Ask HN: I'm a rookie building an app and need advice. Can you help?
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. > 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". 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 :) Anytime. Best of luck to you. Ideally you test on both a newer device as well as older. Makes sure it works acrosss versions. 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!