How to Make An App Scalable

How to make an app scalable

All business owners want to succeed. As a company matures, it’s only natural to grow and begin expanding business operations. App developers are no different, the more downloads an app receives, the more resources can be funneled back into making that app bigger and better for users.

However, while growing a traditional business can be as simple as buying new commercial premises or expanding inventory, taking an app to the next level can pose some unique challenges. We’ve put together a guide to help you ensure that your app is sustainable. Check it out below.

Increased traffic capabilities

Users and customers are the driving force behind your app’s success. Without them, you wouldn’t get any downloads and therefore make no money. Whether you’re buying app installs or attracting new users through an intensive marketing campaign, ensuring enough people are downloading your app is essential.

However, the more downloads and users your app attracts, the more pressure will be put on the system. If you want your app to be scalable, you must ensure that it is capable of handling spikes in traffic that come with increased success.

There are tests that you can run, such as load testing and spike testing, that can give you an idea of how well your app is going to handle increased traffic. This information can then be used to identify problem areas and address them as you grow your app.

Also read: 10 Best Innovations in Mobile Application Development

Cross-platform support

Apple is currently the most popular brand of mobile device, which means most users will be accessing apps through an Apple product. However, this doesn’t mean that you should be focusing all of your efforts on optimizing your app purely for Apple phones. This can limit your market access and prevent your app from truly growing.

If you want to design a scalable app, you need to keep cross-platform functionality in mind. Your app should work perfectly across all devices, be it Apple, Samsung, mobile, or tablet. Doing so will give you access to a much broader user base and ensure you are not unnecessarily cutting off potential groups of customers.

 Vertical scaling or horizontal scaling?

When making your app scalable, there are two possible approaches you can take. The first of these is known as vertical scaling. Vertical scaling refers to the process of adding more capability, such as memory, CPU, and network capacity, to your app’s existing server. This will make your app more capable of handling increased traffic requests from a growing user base.

The other option is known as horizontal scaling. In horizontal scaling, more servers are added to the system, rather than simply upgrading existing servers. This can be more effective than vertical scaling, but can also come at a higher cost.

Conclusion

Looking to take your app to the next step and grow your user base? It’s imperative that you ensure your app is scalable so that it can grow in a healthy and sustainable way. Use this guide to help you design and develop a scalable app.