Mobile App Development vs Web Development Career

Summary

In this video, Shad Schlueter, a software development professor, provides insightful career advice for those deciding between becoming a mobile or web developer. He compares job market trends, skill requirements, salaries, and the challenges of both fields. Mobile development is shown to be a more specialized and complex career path, whereas web development offers broader opportunities with transferable skills. Schlueter highlights that while mobile development may offer slightly higher pay, web development has more job openings and is easier for beginners to get started in, making it an ideal entry point into software development.

Takeaways

• 😀 Mobile development is a smaller market compared to web development, with fewer job opportunities available.
• 😀 Web developers outnumber mobile developers due to the wider usage of websites, especially for attracting new customers.
• 😀 Businesses often transition their experienced web development teams into mobile development rather than hiring entirely new mobile developers.
• 😀 Mobile development offers unique opportunities for apps with features like virtual reality, GPS, games, and camera functionality that web apps can't replicate.
• 😀 The skills required for mobile development overlap significantly with web development, with about 60-70% of the same core skills needed.
• 😀 Web development tends to be easier to start learning as a beginner, with options like WordPress and front-end design being more accessible.
• 😀 Mobile development is generally more complex to get started with, especially when developing full-featured mobile apps.
• 😀 JavaScript-based mobile apps are becoming increasingly popular, allowing web developers to use their existing skills to build mobile apps.
• 😀 Mobile developers tend to earn slightly higher salaries than web developers due to the more specialized skill set and demand for mobile expertise.
• 😀 Web developers benefit from a wider range of job titles and opportunities, as web technologies are more widely used across businesses.
• 😀 Starting as a web developer can make it easier to transition into mobile development later on, as the skills learned are transferable.

Q & A

What are the main differences between mobile and web development in terms of job market size?

Web development has a much larger job market compared to mobile development. Web developers are more in demand due to the widespread use of websites, whereas mobile development is a smaller market, often focused on businesses that require specific features like GPS or augmented reality.

How do businesses typically engage with mobile and web development?

Businesses usually start with a website to attract new customers. Once they have established a customer base, they may develop a mobile app for quicker, more convenient interactions, especially for frequent users or specific needs like GPS, AR, or virtual reality.

What makes mobile development unique compared to web development?

Mobile development often involves specialized features that web development cannot handle, such as virtual reality, GPS location tracking, gaming with gyroscopes, and augmented reality. These unique capabilities require the use of mobile-specific technologies.

What are the key skills shared between web developers and mobile developers?

Web developers and mobile developers share many skills, such as working with databases, APIs, and backend systems. Both also use common programming languages like JavaScript and frameworks like React, although mobile development may require additional platform-specific knowledge.

Is it easier to start a career in web development or mobile development?

It’s easier to start in web development because it has more entry-level options like WordPress design and front-end development. Mobile development, on the other hand, requires a deeper understanding of back-end systems and is generally more complex to begin with.

What is the salary difference between web and mobile developers?

Mobile developers typically earn slightly more than web developers. For example, in Phoenix, Arizona, a mobile developer with 1-2 years of experience can expect to earn around $90,000, while a web developer in the same position earns about $84,000.

Can web development skills transition to mobile development?

Yes, many of the skills learned in web development, such as working with JavaScript, databases, and frameworks, are transferable to mobile development. This allows web developers to transition into mobile roles if they wish to expand their skill set.

What are some specific mobile development features that businesses may need?

Mobile development may be required for features like virtual reality, GPS-based services, gaming apps with gyroscopes, and augmented reality applications, which cannot be fully achieved with a web app.

Why are there fewer mobile developers compared to web developers?

There are fewer mobile developers because mobile development requires more specialized knowledge of platforms like iOS or Android. Additionally, mobile apps are often more complex to develop, and businesses can sometimes adapt their web development team to handle mobile development as well.

How do native apps compare to JavaScript apps in mobile development?

Native apps, developed specifically for iOS or Android, are still common but are on a slight downward trend. JavaScript apps, which are built using web development skills and cross-platform tools, are becoming more popular as they allow businesses to create apps for multiple platforms with a single codebase.