as well. In the US market, iOS controls about 58% while Android makes up about 41%. Globally, however, Android takes over 73% of market shares while iOS rings in at just 26%.  

Aditya Narayan, the CEO and co-founder of TurnToTech says, “Because there is so much opportunity in mobile right now, it’s completely legitimate to go with what you like to use as a user. But you can be more analytical than that. If your aspirations are tied to the international market, Android is a good option. If your focus is the US market or you want to monetize through in-app purchases, iOS is your best choice. It’s not a once in a lifetime decision. If you can write apps in iOS, you can easily transition to Android and vice versa.”

How to choose between Android vs. iOS: If you’re starting as a complete beginner, then Android and iOS will likely take the same amount of time to learn. If you’ve already learned Java, start with Android. If you’ve already learned C++ or C, pick up iOS first. 

 

Showing 26 - 50 of 112

  1. 68
    Reviews
    5
    Courses

    Barcelona Code School is a code school offering immersive training in full stack web and mobile development, UX/UI design, and machine learning and AI develo... Read More

    Julieta Barrios

    5Graduate - Course: JavaScript Full-Stack Bootcamp - Barcelona

    Verified Via GitHub

    Says: Barcelona Code School Review

    It was an excellent course. The program is super complete, it becomes very bearable and entertaining. The teachers are really supportive, patient and very commi ... Read More
  2. 66
    Reviews
    4
    Courses

    Refactory offers a 12-week, full-time, online mobile development coding bootcamp. Refactory wants to help students learn programming regardless of their back... Read More

    Aditya Kahfi Wicaksono

    5Applicant - Yogyakarta

    Verified Via GitHub

    Says: Learning & Development

    Honest review, while I joined at this company, I got a lot of experiences and lessons in this company. Technical lessons, communication and collaboration lesson ... Read More
  3. 58
    Reviews
    9
    Courses

    Pragra offers 4, 8, 12, 16, and 22-week part-time coding bootcamps in Mississauga, Canada, and Noida, India, as well as online. Pragra coding programs includ... Read More

    Praveen Kapuganti

    5Graduate - Course: Mastering Devops Tools and Techniques - Exam Prep - Toronto

    Verified Via LinkedIn

    Says: DevOps Course at Pragra

    I've taken the advanced DevOps course at Pragra, learned an awful lot about the CI/CD tools, and had extensive hands-on. I recommend it.  ... Read More
  4. 55
    Reviews
    7
    Courses

    Happyer Skills offers a 15-week, full-time immersive Full Stack Web Development bootcamp and part-time bootcamps in UX Design (6 weeks), Data Science and Mac... Read More

    Jerry

    5Graduate - Course: UX Design - Hong Kong

    Verified Via LinkedIn

    Says: HR Analyst

    In these 6 weeks, it is one of the most unexpected courses that I have ever had. Design thinking theory is not difficult to understand but the tricky part is ho ... Read More
  5. 54
    Reviews
    2
    Courses

    Covalence provides career-changing 12-week, full-time and 6-month, part-time full stack web development educational programs online. In Covalence's Full Stac... Read More

    Eric Moran

    5Graduate - Course: Catalyst Software Development Bootcamp (Full-Time) - Online

    Verified Via GitHub

    Says: Glad I went!

    I really enjoyed my time at Covalence.  The videos were very well done, and the labs did a good job of assessing my knowledge of the material.  I can’t say enou ... Read More
  6. 52
    Reviews
    6
    Courses

    Big Nerd Ranch is a mobile app development and design firm and training company that has led one-week intensive bootcamps since 2001. Hosted at their Atlanta... Read More

    Mike

    5Graduate - Atlanta

    Verified Via GitHub

    Says: Worth every penny..

    The complete immersion into the subject matter is fantastic. I attended the iOS Dev and by the end of the course, I was not only skilled but confident in those ... Read More
  7. 42
    Reviews
    7
    Courses

    KeepCoding offers 10-month, part-time online bootcamps in mobile development, web development, big data and machine learning, and a 4-week Python bootcamp in... Read More

    Dulce Flore Conde

    5Student - Course: Desarrollo Web Full Stack Bootcamp - Madrid

    Verified Via GitHub

    Says: Tutorship, practicality, immersive

    You will start coding since day 1. You will learn the basics and the professors are always eager to solve any question, be it in the class or later in the disco ... Read More
  8. 41
    Reviews
    4
    Courses

    Ubiqum Code Academy is an immersive, 4 to 5-month Data Analytics & Java Coding bootcamp with campuses in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Barcelona, Spain and... Read More

    Roshan Kumar Bhuyan

    5Student - Course: Data Analytics & Big Data, Full Time Onsite - Berlin

    Verified Via GitHub

    Says: Data Science

    I was doing my masters' degree in Space engineering and I was unhappy as I didn't find anything that kept me interested and devoted. I had tried a few things in ... Read More
  9. 40
    Reviews
    1
    Course

    CodeBoxx is a 16-week full-stack bootcamp in Canada and the US. The course offers students a deep understanding of web site development and information syste... Read More

    David

    5

    Verified Via GitHub

    Says: Thx for that!

    Been there, done that!Thx for that journey. I'm ready to start my new career. ... Read More
  10. 38
    Reviews
    9
    Courses

    Dibimbing is an Indonesia-based tech training provider offering online, part-time bootcamps covering topics like data science (18), UI/UX design (22 weeks), ... Read More

    Natasha Rizky Maharani

    5Student - Course: UI/UX Design - Online

    Verified Via LinkedIn

    Says: The best place to learn UI/UX

    Hello everyone, this month marks the end of my 6-month UI/UX design learning journey at Dibimbing.id. Throughout the program, I learned much about user experien ... Read More
  11. 37
    Reviews
    1
    Course

    Cultivating Coders is an Albuquerque-based intensive 8-week coding bootcamp focused on web application development fundamentals and technical training. Durin... Read More

    Miriam

    5Graduate - Albuquerque

    Verified Via GitHub

    Says: Rigorous Positive Experience

    This 12 week bootcamp provided me with full stack development skills to continue my education in coding. I am grateful for this program in Albuquerque. The inst ... Read More
  12. 34
    Reviews
    1
    Course

    Tecky Academy offers a 16-week full-time MicroMaster A.I. & Programming bootcamp that meets in person at Tecky Academy’s campus in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong.... Read More

    Ryan Tao Tszwai

    5Graduate - Course: MicroMaster A.I. & Programming - Hong Kong

    Verified Via LinkedIn

    Says: Excellent programming training school

    First I just hear my friends just turn his career path to IT industry and I start to find some information about Tecky. After visited them and I decided to appl ... Read More
  13. itup-logo

    ITUp

    4.85
    27
    Reviews
    1
    Course

    ITUp offers an 8-12 week, immersive, Turn Up Boot Camp focused on web development both online and in-person at campuses in Lisbon, Singapore, Amsterdam, and ... Read More

    Mauro Alviza

    5Graduate - Course: Turn Up Boot Camp - Lisbon

    Verified Via LinkedIn

    Says: ITUp- TurnUp Bootcamp

    TurnUp Bootcamp is an immersive course that allows any student with sheer willpower to become an Outsystems Developer in just 3 months. The course contains expl ... Read More
  14. 26
    Reviews
    3
    Courses

    Codenotch hosts 12-week full-time, and 6-month part-time web and mobile Development bootcamps in Madrid, Spain which focus on teaching students how to think ... Read More

    Guillermo

    5Graduate - Course: Web and Mobile Development Bootcamp (Full Time) - Madrid

    Verified Via LinkedIn

    Says: Desarrollo Web y Móvil

    El profesorado es la principal ventaja de este bootcamp. Todos ellos son profesionales en activo, y con experiencia en la docencia. Crean además muy buen ambien ... Read More
  15. 26
    Reviews
    7
    Courses

    TurnToTech offers full-time, 10 to 16-week mobile development and part-time, 30 to 36-week cyber security bootcamps based in New York, New York. TurnToTech a... Read More

    Eugenio Lopez

    5Graduate - Course: Android Bootcamp - New York City

    Verified Via LinkedIn

    Says: Great place to begin your software engineering path.

    As a former full-time Android student and current Mobile/Android Developer, I can confidently say that TurnToTech has played an immense role in starting my care ... Read More
  16. 25
    Reviews
    2
    Courses

    Austin Coding Academy is a 9-month part-time programming school in Austin, Texas teaching courses in Full Stack JavaScript, C#/.NET, and UX/Freelance. The sc... Read More

    Sean Philippi

    5Graduate - Course: Full Stack JavaScript Track - Austin

    Verified Via LinkedIn

    Says: Long overdue review, amazing school

    So Austin Coding Academy means a lot to me as they marked the beginning of me taking my coding education seriously. The support and community is amazing which r ... Read More
  17. 25
    Reviews
    1
    Course

    World Tech Makers is a 12-week digital education program based in Latin America. WTM focuses on major web technologies like Ruby on Rails, HTML/CSS, JavaScri... Read More

    Daniela Cardona Alzate

    5Student - Medellín

    Verified Via GitHub

    Says: Purspose & Tech Aligning

     I've been able to experience alignment with my purpose thanks to all the team work of World Tech Makers. I've seen an integral project that goes forward with t ... Read More
  18. 23
    Reviews
    3
    Courses

    The Hacking School offers 13-week full stack web development, 24-week cybersecurity, and 24-week data science at campuses in India and Australia. The Hacking... Read More

    Vaishnavi

    5Graduate - Course: Full Stack Web Development (online) - Hyderabad

    Verified Via LinkedIn

    Says: Had an amazing experience!

    THS is the best place to enhance your coding skills. The whole journey in the Bootcamp was awesome. My instructors Prashanth, Pranish, and Akhil are excellent. ... Read More
  19. 21
    Reviews
    3
    Courses

    CodeSpace Academy is an internationally recognized, online education institution that specializes in teaching coding and technology skills. Students can choo... Read More

    Nuhr van der schyff

    5Graduate - Course: Software Development - Cape Town

    Verified Via LinkedIn

    Says: SENSATIONAL

    I got a job four weeks after graduating. I was assisted in preparing for my interviews and got an interview through CodeSpace's employer network.CodeSpace Acade ... Read More
  20. 21
    Reviews
    4
    Courses

    Kable Academy is a technical program based in Cincinnati, Ohio that offers bootcamps in Web Development, Cybersecurity, IT Support, and Network Support bootc... Read More

    Daniel Hoffman

    5Graduate - Course: Cybersecurity - Cincinnati

    Verified Via LinkedIn

    Says: Fast, Unique, Great Experience

    I came into Kable Academy, not knowing anything about computers, let alone cyber security. This course took me 3 months to complete. I had the fortune of having ... Read More
  21. 19
    Reviews
    7
    Courses

    Deep Dive Coding teaches data science, internet of things, digital media, web development, and Java+Android bootcamps in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The curricu... Read More

    Tucker

    5Graduate - Course: Deep Dive .NET - Albuquerque

    Verified Via GitHub

    Says: Took both the PHP and the .NET

    Fantastic crew. Considering they all work for the college (CNM) and that this bootcamp is held to a collegiate standard, there is a certain level of vetting tha ... Read More
  22. 18
    Reviews
    3
    Courses

    Codecool is a full-time, 12-month coding course in Hungary, Poland, and Romania with a job guarantee. The developer program is like an apprenticeship, where ... Read More

    Gligor Avram

    5Graduate - Course: Full-stack developer course - Bucharest

    Verified Via LinkedIn

    Says: They deliver, even if everything is sugarcoated

    About me:This section is just so that you can gauge if what I wrote below applies to your situation. I learned programming mostly on my own and only became a Co ... Read More
  23. 16
    Reviews
    7
    Courses

    EducaciónIT offers live online bootcamp, with programs in Java Standard 11 Web Programming (7 weeks), Python Programming (4 weeks), Data Analytics (4 weeks),... Read More

    Alejandro Pundyk

    5Student - Course: Bootcamp Full Stack Web Developer - Online

    Verified Via LinkedIn

    Says: Gran espacio para el aprendizaje!!!

    Una de las mejores experiencias de aprendizaje.Excelente combinación de horas presenciales, material disponible en Alumni, y tareas orientativas para consolidar ... Read More
  24. 15
    Reviews
    7
    Courses

    WCoding offers a 12-week intensive coding bootcamp, as well as 4-week intensive or part-time coding courses in Seoul, Korea. The classes cover topics like HT... Read More

    Vianney

    5Graduate - Course: Dev Bootcamp (Fullstack Intensive) - Seoul

    Verified Via GitHub

    Says: Web Dev (Fullstack Intensive)

    Wcoding is an excellent introduction to the tech-world.Originally a marketer, I wanted to change my career and learn new skills in the wake of the Covid19.Being ... Read More
  25. 14
    Reviews
    6
    Courses

    Beetroot Academy is a Swedish tech school  offering online, intensive bootcamps in web development, quality assurance, UI/UX design, and Python. Beetroot Aca... Read More

    Yuliia Drahomaretska

    5Graduate - Course: Front-end Development - Online

    Verified Via LinkedIn

    Says: The review about Front-end Development Course with Oleg Marchenko mentor

    My name is Yuliia Drahomaretska and I am very pleased with the recent courses I have taken! For me, the Front-end development course was a life-changing experie ... Read More

Get our FREE Ultimate Guide to Paying for a Bootcamp

By submitting this form, you agree to receive email marketing from Course Report.

Get Matched in Minutes

Just tell us who you are and what you’re searching for, we’ll handle the rest.

Match Me