How To Create An Instant Messaging App Like WhatsApp?
By: Jacob Paul
Tags: Mobile App Development, Technology, Programming, Software Development, WhatsApp

Effective communication is the tool that can enhance the power of understanding. To make it clear to others, we use various forms of communication. It all started with sending letters and birds to convey the messages. After the advent of digitization, telephones came into existence where people used to book trump calls for making calls. Now, after decades, we have messenger apps through which we can send and receive messages instantly.

The users can participate in instant chatting with others in the app. This has proved to be an effective way of communication as there is no delay or interruption in between. Data security is the biggest concern of people when it comes to a messaging app. If you could fulfill that aspect, then your messenger app will be a surefire hit.

How Does An Instant Messaging App Like WhatsApp Work?

Talking about the earlier stages of WhatsApp, it was primarily launched for iPhone users exclusively. During the initial stages, the users were asked to pay for sending messages to the others. When compared to the normal text messages, the charges collected by WhatsApp were quite less. This made several individuals use this platform for texting messages.

WhatsApp understood that people are so deliberate in using the app and came up with new advanced features. Every time its updates, it unveils different features for the users. This is one of the reasons why people are so comfortable with using the application. The app completely relies on an internet connection to engage in chat.

Initially, the app was meant only for chatting, and there were no other choices for the users. Then they introduced various features like voice calling, video calling, group calling, and group video calling. They did not have any restrictions for borders or time so that anyone could contact anyone from any time zone.

Architecture For Developing An App Like WhatsApp

Messaging app development is not an easy task as it has too many complexities. Let us discuss the architecture of developing a WhatsApp like app,

Simplicity is the core

Developing an app like WhatsApp involves complexities and procedures. But when it comes as an end product, it should be simple and easy for the users to access and understand. If not, the purpose of your app will remain a mystery. Following a simple architecture for your app development is highly recommended. The data structure should be simple and should only store what is essential. This will result in fast calls, fast responses, and overall perception of a fast and responsive app.

Make sure that the messages are stored in the elementary class. However, you can later be derived to complex design to support image files, video files, audio files, geographic locations, and more. In the process, you can avoid over-queueing, which is a process of retrieving data more than the required level. You can optimize the queries with the support of GraphQL, which can enhance the operations over a time period.

Flexibility and scalability

Scalability is the prime factor of an app. In the future, the app might undergo various changes and transformations. In such a situation, the app should be scalable enough to support its functionalities. In the same way, the flexibility of the app should also be governed. By designing the system architecture into layers, you make sure the scalability and the flexibility of your application.

However, you can use Backend as a Service(Baas) platforms can be a highlight in terms of scalability. You can outsource the server-side architecture to a third party to simplify the app development process. This also removes the hassles of running and maintaining the servers.

App performance

Before finalizing the program languages for WhatsApp clone development, evaluate them on the basis of your performance. Because in some cases, the language, platforms, and services do not go hand-in-hand with the demands. To evaluate the app and find the pros and cons before implementing the same in the application.

Focusing on the major app functionalities

As mentioned earlier, data encryption is the core ideology that boosts users to use your application. Messaging apps involve sending information from one user to another. So let’s see how messenger apps work,

Secret chats — To provide an extra level of security to the users, you can implement chats that can disappear after a certain period of texting.

Delivery status — Once the sender initiates or sends a text message, he gets notified about the delivery status.

Unsend messages — This is the latest feature found in recent messenger apps. This allows the users to unsend the messages after a certain period of time.

Group chats — The messenger app should support the users to send group messages to communities and teams.

Moderation — When creating group chats is enabled, you should also focus on moderation functionality. This will enable the admins to remove participants, delete messages, and create admins.

Note-Worthy Feature To Ensure In Your WhatsApp Like App Development

The efficiency of a messenger app is determined by its features. Some of the noteworthy features to consider for the messaging app is listed down below,

Profile creation

Upon downloading your messenger app, the users will get directed to the registration phase of the app. The user should allow access to the app for syncing the contacts from the mobile devices. They can enter their mobile number and enter a code to verify their device and number. However, adding profile pictures to the contact is of their choice.

Notifications

The users will get notified about their incoming calls, messages, and media. They also have the flexibility to either turn on or off their notifications. This will also alert the users when someone tries to register an account using their phone number. Enabling notifications in the app is the first step towards establishing a network between the users and the app.

Messaging

The chatting application should allow the users to send or receive messages with the support of the internet. The app will provide encrypted messages to the users. The chat messages of the users should be secure so that the messages shared among them remain confidential.

Multimedia transmission

Along with text messages, the users should also be facilitated to share multimedia files like images, videos, audio files, stickers, and Gifs. The app should support transmitting heavy multimedia documents to the users.

Enabling web and desktop connections

They are nothing but the reflection of the mobile version. The users can scan the QR code present in the app and open the web version of the app. Thus the application should support both the app and the web.

Voice and video calls

The WhatsApp clone must have voice, and video call features so that the users make video calls and voice calls deliberately. This will make your messaging app more interactive and interesting for the users to access. However, initiating a group video call and voice call will be a feather in the cap for your app’s success.

Status and posting of stories

Apps like WhatsApp have a special feature where the users can post status and stories in the form of images and videos. The status of the stories will disappear after 24 hours of uploading. This is another attractive feature you should never miss out on.

The Final Thoughts

How ready are you to taste success in the messenger app market? Brace yourself to witness the storm in the messaging app market. Meet the best team of developers who can flawlessly craft your instant messaging app like WhatsApp.

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