The popularity of mobile apps is increasing by leaps and bounds. One of the prime reasons behind this is the utility of mobile apps. The mobile applications have made everything easier for the users and things accessible for them. But to have an excellent mobile app, it is essential to have immaculate mobile app architecture.

According to the mobile app trends report in 2021, there are 3.48 million apps on Google Play Store and 2.22 million apps on the Apple app store. But the credibility and longevity of the app depend mainly on its architecture besides its feature, design, and other aesthetics. Mobile app architecture will play a definitive role in determining the future of the app in the market.

Therefore, in this blog, we will study the basics of mobile app architecture and how business organizations can implement the best practices during the development process. We will also look at how mobile app architecture differs from Android, iOS, and cross platform mobile app architecture. 

What is mobile app architecture?

Mobile app architecture is a set of patterns, rules, techniques, and processes through which developers develop a mobile app. These rules help the mobile app developers understand the mobile app’s needs. Moreover, these rules also act as a guiding manual that assists the app developers in meeting the market requirements so that the mobile app is according to the industry standards.

Mobile app architecture is often confused with technology stack. But technology stack is a set of technology frameworks that help develop the frontend and backend of a mobile application. While in mobile app architecture, from how the data moves to how the application will look at the end of the day, everything is included.

Mobile app architecture principles

The main aim of mobile app architecture is to define the boundaries and work responsibilities of each section in the app. And for developers to achieve this, they need to understand some specific mobile app architecture principles. 

Driving UI from data models

Mobile app developers should always look to drive the mobile app UI from the persistent data models. The data models are not tied up to the mobile app component cycle and are independent of the UI elements. But despite that, if the mobile OS decides to remove the app memory,  the data models will be destroyed.

Why should developers go for persistent models? Below are top reasons that will explain this thing in a better way:

• There will be no loss of data while using persistent models, even if the Android OS decides to destroy the app to free the resources
• The app will continue to function even in distorted or flaky connection
• If the base of the mobile app architecture is on the data model classes, it makes the application robust and testable

Separation of concerns

Mobile app developers do a common mistake of writing all their codes in one fragment or activity. At the same time, it is important to keep the UI-based classes lean to avoid problems related to component lifecycle, testability, etc. The UI-base classes should only have logic that works well with the operating system interactions and handles the user interface. 

Different layers in mobile app architecture

Mobile app architecture is a defined design process, and it needs to be executed in a certain flow. Three main layers bring consistency to the flow of architecture, and we are going to know more about them in the section below:

Presentation layer

This layer consists of UI process components and UI components, and it aims to deliver the application to the user. In the presentation layer, the mobile app developers are concerned about what the end-user will see and feel about the app. In simple words, we can say that the presentation layer is made to enhance the overall user experience.

The presentation layer focuses on deciding the app’s features and its location. In addition, the team of developers also decides on the theme of the app, font size, etc., to increase the overall aesthetics of the app. 

Business layer

The business layer has all the important rules and logic for workflow regulation, operations and data exchange, etc. In addition, this layer is vital for data validation, logging, data caching, security, exception management, and more.

Depending on the operation of the app and resources, the business layer can exist on either the user device or on the server. The entire plan of the application is formulated in the business layer, and it also helps in exploring what is in store for the app in the future. 

Data layer

The third layer in the mobile app architecture is the Data layer is in two parts:

• Network: It is used for error reporting, routing, and network communication
• Persistence: It is used to access the data with the data sources through API

Behind the design of the data layer, there must be a well-thought process for the maintenance and validation of the data. The data layer has everything from service agents, data utilities, and data access to support the transactions.

What are important factors to consider while developing mobile app architecture?

There are four important factors to consider building a state-of-the-art mobile app architecture:

1.   Developmental frameworks

Having the right mobile app development frameworks plays a vital role while developing mobile app architecture. The app development frameworks will render basic templates and components for building the backend and frontend of mobile applications.

The backend development of the mobile application depends on the selected programming language and the target platforms. While building frontend frameworks for mobile apps includes Foundation, React, Vue, Angular, and Backbone.

2.   Type of the device

Before deciding on the mobile app architecture, the primary choice is to ensure the app development platform. Once the developer is sure about iOS, Android, Cross platform, etc., they can help determine the app’s ideal dimensions and take the app architecture process forward.

In addition to the type of device, these are some important factors that the developers need to consider:

• Screen resolution
• Processor
• Memory
• Screen size and DPI

3.   UI/UX design

Design plays a very important role in mobile app architecture for a great first impression on the end-users. Therefore, a strong UI/UX design is essential for the online success of the app, and thus the mobile app architecture must have a balance between UI and UX during the design phase. 

4.   Bandwidth scenarios

Understanding the bandwidth condition of the end-users is critical for mobile app architecture. Different countries around the world have different bandwidth limitations. For example, some countries would have 5G connections while some would be struggling with spotty connections. Therefore, developing a graphics-heavy app for a country facing connectivity issues would not be appropriate. So, it is important to have a complete understanding of the bandwidth situation of the end-users. 

Final thoughts

For a mobile app to be successful, it is necessary to understand the architecture in-depth. Therefore, the business organizations must remain thorough with the requirements and impart the same knowledge to the developers to ensure a smooth mobile app development process. Moreover, it is necessary to hire a leading mobile app development company as it will implement the right mobile app architecture during the development process. Do not fall into the trap of incorrect assumptions and invest in developing features backed by facts and research. 

Meta: Mobile app architecture is necessary for developing an excellent mobile app. Therefore, it is necessary to have an in-depth understanding of it.