How to create a mobile app on Android? a complete step-by-step guide

Step 1. Idea and its verification

Mobile app development starts not with programming, but with a good idea. Even the best lines of code won’t save a project if it doesn’t address a real user need.

Analysis of the idea

Before you open Android Studio, answer the following questions honestly:

– What problem does my app solve?

– Who will be its users?

– Why would someone download this app and not another one?

Try to describe your mobile app in one sentence (a so-called elevator pitch). Example: “My app allows young parents to monitor their children’s vaccination schedule in a simple and intuitive way.”

If you can’t summarize your project in one sentence, it means that it needs more refinement.

Market research

After the initial analysis of your idea, it’s time to move on to thorough market research. This step is often overlooked by novice developers, which is a mistake — because this is where you can find out if your app has a real chance of success.

Check out the competition

Go to Google Play and enter keywords related to your idea. For example, if you are creating an app for monitoring children’s vaccinations, search for “vaccination calendar,” “child health,” etc. 

Pay attention to:

– the number of downloads of competing apps

– star ratings

– the most common positive and negative reviews

– features that distinguish the best apps

Identify gaps

Try to find gaps in existing solutions. For example:

– Are the apps difficult to use?

– Do they have offline versions?

– What languages do they support?

You can use these “gaps” to stand out from the competition.

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Analysis of potential demand

Understanding the competition is only half the battle. The second, equally important element of verifying your idea is to check whether there is actually a demand for it. Even if your application solves an important problem, it may turn out that there are too few users for the project to be profitable. 

Therefore, before you start programming, it is worth looking at trends, the popularity of the topic, and the behavior of potential users, using available tools and data sources.

Tools for researching trends

It is worth using tools such as:

Google Trends — see if the topic you want to cover is gaining popularity or losing interest.

App Annie — check the download statistics for similar apps, their revenue, and the monetization models they use.

SimilarWeb — compare traffic on websites related to your industry and competitor apps.

Topic groups and forums

In addition to hard data, it’s also worth listening to the community. Forums and topic groups are great places to find out what real problems users are facing and what they feel is missing from the available apps.

– check out Reddit (e.g., subreddit r/AndroidDev or r/startups)

– search Facebook groups

– look for discussions on Quora

– visit parenting websites if the topic concerns children, or fitness websites if the app is related to sports.

There you can find, for example, user questions, problems they want to solve, and features or fixes they are asking for.

Interviews and surveys

After analyzing the competition and trends, it’s worth going a step further and gathering feedback directly from potential users. Even simple qualitative research can provide valuable insights before you even start coding.

It’s also worth conducting mini-qualitative research:

– prepare a simple survey in Google Forms

– ask potential users in groups or among your friends

– ask them to evaluate your idea, their needs, and pain points

This will allow you to learn not only what works on the market, but also what real people—your future users—expect.

Step 2. Defining the app’s functionality and setting the budget

After verifying the idea and analyzing the market, it’s time to clearly define what your app should do first. This stage is crucial because it allows you to avoid costly chaos in later phases of the project.

Prepare a list of key functionalities

First, write down the features that are absolutely necessary to solve the user’s problem, that will make the application stand out from the competition, and those that can be implemented within a reasonable time frame and budget.

Also, note which elements can wait for further development, such as more complex modules or external integrations. This division will help you focus on what is really important at the start, while preparing a development plan for future updates.

Choose the technology

The next step is to decide what technology the app will be built with. Consider whether you want to build a native app, e.g. in Kotlin, or choose a cross-platform framework. This will affect not only the initial budget, but also maintenance and development costs in the long run.

Estimate your budget

Estimating your budget is a stage that requires cooperation between decision-makers, UX designers, and technical specialists.

It is worth remembering that the cost of building a mobile app depends on many factors, the most important of which are the functional scope and the complexity of individual modules. The more complex the app, the more work developers and designers will have to put in, which directly translates into higher costs and longer development times.

The choice of technology also has a significant impact on the budget — native apps often require separate development for Android and iOS, while cross-platform solutions can reduce these expenses but are not always optimal for more demanding features. If you are planning additional modules, such as payment integrations, geolocation, chats, or push notifications, you also need to allocate appropriate financial resources for them.

It is worth considering carefully at the MVP stage which features are essential and which can be introduced later. This way, you will avoid overloading your budget and focus on delivering the most important solutions to users. It is also good practice to set aside a financial reserve for testing, corrections, and possible project extensions during its development.

Step 3. UX/UI design, or how to plan the look and logic of an app

UX/UI design is one of the key stages in building a mobile application and should be carried out in close cooperation with the client and future users. Special design workshops are an excellent solution, during which the UX team and stakeholders brainstorm the features and logic of the application. During these meetings, preliminary lo-fi mockups are created, i.e., simple black-and-white sketches of screens that help to quickly visualize the concept and check its consistency. Designers can then prepare more detailed hi-fi mockups and clickable prototypes that reflect the final look and feel of the application.

Graphic: UX/UI design process of a mobile app – lo-fi, hi-fi mockups.

This approach makes it possible to test the solution among users even before coding begins, thus avoiding costly mistakes and eliminating non-intuitive elements. A well-planned UX/UI process not only increases the chances of creating an aesthetically pleasing and functional interface in accordance with Material Design guidelines, but most importantly, it allows you to materialize the idea in graphical form and evaluate it in practice, saving time and budget.

Step 4. Select the right technology for your application

When developing an Android application, the most common choice is native technology based on Kotlin or Java, using Android Studio.

Native solutions allow you to take full advantage of the system’s capabilities, ensuring high performance, access to all hardware features, and compliance with Google guidelines. This is especially important if you are planning a complex application with more complex business logic or requiring integration with Android system elements such as notifications, location services, or mobile payments.

In some cases, if you are considering an iOS version in the future, you may also want to look at cross-platform solutions such as Flutter or React Native. These allow you to share some of the code and potentially reduce development costs, but still require knowledge of the Android environment. In practice, for the first version of an Android app, a native approach is usually recommended, as it offers the greatest control, flexibility, and the possibility of later expansion without compromise.

Step 5. Setting up the environment and starting to program in Android Studio

Preparing the environment is the first step to actually starting to develop an app. Below are the key elements to take care of.

Installing Android Studio

Before you start writing code, you need to prepare your development environment. Android Studio is the official tool for developing Android apps, so it’s a good idea to start by installing and configuring it correctly.

• Download the latest version of Android Studio from the official Google website
• Make sure you have the latest version of JDK installed
• Configure the required SDK and build tools (e.g., Gradle)
• If necessary, install additional components, such as Android Emulator

Emulator configuration

The emulator allows you to test your application without the need for a physical device. Proper preparation of the emulator makes it easier to detect errors at an early stage.

• create a virtual device corresponding to the target resolution and Android version
• check the emulator before running the application for the first time
• test the configuration with a simple project

Project structure

Every app in Android Studio has a similar directory and file structure. Knowing where everything is will help you manage your code and resources efficiently.

• res directory– contains app resources, such as layouts and graphics
• java/kotlin directory – contains source code
• AndroidManifest.xml file – defines the app name, activities, and permissions

First launch

After completing the configuration, it is a good idea to perform a first test to make sure that the environment is working correctly. The best way is to create a simple welcome application.

• create a simple “Hello World” screen
• compile the project and run it on the emulator
• make sure everything works correctly before moving on to implementing more advanced features

Step 6. Testing and preparation for publication

After configuring the environment and implementing the first functionalities, the key step is to thoroughly test the application. Testing is not just about checking that everything works correctly—it is also about ensuring the quality of the user experience and data security. It is worth considering different types of tests, such as functional tests, which check that all the app’s features work as intended, and usability tests, which assess whether the interface is intuitive and user-friendly. Don’t forget about performance tests, which examine the stability of the app under heavy load, and security tests, which ensure that user data is protected from potential threats.

Each of these tests is essential for the app to be successful on the market — just as a car must not only be functional, but also comfortable and safe for passengers. Only after the tests have been completed successfully can you proceed to preparing the publication on Google Play. This stage requires meeting the requirements imposed by Google, including the preparation of promotional materials, descriptions, privacy policies, and graphics. It is worth taking care of these elements in advance so that the publication process runs smoothly and without unnecessary delays.

Step 7. Publishing the app on Google Play

Publishing your app on Google Play is the moment when your project hits the global stage and can be seen by millions of users. To make this possible, you must meet a number of requirements imposed by Google. First and foremost, you need a developer account on Google Play Console, which allows you to manage your apps, monitor their performance, and publish new versions. It is also important that the app complies with Google’s distribution policy, has the appropriate licenses, supports different versions of Android, and is optimized for different devices and resolutions.

Only when these conditions are met can the app be successfully made available to a wide range of users. Developers must also prepare a complete set of promotional materials: an attractive icon, screenshots, promotional videos, and a precise description of the app’s features and benefits. Another key requirement is a privacy policy that clearly defines how user data will be processed. Once all materials have been submitted, the app undergoes a verification process, which usually takes from a few hours to several days. Only then can it be made available on the Google Play Store and begin its journey to success on the mobile market.

Choose UniqueDevs as your technology partner

The success of a mobile application does not depend only on the idea or technology, but also on the people who create it. That’s why choosing an experienced technology partner is one of the most important steps on the way to project implementation. UniqueDevs is a software house that has been supporting clients in building mobile and web applications for years, implementing projects in various industries – from health and education to fintech or e-commerce. UniqueDevs’ team combines technical expertise with a business approach, so they can not only write stable code, but also help refine strategy, architecture and user experience. They work in a transparent and collaborative manner, which allows them to effectively manage budget, time and risk.

UniqueDevs also guarantees subsequent support and development of your app, which is of great importance in a dynamic mobile environment. If you want to make sure your app hits the needs of users and succeeds on Google Play, it’s worth trusting experts who really know their job.

Summary

Creating an Android app is a process that requires not only programming skills, but also a well-thought-out strategy, knowledge of user needs, and budget planning skills. From the idea and market research, through UX/UI design, technology selection, and environment configuration, to testing and publication, each stage is crucial and affects the success of the entire project.

Remember that publishing your app on Google Play is just the beginning. The real challenge begins with maintenance, updates, and further product development. The key is to constantly listen to your users, learn from their feedback, and respond quickly to changing market needs.

If you approach this consciously and consistently, your app can not only make its mark on Google Play, but also win the hearts of users around the world.