A Complete Guide to Mobile App Architecture

Mobile applications are gaining traction at an unprecedented pace. In the US alone, there are over 298 million smart phone users who use at least two or more apps on their phones from health apps to games and beyond, there are countless applications available on each app store.

With millions of smartphone and mobile app users on the market, developers across the globe are more focused on mobile app architectures today than they were ever before. A good application today is based on a great user experience, and a great user experience is only possible with a streamlined, well-thought, and well-executed mobile architecture. 

What Is Mobile App Architecture?

Mobile app architecture refers to the rules, patterns, and processes used by developers in order to develop an application for your mobile. A well-defined architecture enables developers to ensure that the app they’re developing meets the industry standards while ensuring that the goals of the business are achieved alongside. 

A good app architecture allows developers to manage costs accurately, test, and determine and fix potential bugs. It also an excellent way to ensure seamless workflows even if a team member leaves in the middle. Since the architectures are already in place, the process of getting up to pace becomes easier for the new team member.

What Is Mobile App Architecture Diagram?

The mobile app architecture diagram is a wireframe built during ideation. It determines a multi-layer architecture of your application from a user’s and the business’s perspective. It contains the workflow of the app, different screens, trajectory, components, and more. 

Developers also identify the security protocols as well as the logic of presentation (color schemes, fonts, etc.) within the app during the mobile app architecture phase. Once all the modules are complete, they end up creating a prototype of the app that is then beta-tested for performance. 

Mobile App Architecture Example

A mobile app architecture is based on multi-tier modeling. There are countless examples across the app store, for example, any mobile application that offers contact management to insert and retrieve data is essentially a two-tier architecture app.

It is important to note that two applications are never alike. Each mobile applications is built on a unique architecture based on the varying requirements of the business. 

How Many Layers Are There In Mobile App Architecture?

Mobile architecture apps are multi-tiered based on the functions an entity wants within the application. However, in most cases, these architectures are based on a three layers combination. Namely the presentation layer, the business layer, and the data layer.

Presentation Layer

The presentation layer is associated with the experience of a user. The app architecture during this phase mainly deals with the UI and UX, determines designs, fonts, colors, and the way a user interacts with the app. 

Business Layer

Mobile app architecture in this phase revolves around applying logic to the application. This includes rules for operations, data exchange, workflow, security, data validation, exceptions, and more. Once this phase is complete, your application will begin reflecting your organization’s values, giving it a more customized look.

Data Layer

The third layer in mobile app architecture is concerned with data access components and service agents, which are essential to conduct seamless data transactions within the app. Developers in this phase work on APIs and network management of the mobile applications. 

What Are The Key Mobile App Architecture Principles?

Developing a mobile app architecture involves certain principles and techniques to ensure that the application you’re developing is purely functional. Following these principles also enable developers to avoid certain potential bugs during the development phase. A few key mobile app architecture principles are the following: 

Portability

This means that the app should be able to respond to the changes in the environment. These changes include upgrades to the app due to market demands or the growing technology. Portability of an app also ensures that there is little to no adverse impact on the app from the desired change. 

Maintainability 

This refers to the ease and convenience with which you will be able to make an upgrade to the app. If an app can be upgraded is a question that falls under portability, but how difficult that change will be for the app is what maintainability identifies. A highly maintainable app architecture is considered good by all standards.

Reusability

When the app architecture is in the design phase, developers conduct scrutiny to identify if this application could be redeveloped swiftly and in a structured manner. If that is possible, it means that he app is highly reusable. Reusability of the app is extremely important since it provides you a cushion to fall on and restart your efforts in case your development routine goes wrong. 

Security

In a world when everything is going digital, data security holds prime importance. Developers use multi-tier security protocols to ensure a robust app architecture that can repel potential attacks. These protocols are synced with the organization’s security ecosystem for maximum efficiency, so that the application and the data within remains protected at all times.

Performance 

An app architecture that does not perform or meets its KPIs will not succeed on the market. This is why developers compare your mobile app with its counterparts to identify and fix potential lags in performance and figure out ways to improve it. 

What Is Android Mobile App Architecture?

When we talk about android mobile app architectures, we are essentially referring to how mobile application are built for android phones. There are predefined set of rules that developers follow in order to develop winning apps for your smart phone. This involves a series of steps that are used to build, test, and publish a mobile app.

What Is IOS Mobile App Architecture?

Similar to android apps, IOS mobile are also built using a set of IOS mobile app architecture guidelines. The rules of development vary from one operating system to another, so when it comes to IOS, guidelines come from Apple on how their apps should be built. While developing app architecture of Apple phones, architects have to integrate the unique requirements by the manufacturer to create something their users actually like using.

What Is Enterprise Mobile App Architecture?

The concept for enterprise mobile app architectures remain the same. The only difference is that these apps are built for an enterprise based on its specific requirements. For example, if you own a food delivery startup and want to launch an application that meets the needs of your business, the developers will follow the rules required to build a robust enterprise mobile app architecture. 

What Is Hybrid Mobile App Architecture?

Hybrid mobile app architecture refers to mobile apps that are often based on web technology such as JavaScript or HTML. These app architectures are based on web and native solutions and are basically apps that are built to function on smartphones using the native app. Since hybrid mobile app architectures enable an app to run on both desktop and smartphones, they are often more time-taking and complex to develop than it counterparts. 

What Is Cross Platform Mobile App Architecture?

Cross-platform mobile app architectures are often confused with hybrid app architectures. Although the codes they are built on are more or less the same, the cross-platform mobile apps take things a step further, enabling developers to write and use the same lines of codes on multiple platforms. This architecture is perfect for entities that are looking forward to scale their app while ensuring its security and stability across multiple platforms. 

Mobile Application Architecture Best Practices

Mobile application architecture requires a lot of expertise and knowledge if you want to end up with a winning application. This means that developers also have to follow several best practices like ensuring that the computing resources are effectively utilized, data connections are reliable enough to ensure strong signal strengths, UI and UX guidelines are accurately followed, security protocols are actively in place at all times, etc.

Architecture For Mobile Application And Tips To Make It

App architectures are the future, and developing them is all about understanding the core need for the app. You can start off by fully grasping the purpose behind building an application. Once you have that idea, you would be able to add more relevant features to it and create a more seamless interface based on users’ needs. Here are a few things you should do to ensure the creation of a winning application:

Important Factors To Consider When Developing Mobile App Architecture

There are a lot of things you need to consider while developing mobile applications. For starters, the type of device you’re making the application for. What operating system does it run? It’s CPU, and DPI, etc. You also need to determine the right frontend and backend frameworks upon which you will build the app. Then there are user interfaces, user experiences, and navigation to consider as well. We have covered each of these briefly below.

Device Type

As mentioned above, you need to first know that the application you are developing, whether it is for IOS or android. Both of these operating systems have unique requirements that need to be focused at by your app architect. You also need to see whether it is being built specifically for a smartphone, or will it run across the various makes and models of smartphones. 

Development Framework

An app architect considers this framework while in the phase of designing the application. It enables the architects to build web apps by creating frameworks for the different components involved. For instance, the back-end frameworks are often concerned with the programing language a person opt for developing the app while the front-end uses frameworks like React and Angular for the development of this application. 

Bandwidth Scenarios

No application can succeed without a thorough user research, which is essential to understand who you’re building the application for. A key part of understanding the need and experience of a user is to understand the bandwidth limitation that user will experience while using the app. For example, app architects need to bear in mind the type of bandwidth available in a certain area where the application may be used.

UI/UX Design

App architects are essentially building the application for an end user. First, they have to understand the requirements of these users, and then build a UI and UX design that adheres to those requirements. For instance, architects have to pick the right types of font, colors, and navigation streams to make the application swift and seamless for the users. 

Navigation

When we talk about navigation, we’re referring to how a user will move from one screen to another within the app. All the transitions from buttons to tabs falls under the UX design. App architects make sure that this part of the application is executed perfectly since it majorly impacts how long a user will stay within the app or if that user will continue using the app. The key here is to make sure that navigating through the application is seamless and easy. 

Final Thoughts

With the world progressing in the digital sphere, smart phones and applications have truly taken over. Today, it is all about how easy, seamless, and captivating an application is. In this fierce competition, if you lag behind in the UI/UX of the app, or choose the wrong language with limitations, there is a chance your mobile app development effort will not turn out to be as fruitful as you contemplated. 

This detailed guide to mobile app development, will however, allow you to create a captivating app that has all it takes to make users want to download you application. Interested in hiring an expert to get the job done? Contact us now!