Creating a Mobile App: Simple Tools & AI Techniques
By Simon Grimm · 2023-05-02
Learn how to create a mobile app using simple tools and AI techniques. Discover the value of AI in app development and the steps involved in leveraging AI for efficient and innovative results.
Using AI in App Development
- The speaker discusses how AI can be leveraged to speed up app development processes, using a native app as an example.
- The speaker believes that hands-on experience is the best way to learn something new, and therefore chose to dive deeper into AI tools for app development.
- The native mobile application created by the speaker generates unique bedtime stories for children based on user-defined parameters, using the open AI API in the background.
- AI was integrated at every stage of the app development process, leading to what the speaker terms as 'AI driven development.'
- The speaker recommends using chat GPT to generate app ideas, which assisted in shaping the initial idea for the app developed.
- Viewers are encouraged to explore the pro courses on galaxies.dev for more information on web-native development and AI integration in app development.
- The speaker emphasizes the value of using AI in the app development process for efficiency and innovation.
Using AI in App Development
Generating Children's Stories with AI
- The idea was to create an application for parents to generate stories for their children, and after some conversation, the general idea was formed.
- To design the application, the recommendation was to use AI, specifically a platform called Mid Journey, which involves joining a Discord channel to access thousands of images generated by AI.
- Using Mid Journey is not straightforward, as there is no easy API, but by joining the Discord channel and typing prompts, users can generate images for their application, such as a kids' bedtime story app interface.
- There's a tip to add the Mid Journey bot to a personal server, avoiding crowded rooms in the Mid Journey server and making the image generation process more convenient.
- The prompts used for generating images included keywords like 'bedtime app', 'kids story', 'mobile app UI', 'figma', 'high quality', '4K', 'colorful', and 'simple'.
Generating Children's Stories with AI
Extracting Key Points from a Design Process
- The initial designs generated may not be directly applicable to an application, but they serve as a starting point for refinement.
- The process involves using image editing tools like Pixlr to modify and enhance the designs, such as creating gradients and customizing graphics.
- For more advanced users, directly translating the designs into code is possible, but it's recommended to utilize tools like Canva for logo and screenshot creation.
- To further refine the designs, using prompts from unprom.ai and learning from detailed tutorials on transitioning from mid-journey to Figma can be beneficial.
- It's also highlighted that utilizing the /describe command in Discord can provide descriptions of images based on the journey's generated content.
Extracting Key Points from a Design Process
The Role of AI in Application Development
- AI tools like Ebb UI and ChatGPT are being used for app UI design and development
- ChatGPT is utilized to generate specific design elements and solve development problems
- In-app purchase feature and SQL light usage were developed with the help of ChatGPT
- GitHub co-pilot is used for code completion, particularly with established frameworks and versions
The Role of AI in Application Development
Developing an Application with React Native
- The author used Copilot to generate text for the application development.
- The application was built using React Native, with a focus on iOS development for in-app purchases.
- Key elements such as app icon, app store description, and app screenshots were created with the help of Copilot and tools like Pixlr and Canva.
- The author found Canva to be a useful tool for creating App Store images, despite the availability of paid alternatives.
- The app store description was also consulted with Copilot for assistance.
Developing an Application with React Native
Summary of App Development Experience
- The process of writing app descriptions is tedious and time-consuming for the developer.
- The developer utilized AI tools like gbt to generate App Store descriptions based on minimal prompts, saving a significant amount of time and effort.
- The Bedtime Stories app includes features such as Cobalt for in-app subscriptions, viewing previous stories using sqlite database, a share plugin, and a screen to generate stories based on parameters.
- The developer acknowledges that the app still has potential for improvement, but credits AI tools for enabling the development of the application within a short period, allowing time for personal activities.
- The developer invites feedback on the application and asks the audience about their experiences with using AI in app development.
- The developer also expresses willingness to share more content related to code and AI on the channel in the future.
Summary of App Development Experience
Conclusion:
Explore the possibilities of AI-driven mobile app development and the simple tools that can assist in the process. Discover how AI can streamline app development processes and lead to innovative outcomes.