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Introduction to Mobile App Development

Introduction to Mobile App Development

This course is part of IBM iOS and Android Mobile App Developer Professional Certificate

Instructors: IBM Skills Network Team +1 more

24,807 already enrolled

Included with

3 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

218 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

3 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

218 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

What you'll learn

An all-around understanding of the mobile app landscape and the components of an app, including front end, back end, data management, and hosting
The features and limitations of popular mobile app development languages, frameworks, and tools
An understanding of the integrated development environments (IDEs) and tools used for mobile app development, including testing tools and emulators
How to build a career in mobile app development, having created your own mobile app development career plan

Skills you'll gain

Category: Cloud Hosting
Category: Test Tools
Category: Other Mobile Programming Languages
Category: Software Testing
Category: Cross Platform Development
Category: iOS Development
Category: Mobile Development Tools
Category: Development Environment
Category: Computer Programming Tools
Category: Mobile Development
Category: Application Development

Tools you'll learn

Category: Android Studio
Category: Apple iOS
Category: Flutter (Software)
Category: Integrated Development Environments
Category: Web Applications
Category: Swift Programming
Category: Application Frameworks
Category: Apple Xcode
Category: React Native

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

8 assignments

Taught in English

Build your Mobile and Web Development expertise

This course is part of the IBM iOS and Android Mobile App Developer Professional Certificate

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Professional Certificate.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate from IBM

There are 3 modules in this course

With smartphone usage projected to grow by 30%, there's never been a better time to launch a career in mobile app development. This course provides aspiring software engineers with the ideal introduction to this high growth field with no prior experience required.

Mobile app developers design, code, and refine apps, combining technical skill with creativity to deliver engaging mobile experiences. In this course, you’ll explore what apps are, how they’ve evolved, and how the different parts of a mobile app work together, including the front end, back end, data management, and hosting. You will become familiar with various mobile platforms and operating systems such as iOS, Android, WatchOS, WearOS, and others. You’ll gain valuable knowledge of the overall mobile app development ecosystem and gain learn about mobile app types and their operating systems. You’ll delve into the languages and frameworks used to develop mobile apps such as Swift, Kotlin, Flutter, and React Native. Plus, you’ll explore different integrated development environments (IDEs) such as Android Studio and Xcode, as well as the tools used for mobile app development, including testing tools and emulators. Then, hear from seasoned experts what it's really like to work as part of a mobile app development team and the skills you'll need to excel as a mobile developer. Learn about employment opportunities, career paths and progression, and the future of mobile app development and use these insights to help you create your own mobile app developer career plan. If you’re an aspiring techie keen to move into the lucrative world of mobile app development, enroll to and begin your journey toward a rewarding career!

In this module, you will be introduced to the definition of an app, the evolution of mobile apps, app categories, and the pros and cons of using mobile apps. You will also learn about how apps work and understand the different parts of an app, including the front end, the back end, data management, and hosting.

What's included

8 videos2 readings3 assignments1 discussion prompt5 plugins

8 videosTotal 43 minutes

Program Overview4 minutes
Course Introduction3 minutes
Introduction to Apps5 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: Evolution of Mobile Apps4 minutes
Mobile App Categories7 minutes
How Does an App Work?8 minutes
Cloud Computing and Hosting for Mobile Services 7 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: Cloud Computing and Hosting for Mobile Services 4 minutes

2 readingsTotal 14 minutes

Course Overview4 minutes
Module Summary: Introduction to the Mobile App Landscape10 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 51 minutes

Graded Quiz: Introduction to the Mobile App Landscape21 minutes
Practice Quiz: Getting Started with Apps15 minutes
Practice Quiz: Components of an App15 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

[Optional] Introduce Yourself10 minutes

5 pluginsTotal 30 minutes

Helpful Tips for Course Completion3 minutes
Reading: Web Apps vs. Mobile Apps: A Comparison4 minutes
Reading: Pros and Cons of Using Mobile Apps3 minutes
Reading: Cloud Tools for Mobile Development5 minutes
Activity: App Builder Challenge15 minutes

In this module, you will get familiar with the mobile app development ecosystem. The module will cover the mobile app types that a mobile developer can develop, along with the different operating systems. You will also delve into the languages and frameworks used to develop the different types of mobile apps. Following a brief review of four approaches to integrated development environments (IDEs) and tools used for mobile app development, you will learn about testing tools and emulators. Finally, you will understand how the software development kit supports integration and data implementation.

What's included

10 videos1 reading3 assignments5 plugins

10 videosTotal 65 minutes

Mobile Platforms and Operating Systems5 minutes
Types of Mobile Apps8 minutes
Mobile App Development Process8 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: Mobile App Development Process Overview4 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: Mobile App Development Methodology4 minutes
Mobile Development Languages and Frameworks 9 minutes
Mobile IDEs and Tools 8 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: Mobile App Development Platforms 4 minutes
Mobile Testing Tools and Emulators 8 minutes
App Marketplaces and Distribution Platforms7 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Module Summary: Mobile App Development Ecosystem10 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 51 minutes

Graded Quiz: Mobile App Development Ecosystem21 minutes
Practice Quiz: Overview of Mobile App Development15 minutes
Practice Quiz: Understanding the Mobile App Development Ecosystem15 minutes

5 pluginsTotal 95 minutes

Activity: Testing Mobile Apps15 minutes
Reading: Understanding Agile Development Methodology10 minutes
Reading: Introduction to UI/UX Design10 minutes
Lab: Create a Conceptual Mobile App Business Plan with Wireframes 40 minutes
Lab: Explore Mobile Emulators Using Your Chrome Browser20 minutes

In this module, you will explore the role of a mobile developer and describe the composition of a typical mobile app development team. You will discover the required and optional skills to be job-ready. This module will also cover the available career paths and employment options for a mobile app developer. Finally, you will have the opportunity to develop your mobile application developer career plan.

What's included

10 videos3 readings2 assignments1 app item4 plugins

10 videosTotal 59 minutes

Mobile App Development Team6 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: Mobile Development Team 4 minutes
A Day in the Life of a Mobile App Developer4 minutes
Developing Mobile App Development Skills8 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: Terms and Definitions 5 minutes
Mobile App Developer Career Progression7 minutes
Employment Opportunities in Mobile App Development6 minutes
The Future of Mobile App Development8 minutes
Expert Viewpoints: Impact on Career 3 minutes
Course Wrap-Up7 minutes

3 readingsTotal 10 minutes

Module Summary: A Career in Mobile App Development5 minutes
Congratulations and Next Steps3 minutes
Thanks from the Course Team2 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 31 minutes

Graded Quiz: A Career in Mobile App Development21 minutes
Practice Quiz: Mobile App Developer Skills and Career Paths10 minutes

1 app itemTotal 30 minutes

[Optional] Project Submission and Evaluation30 minutes

4 pluginsTotal 77 minutes

Activity: Is Mobile Development Right for You?15 minutes
Reading: Is Mobile App Development the Right Fit for You?7 minutes
Final Project: Analyzing a Mobile App45 minutes
Course Glossary: Introduction to Mobile App Development10 minutes

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Instructors

Instructor ratings

(51 ratings)

IBM Skills Network Team

92 Courses2,012,474 learners

Offered by

IBM

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Reviewed on Jun 8, 2025

This course was a complete ruote to begin in Flutter development.

Reviewed on Jan 5, 2026

Course content was perfect, I have learned alot about android studio and basics of android development.

Reviewed on Nov 30, 2024

Supper amazing introduction. Exposing you to the world of mobile applications.

Frequently asked questions

A mobile app developer designs, codes, tests, and maintains applications for mobile devices, ensuring they perform well, have an intuitive user interface, and meet the specific requirements of iOS and/or Android platforms.

Learning both iOS and Android development can be highly beneficial as it makes you more versatile and marketable, allowing you to create apps for a larger audience and increasing your job opportunities in the competitive tech industry.

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.