Ask HN: I'm a rookie building an app and need advice. Can you help?

1 points by Quinzel 1 year ago | 5 comments

I’m an absolute rookie, and know nothing about coding, but I’m using AI to assist me and I’m building an app, and currently using my actual iPhone that I use for personal/work purposes as my simulation device as well.

Should I actually use a completely blank iPhone for this instead?

Also, should I use a more updated version of the iPhone? I have old iPhones from years gone by floating around my house that are currently blank but some of them are so old they could probably go in a museum.

Alternatively? Should I just run a simulator on my actual computer (the challenge being that I’m actually using a laptop and I already have a limited amount of space on my screen.)

I’m not trying to develop a polished product at this stage. What I’m trying to develop is a reasonably well functioning prototype so I can pitch my idea to possible investors, and the secure the money I need to pay an actual developer to do it properly - but I still want my MVP to be pretty good because I want my actual pitch and presentation to be flawless. I’m doing it on my own because I don’t want to share my idea with others because I don’t trust people.

gary17the 1 year ago |

> I’m using AI to assist me and I’m building an app

Vibe coding is a myth, it will take you only so far and will require manual fixes and refactoring before MVP. Learn the basics of and keep learning, say, Swift. https://developer.apple.com/swift-playground/

> Should I actually use a completely blank iPhone for this instead?

Does not make any difference. Every app runs in its own separate environment. Only iOS device "Language and Region" settings affect all apps on a device.

> should I use a more updated version of the iPhone?

Does not make much difference, unless you need to target some new capabilities introduced with a particular iOS version. Other than that, the rest of the API is the same across multiple recent iOS versions.

> Should I just run a simulator on my actual computer

Sure. It is easier and faster to test on a Simulator using a mouse rather than on a device, tapping. Once you stabilize some code under the Simulator, always re-test it on a real device.

> I don’t want to share my idea with others

This will come as a shock, but ideas themselves are nearly worthless. There has been a previous Facebook, a previous Twitter, a previous Office, etc. that has failed. It is only the quality of execution of an idea, the quality of the Product-Market-Fit and the quality of marketing of a product that makes a product a winner. Start by reading books by Rob Walling, e.g., "Start Small, Stay Small".

Quinzel 1 year ago | |

Thanks for your info! I actually do find it helpful.

> Vive coding is a myth

I am discovering that! Thanks for the link. I am determined to build my app/product. I think with my MBA in digital transformation, and mulling over the "problem" since 2022, i've thought of my solution. Now I just need to put together the resources to sell my idea and product in such a way that I can get some money to indeed execute it well... As they say though, most start ups/businesses fail. I don't mind failing, you still learn something new. My biggest limitation here is literally programming. I believe I can over come that with motivation and persistence.

Thanks again for your input. I am indeed learning swift :)

gary17the 1 year ago | | |

Anytime. Best of luck to you.

baobun 1 year ago |

Ideally you test on both a newer device as well as older. Makes sure it works acrosss versions.

Quinzel 1 year ago | |

Oh thank you! I had noticed that I had a section of my code that it highlighted with a warning that it didn’t work for iPhone 16.

I’m just trying to get a minimum viable product/prototype together at this stage, so hopefully I can actually pay a programmer (or a few programmers) to make it compatible with as many devices as possible, as well as secure etc. I know as a rookie I absolutely do not have the capacity to build the exact product I’ve got in my mind, but I at least need something tangible to add to my pitch. I appreciate the insight though!