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Your starting plan

Your answers

What do you want to build? A mobile appWhich platforms? iPhone (iOS), iPad (iPadOS), Mac (macOS)

The link only holds your choices (option ids): no personal data.

Edit my answers

All questions are shown; only the ticked answers count.

The product

What do you want to build?

Required

Which platforms?

Optional · Several answers allowed. “Not sure yet” is a valid answer.

What is the goal?

Optional

Your starting point

Your technical level?

Optional

What do you already have?

Optional

The scope

Which features?

Optional · Tick what is essential — the rest can wait.

How do you want to proceed?

Optional

Your resources

Budget you have in mind

Optional · In Swiss francs. A range is enough.

Time available per week

Optional

Preferred launch

Optional

Existing constraints

Optional

Your plan

Native SwiftUI app

Assumptions (unanswered questions)

  • Level not given: the prerequisites start from the basics.
  • No feature ticked: the v1 is limited to the main flow.
  • No way of working chosen: the recommendation is based on your level, time and budget.
  • Budget not given: no delivery is suggested without scoping.
  • Weekly time not given.

Platform strategy

Native SwiftUI app

Build with Swift and SwiftUI in Xcode, targeting the iPhone first. Add iPad, Mac or Watch afterwards, each with its own adapted interface.

Why

  • Several Apple devices: SwiftUI shares the model and some views, but each device keeps its own interface.
  • One ecosystem: no need to pay for a cross-platform framework.

Relative complexity

Moderate
  • 3 target platforms.

Relative complexity, derived from your answers — neither a cost nor a duration.

Recommended way to build

Learn and build

You build it, with a structured path, checklists and the official documentation.

  • Starting from the basics, a guided path is the safest route.

Possible technologies

Possible technologies
Language and toolsSwift · XcodeXcode only runs on macOS: a Mac is required.XcodeApple
InterfaceSwiftUIApple’s declarative interface framework, on all its platforms.Alternative: UIKit for existing screens or very specific needs.SwiftUI documentationApple
State@Observable (Observation)Available from iOS 17 and macOS 14.ObservationApple
TestsSwift Testing · XCTestUnit tests for the model and the rules; XCTest for UI tests.Swift TestingApple

v1 scope

In the v1

The main flow, with no side feature.

Anything that does not help the first real user get the result waits for v2.

What to learn first

The foundations

Files, the terminal, what a server and a database are: an hour of vocabulary saves weeks of confusion.

Develop in Swift TutorialsApple

Git & GitHub

Version every step so you can go back.

Pro Git (book)Git

Swift and SwiftUI

Apple’s official tutorials, in order, before your own project.

SwiftUI TutorialsApple

Apple’s interface conventions

The Human Interface Guidelines for your target platform.

Human Interface GuidelinesApple

Main risks

App Store review

Apple alone decides approval; plan time for a rejection and a resubmission.

App Review GuidelinesApple

Yearly OS updates

Each new OS and SDK version can require adjustments, and stores impose minimum tool versions.

Upcoming requirementsApple

External dependencies

A Mac with Xcode

Xcode is free but only runs on macOS.

XcodeApple

Apple Developer Program

99 USD per membership year (or local currency) for TestFlight, the App Store and notarization; a free account lets you test on your own devices, with profiles valid 7 days.

About your developer account (free vs paid)Apple

Testing

Unit tests

The model and the rules with Swift Testing.

Swift TestingApple

Simulator, then a real device

At least one real device per target platform before the beta.

Running your app on simulated or physical devicesApple

TestFlight

Up to 100 internal and 10,000 external testers; each build is testable for 90 days.

TestFlight overviewApple

Accessibility

VoiceOver and dynamic text sizes on the main screens.

AccessibilityApple

Distribution

TestFlight, then the App Store

Submission through App Store Connect; Apple states it reviews half of submissions in under 24 hours and 90% in under 48 hours.

App Review (process and timing)Apple

Next step

Follow the step-by-step guide

Each step, with the official documentation to read.

Follow the step-by-step guide

Roadmap

Twelve stages. Each says what “done” means; none promises a duration.

Ticked boxes are kept on this device only.

01Product definitionWrite down who it is for, which problem it solves and how you will know it works.

Deliverables

  • One page: user, problem, expected result
  • Three to five real people to show it to

Prerequisites

  • None

Risks

  • Building for an imaginary user

Checklist

Done when

Someone who does not know you understands the page in one minute.

02MVP scopeKeep the one flow that brings the result to the first user.

Deliverables

  • The “in v1” list and the “later” list
  • The non-goals, written down

Prerequisites

  • Stage 1 done

Risks

  • A scope that grows with every idea

Checklist

Done when

The “later” list is longer than the “v1” list.

03Information architectureList the screens, the navigation and which data lives on the device or on a server.

Deliverables

  • The screen map and the data model

Prerequisites

  • The “in v1” list

Risks

  • Changing the data model once the screens are built

Checklist

Done when

Every v1 screen or step has its place, and every piece of data an owner.

04DesignDesign with the platform’s conventions: navigation, dynamic type, light and dark modes.

Deliverables

  • Mock-ups of the main flow, states included

Prerequisites

  • The screen map

Risks

  • Polishing the look before validating the flow

Checklist

Done when

A target user completes the flow on the mock-up without help.

05Development environmentInstall Xcode, create the project, version it, and run the app on the simulator and on a device.

Deliverables

  • A running “hello world”, versioned in Git

Prerequisites

  • A Mac (Xcode only runs on macOS)

Risks

  • API keys committed to the repository

Checklist

Done when

A code change reaches the screen (or goes live) in under a minute.

06Core implementationBuild the v1 flow end to end, with fake data if needed.

Deliverables

  • A usable main flow
  • Tests for the important rules

Prerequisites

  • Mock-ups and data model

Risks

  • Adding features from the “later” list

Checklist

Done when

A target user gets the promised result, on your device or your test URL.

07Backend integrationStage not needed — None of your answers needs a server: the app can run on its own on the device.

Deliverables

  • Real data, with backups

Prerequisites

  • The main flow works with fake data

Risks

  • One user’s data visible to another

Checklist

Done when

Two test accounts never see each other’s data, and a test payment goes all the way through.

08TestingProve that the flow works, including when something fails.

Deliverables

  • A replayable checklist before each release

Prerequisites

  • Backend connected

Risks

  • Only testing the happy path

Checklist

Done when

The checklist passes twice in a row without a fix.

09Beta distributionDistribute the beta through TestFlight to real users.

Deliverables

  • Five to twenty real users, and their written feedback

Prerequisites

  • Apple Developer Program membership

Risks

  • Testers who are not your target users

Checklist

Done when

At least three target users completed the flow without you.

10Launch preparationPrepare the App Store listing and everything review requires.

Deliverables

  • Screenshots, description, privacy details, demo account

Prerequisites

  • A successful beta

Risks

  • An App Store rejection the day before the announced launch

Checklist

Done when

Every item on the list is ticked, with evidence.

11ReleaseSubmit through App Store Connect, answer review, publish.

Deliverables

  • Version 1.0 available

Prerequisites

  • Preparation complete

Risks

  • Announcing a date that depends on an external review

Checklist

Done when

A user who does not know you installs or opens the product and gets the result.

12Post-launch improvementMonitor, listen, fix, then pick the next feature from facts.

Deliverables

  • A release rhythm and a prioritised list

Prerequisites

  • Product live

Risks

  • Building the feature one person asked for

Checklist

Done when

Every release fixes or improves something a real user ran into.

Three ways to build

The three ways to build for this kind of product

01 · Learn and buildResources available — A guide on this site and the official documentation.

Learn and build

You build it, with a path, checklists and the official documentation.

This page’s guide, step by step →Build With Me learning paths →
02 · Build it togetherOn request — Reviewed case by case, with no price or date promised.

Build it together

You stay in control; an expert reviews, unblocks and steers — in writing first.

Describe your project for guidance →Reviewed case by case. Written collaboration available, no call required.
03 · Have it builtNot offered — Bynilson does not do this; here is what helps instead.

Have it built

Bynilson does not deliver this kind of product. What helps instead:

Prepare the brief for a specialist studio →The builder produces the roadmap and the questions to ask.Hire or outsource? →The guide to choosing how to get a project built.

Bynilson does not deliver native mobile apps: the builder gives you the roadmap and the brief to hand to a specialist studio. A request for guidance (you build, with an outside review) is reviewed case by case.