A mobile developer builds the apps people use on phones and tablets, mostly for iOS (Swift) and Android (Kotlin), or for both at once with a cross-platform tool like Flutter or React Native. The day-to-day work is what O*NET describes for software developers: you work out what users need, design a solution, write and test it, fix bugs, and explain progress to teammates and customers. Most US employers prefer a bachelor's degree (85% of workers have one), but a strong portfolio of shipped apps often counts just as much for junior roles. This roadmap goes in order: learn to program, then build r
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Stage 1 of 4 · about 12 weeks
Learn programming basics (variables, loops, functions, classes, collections), Git, and how an app is structured. Finish a small app in Kotlin or Swift, such as a tip calculator or to-do list, using the official free tutorials.
Programming fundamentals in Kotlin or Swift
Every mobile app is built from variables, decisions, loops, and functions. If these feel natural, everything later (UI, networking, architecture) gets much easier. Software developers spend their days analyzing requirements and modifying code, and that starts with fluent basics.
Object-oriented basics: classes and data modeling
Apps are made of things: a to-do item, a user, a bill. Classes let you describe those things once and reuse them. Designing software means modeling real needs in code, so this is the bridge between syntax and real apps.
Git and GitHub basics
Every professional team uses version control. It lets you undo mistakes, try ideas safely, and show your work to employers. A public GitHub profile with steady commits is the first thing many hiring managers look at for entry-level developers.
How a mobile app is structured and your first finished app
Knowing syntax is not the same as building an app. You need to understand screens, state, and the project layout so you can finish something real. Finishing a small app proves you can take a need (a tip calculator that saves arguments at dinner) and deliver a working solution.
Then 3 more stages (about 100 weeks in all) with lessons, drills, projects, 10 interview questions with strong answers and free resources.