10 Common Misconceptions About Apps
Tags: healthydebate, discuss, pwa, beginners
Published: 2021-10-01 05:02:29

As experienced software developers, we’ve had a hand in building an array of digital solutions, for a variety of people, across many different fields and industries. We’ve worked alongside people who have extensive knowledge of software development and those with none to create scalable, purposeful solutions for their businesses.

Along the way, we've come across an abundance of misinformation about applications, from their purpose to the price to the process needed to create them. To debunk some of these myths and help paint a realistic picture of what it involves, we’re taking you through ten common misconceptions of app development.

![Myths about apps](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/cuguemumv2shdsl24kus.png)

###1. There’s only one type of app
When you think of applications, your mind probably goes to a mobile application like Instagram or Facebook. However, there are many different types of apps with many distinct features. These include mobile, web, hybrid, and progressive apps and a whole configuration of things in between!

Picking the right fit for your business starts by defining what you want the digital solution to achieve.

###2. One app fits all
While apps often share features or components, such as buttons or login portals, every app is individually designed to cater to your business’ needs and purpose. To achieve a tailored design, the first step is not to pick up the keyboard and start building but rather pen and paper so your developers can get to know you and your business better.

By doing so, we can create specialized solutions that are designed to alleviate the pain points of your business.

![Myths about apps three and four](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/edkxkij1m3puir4387ui.png)

###3. Apps ensure business growth
If implemented thoughtfully and purposefully, apps can lead to business growth. However, these concepts are not synonymous. To achieve higher adoption of your app, a key piece of the puzzle is to identify the solution you’re providing your customers.

###4. Build once and it’s done
Creating and launching an app is just the start of the process. Just like a house or car, apps need continuous maintenance and support to keep running.

To achieve this, you’ll need to work with a developer to continue integrating the latest features and components into your design. This may include additional security or safety elements or communication tools to improve the experience for you and your customers.

![myths about apps 5 and 6](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/ohtfvdesgr7bs8bypcea.png)

###5. Apps are only for your customers
As well as increasing convenience and accessibility for your customers, apps can also improve your team’s communication and internal systems. By providing an integrated platform for your team, processing, tracking, and managing customer inquiries can become a simpler and more seamless process.  

###6. Great ideas make great apps
While you may have a fantastic idea for your app, you still have to work within the parameters of the tool you're using. This doesn't mean you should limit yourself or your ideas, but it is important to be flexible and adaptable during the development process. Luckily, we usually find a workaround to ensure you get the desired effect you’re after without compromising quality or cost.  

![myths about apps 7 and 8](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/0zeqpulsbu6yhp2svulv.png)

###7. Apps are simple
While the concept sounds simple, an 'app' is actually an individualistic expression of a much bigger ecosystem. It’s full of tiny components that are designed to do specific jobs, communicate with each other, react to events from other components, and eventually reflect data back to your customers in a simple and easy-to-understand way.

A nice way to think of an app is like a warehouse factory that builds cars. Before you can drive the car, every piece of machinery needs to be prepped and primed and every cog, gear, and sprocket needs to be well-oiled and thoroughly tested to ensure it’s in drivable condition. This is the same process developers undertake to ensure your app runs smoothly and continues to churn out value after it launches. Fortunately, apps have the added advantage of allowing real-time updates, meaning they can be tweaked and changed as you need.
   

###8. You need to build a native mobile app
Apple has made the word ‘App’ synonymous with mobile applications. In doing so, whenever the word ‘app’ is used, people automatically think about a native mobile application.

While native mobiles apps have many benefits thanks to the latest native OS functionalities, a downside is that they can dissuade users as they require an initial download and install.

In saying this, applications can come in many different forms, and with the optimizations in modern-day web technologies, Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) have become increasingly popular.

PWA’s provide a low-friction experience that can be consumed on smartphones, tablets, or desktop browsers. With higher adoption of technologies such as QR codes and NFC tags, PWA’s may be a better option for you.

![myths about apps 9 and 10](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/7ta09crz10u9bs9m6v4n.png)

###9. Apps are hard to build
‘Hard’ or ‘difficult’ is a bit of a loaded word in the services industry. A more practicable metric is risk. Once you measure the risk, you can put together a plan and begin to estimate timelines. This is something your development team should help you with.

Measuring risk requires extensive planning to unearth all the unknowns as early as possible. Once all of these questions have been answered, a roadmap can then be devised and development milestones can be laid out.

The application build itself, for Devika, is the easy part.


###10. Apps are cheap
Apps may be small, but it takes a lot of research, designing, testing, and development to ensure they operate and function well. For this reason, apps are an investment with prices starting in the thousands. In saying this, if your app is built well, it can become one of your biggest business assets.

An added benefit of working with a software company like Devika, is that you have access to a multitude of skills and experience with an entire team of specialists on your side.  



If there are common misconceptions we haven’t covered or myths you’d like to see busted, we’d love to hear them!