iOS Query on app development (API's)

[tt4442]

Hi,

Bear in mind I am not a developer, but a product designer seeking advice on what best solution to take.

I'm looking to create a PHP based SaaS which will have an app for iOS+android and responsive website for mob, tab and desktop.

Early on, I'll create the MVP (minimum viable product) just for the web using responsive so all devices are supported, likely using laravel+MySQL or similar for backend. Then something like vuejs/react for front end. This will be a working service at that point.

I will then use a low cost wrapper to get it into the two app stores using react, ionic, capacitor etc, creating all necessary API's. It won't be a high-performing app but it will support push notifications benefit from app store-presence.

Then, if the project is successful after 12-24 months, I would like to hire a swift, objective programmer who can create the iOS app - and the key here is - ideally using the same API's as created before, so that:

- They don't have to ask for any new API's to be created as they all exist (e.g. pulling product info..)
- No backend programming is required on the app itself, it is just communicating with API's
- I partly have saved time/done some of the work by creating these API's

So, is this making sense? The main point here is that I'm creating a basic lowcost product to gauge success, but making all the work come form a separate backend web server so that it is more "agnostic", and if the product is successful, I ideally save time by re-using those same API's for native app.

I may be totally out of the loop here as I'm not familiar with much of this area, so I'd appreciate any developer who has a good understanding of creating apps for both web and native, especially in regards to using API's for pulling in data.

 

[Mark FX]

If your trying to cover all Web Mobile and PC platforms, then it would make sense to use a tool that does it all from one code base, with integrated built in frameworks and API for all of the platforms, I would take a look at something like "Xojo".

https://www.xojo.com

Currently their only mobile platform is iOS, but my understanding reading recent blog and forum posts, Android is only a few weeks away from completion, but they cover all desktop platforms, and have a Web framework as well.

I might be sounding like an advert at this point, but I'm not a current user of "Xojo", because I'm Mac only these days, but I used it a few years ago when it used to be known and trade marked as "Real Basic".

The language is very similar to the old "Visual Basic" used on Windows back in the day, but you would have to ask on their forums for more detailed product information, as my knowledge of their product is years out of date, and I haven't used it in a long time.

Although if I was looking at doing a cross platform project, I would certainly open up the Xojo IDE, and read up on the latest changes in the language and frameworks.
It is free to download and use for as long as you like, but the down side is, you do have to pay for an annual licence before distributing standalone apps.

Regards Mark

 

[svanstrom]

Then, if the project is successful after 12-24 months, I would like to hire a swift, objective programmer who can create the iOS app - and the key here is - ideally using the same API's as created before, so that:

- They don't have to ask for any new API's to be created as they all exist (e.g. pulling product info..)
- No backend programming is required on the app itself, it is just communicating with API's
- I partly have saved time/done some of the work by creating these API's

So, is this making sense? The main point here is that I'm creating a basic lowcost product to gauge success, but making all the work come form a separate backend web server so that it is more "agnostic", and if the product is successful, I ideally save time by re-using those same API's for native app.

I may be totally out of the loop here as I'm not familiar with much of this area, so I'd appreciate any developer who has a good understanding of creating apps for both web and native, especially in regards to using API's for pulling in data.

The keyword that you're looking for when websearching this is "headless"; that, along with the usual keywords as they apply to your project, will get you what you need.

Essentially you're creating the backend completely separate from the frontend, to the point where the frontend easily could be on a different server; and as long as you can create your frontend based on nothing but the APIs that you made when making the backend, then so can your app developer later on.

However…

Let's just say that not all APIs are created equal; and if you are just starting out with this, then maybe you won't get it right the first couple of times.

Creating an on-paper perfect solution with layer separations and whatnot might just take you a lot of extra time; and the result, even if you get it perfectly right, might not make it the best solution to build on at that later stage when you want to get another developer involved.

If you're comfortable sharing more about what this project is I could try to give you more specific advice on what to think about as you proceed.

 

[robvas]

A lot of people create a single API and then use it for both the mobile app and the web version. You should be fine.