Can you make an app for sharing pictures, something like a Instagram?

Beginner Programmer

The mobile app will be pretty easy, just need to use some native library to display list of pictures.

And for backend service we can use a Tomcat server for the REST APIs.

Will take a max effort of a month.

(Super confident)

Experienced Programmer

Mobile app will need -

Authentication:

Ensuring that users are who they claim to be before granting access to the application. Common methods include username/password, biometrics, or OAuth.

Authorization:

Determining what actions and resources a user is allowed to access or modify within the application. Authorization ensures that authenticated users have appropriate permissions.

Caching:

Storing frequently accessed data in a cache to reduce the need to fetch it from the original source repeatedly. This improves performance and reduces latency.

Edge Cases:

Considering and testing scenarios that are at the "edge" or boundary of expected input conditions. These are often situations that may not occur frequently but can have a significant impact when they do.

Basic Functionality:

Implementing the core features and functions that define the primary purpose of the application.

Click Stream:

Tracking and analyzing the sequence of user interactions within the application. Click stream analysis helps understand user behavior and optimize the user experience.

Unit Test Cases:

Writing and executing tests that validate the smallest units of code (functions, methods, or classes) to ensure they work as intended.

Functional Test Cases:

Testing the overall functionality of a specific feature or the entire system. Functional tests verify that the application behaves correctly according to specifications.

Automated Test Cases:

Creating scripts or automated tests that can be run to validate various aspects of the application's functionality. Automated testing helps catch regressions and ensures consistent behavior.

Native Apps for Multiple Platforms:

Developing separate versions of the application tailored for different operating systems (e.g., iOS and Android) using platform-specific development tools.

Common Libraries:

Utilizing shared code libraries or frameworks to streamline development, improve consistency, and leverage existing solutions for common tasks.

Continuous Integration and Deployment (CI/CD):

Implementing practices and tools that automate the process of integrating code changes into a shared repository, running tests, and deploying the application to production. CI/CD helps maintain code quality and accelerate the delivery pipeline.

Scalability and Performance Optimization:

  • Ensure the app can handle a large number of users and data efficiently.
  • Implement techniques like caching, database indexing, and load balancing.

Security Measures:

  • Encrypt sensitive data.
  • Guard against common security threats (e.g., SQL injection, cross-site scripting).
  • Regularly update and patch dependencies to address vulnerabilities.

Database Design and Optimization:

  • Choose an appropriate database system and design the schema efficiently.
  • Optimize database queries for improved performance.

Error Handling and Logging:

  • Implement comprehensive error handling mechanisms.
  • Set up logging to track and diagnose issues effectively.

User Feedback and Analytics:

  • Integrate feedback mechanisms for users.
  • Implement analytics to gather insights on user behavior.

Internationalization and Localization:

  • Make the app adaptable for a global audience by supporting multiple languages and regions.

Offline Functionality:

  • Consider implementing features that work seamlessly in offline mode.
  • Synchronize data once the device is back online.

Accessibility:

  • Ensure the app is accessible to users with disabilities.
  • Comply with accessibility standards and guidelines.

Versioning and Rollback Strategy:

  • Establish a versioning strategy for both the app and APIs.
  • Plan for a rollback strategy in case of unexpected issues.

Documentation:

  • Create comprehensive documentation for code, APIs, and system architecture.
  • Include guidelines for onboarding new developers.

Community and Open Source Contributions:

  • Encourage and engage in open source contributions.
  • Stay updated on industry best practices and emerging technologies.

Compliance and Regulations:

  • Ensure the app complies with relevant data protection and privacy regulations.
  • Stay informed about legal requirements and industry standards.

User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) Design:

  • Collaborate with UX/UI designers for an intuitive and aesthetically pleasing design.
  • Optimize user flows and interactions for a seamless experience.

Monitoring and Analytics:

  • Implement tools for real-time monitoring and performance analytics.
  • Set up alerts for critical issues and potential bottlenecks.

Backup and Disaster Recovery:

  • Establish a robust backup strategy and disaster recovery plan.
  • Regularly test backup and recovery procedures.

Backend will require -

Backend Requirements:

  • Something equivalent to Graph DB: Choose and implement a suitable graph database for efficient data storage and retrieval.
  • Multiple Micro-services: Design and implement the backend as a collection of microservices to enhance scalability, maintainability, and flexibility.
  • Security of APIs: Implement robust security measures to protect APIs from unauthorized access and potential vulnerabilities.
  • Penetration Testing: Conduct regular penetration testing to identify and address potential security weaknesses.
  • Unit Tests, Functional Test Cases, Automated Test Cases: Ensure comprehensive testing coverage to validate the functionality, security, and performance of the backend.
  • Auto Scaling Group: Implement auto-scaling mechanisms to dynamically adjust resources based on demand.
  • Administration Module: Develop an administration module for managing and monitoring backend services.
  • Stats Module: Implement a module for collecting and analyzing system and application performance statistics.
  • CDNs (Content Delivery Networks): Utilize CDNs to enhance the speed and availability of content delivery.
  • CI/CD (Continuous Integration and Deployment): Implement CI/CD pipelines to automate the testing, integration, and deployment processes.
  • Geo-Location: Incorporate geo-location features for applications that require location-based functionality.
  • Compliances: Ensure compliance with industry standards, regulations, and data protection laws.
  • And Many More: Consider additional requirements specific to the project, such as logging, monitoring, error handling, and third-party integrations.

The minimal viable product with minimal, very, very basic functionality will take at least 3 months with a team of 6–7 good software engineers, an architect, a manager, and a UX designer.