Internet of Things App Development [Step-by-Step Guide]

Want to launch successful and effective IoT solutions? Consider building IoT applications that offer security, flexibility, and robust features while also allowing you to extend the functionality further.

Having developed three of our own products and custom IoT applications for our clients, WebbyLab is here to help you with IoT app development. In this article, we’ll share helpful insights on the required time and resources, critical aspects to consider, and the key stages of bringing your IoT application to life.

All examples and tips in this post are backed up by our team’s practical experience:

• Our 2Smart Standalone framework for building complex IoT products, which includes a web application, a mobile app, backend microservices, and integration with third-party systems and various IoT devices.
• Our 2Smart Cloud platform for bringing IoT devices to the market, their management, maintenance, and control. It comprises two administrative web applications (one for device developers and another for administrators), a mobile app for users, and essential backend microservices to keep the system running smoothly.
• Our Propuskator ACS, which provides an admin panel for configuring access, resident and user management, and ACS controller settings. It also includes a mobile app for residents and all the necessary backend components to ensure reliable device operation and communication.
• Our client’s Ezlo platform integrates smart devices, connects cloud services, triggers and updates third-party apps—everything needed to customize a smart home.
• Our client’s MyBox platform for users and administrators to connect, maintain, and utilize electric vehicle charging stations. It’s built based on our 2Smart Cloud product and includes the same components.

Discover more about IoT app development in the subsequent sections.

Building an IoT Application: Mobile or Web?

If you’ve decided on the niche for your IoT solution, you’ve got another critical consideration. Which IoT app to build: a mobile or a web one? Let’s go through the benefits that each platform offers.

Why Build a Mobile App?

• Better user experience, as mobile applications offer intuitive navigation, touch-based interactions, and device-specific features like GPS and camera
• Greater discoverability, as you can develop IoT applications for multiple mobile app stores like Google Play or Apple App Store
• Enhanced security, as your mobile app goes through robust checks before appearing in an app store
• Offline access, as mobile apps can store data locally

Why Build a Web App?

• Cross-platform compatibility, so you don’t need to develop separate apps as in the case of mobile platforms
• Visualizing loads of data is relatively easy, which is suitable for building customized monitoring and maintenance interfaces
• No download is required, as web apps work directly in a browser
• Instant, real-time updates and ease of maintenance
• Quick launch, as web apps don’t need app store approval

Weight these IoT mobile app and web app characteristics before starting the IoT app development process. If you’re unsure which platform suits you best, reach out to WebbyLab experts for a consultation.

IoT Tech Stack & High-level Architectural Issues

When learning how to create IoT applications, one of the crucial steps is understanding the components and technologies that make up an IoT solution. Regardless of the industry and required features, the typical Internet of Things application includes hardware, software, cloud, and network integration. It ensures smooth and efficient communication between the end user and the device.

Overall, the IoT solution includes the following components:

• An IoT device with embedded software
• Cloud backend (MQTT broker), responsible for the communication and interaction with IoT devices in real-time
• Cloud backend, which ensures efficient user management through the frontend interaction
• Web interface, required for vendor support and management services
• The mobile app, responsible for user-device communication in general

Apart from this, another essential aspect to consider is historical data collection. In IoT, this process implies a real-time performance recording of different sensors and devices within the system. 

Below are some key technologies essential for IoT app development:

• Programming languages: C/C++, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Swift (for iOS apps), Kotlin (for Android apps)
• Frameworks: Node.js, React Native, Angular
• Cloud platforms: Google Cloud IoT Core, AWS, IBM Watson, 2Smart Cloud, ThingWorx, Open Remote
• Protocols: WiFi, RFID/NFC, MQTT, AMQP, Bluetooth and BLE, Cellular, CoAP, DDS, LoRa and LoRaWAN, LWM2M, XMPP, Zigbee, Z-Wave
• MCUs (microcontrollers)  and SBCs (single board computers): Raspberry Pi, Arduino, ESP32, ESP8286, STM32, Orange Pi.

Let’s now delve deeper into the Internet of Things app infrastructure. It comprises the following components:

Backend

A robust and reliable backend system is the backbone of any successful IoT application. Having it on the cloud side is even more preferable. Cloud-based infrastructure is scalable and flexible, which allows your IoT app to handle large amounts of data from connected devices. At WebbyLab, we typically leverage Node.js and microservice architecture for the backend and Docker for rapid application deployment in the cloud.

Communication with Devices and Data Exchange

Apart from the client backend, seamless communication and data exchange with IoT devices is essential. In our experience, we have found MQTT to be a core communication protocol for IoT devices. MQTT offers lightweight and secure data transfer, making it perfect for various IoT projects.

Data Collection and Analysis

Collecting and analyzing data from IoT devices may not always seem critical, but it’s the IoT system’s lifeblood. It allows your IoT solutions to function correctly and, speaking of the business side, optimize processes and make better-informed decisions. We at WebbyLab use time series databases such as InfluxDB for data storage and Grafana for data visualization.

5 Key Stages of IoT App Development

When developing a functional IoT solution, you usually need to build a user-friendly mobile app and a full-fledged server-side system. Below, you’ll find the five essential steps that help to turn your bright idea into a fully functional, successful IoT product. 

At WebbyLab, we successfully leverage all the approaches below to streamline and optimize the Internet of Things app development process.

1. Plan the Framework of Your App

First, consider the most efficient delivery model for building an IoT application: building from scratch, using SaaS platforms or their alternatives. The framework is a so-called “backbone” of your IoT app solution. It helps to understand better the project timeline, budget, and technical requirements.

At this stage, you need to plan your product’s data and network protocols, cloud architecture, open API support, and scalability. Consider the necessity of IoT device development, hardware support, firmware updates, and security mechanisms to make your IoT solution reliable and safe for use.

2. Create the IoT App Prototype

In IoT, prototyping is one of the proven ways to allocate the costs within your project widely, ensure it’s relevant and provides all the functionality required. Designing the prototype based on the user journey will help you to reduce the costs, optimize the development time, and enhance the functionality of your final product.

During this stage, you’ll explore various wired and wireless technical solutions to address specific challenges and establish seamless communication with IoT devices. Some of those include KNX systems and the Zigbee protocol.

3. Develop, Implement, and Deploy the IoT Application

Based on the prototype and project documentation, develop a robust IoT application that works with your hardware best. At this stage, focus strongly on the UX/UI components and backend coding architecture. These processes will ensure your product is user-oriented, bug-free, and provides the highest value to your end-users.

4. Mind the App Testing & Integration Stages

IoT solutions become more complex and feature-rich. So, the QA process is a must-have stage in any IoT development. It helps to identify and address various types of errors and consider adding other functionality that might improve your app’s performance. There are five different testing types used in the IoT QA process: security testing, performance testing, usability testing, compatibility testing, and scalability testing.

5. Maintain and Improve the Application

Once the IoT app is released, don’t overlook its further maintenance and improvement. Besides the marketing hustle, you’ll also need to process customer feedback to enhance your product’s performance and help get it into the top positions in the IoT software market. Additionally, analyze the firmware of IoT devices to keep it secure and up-to-date.

You may also be interested in how an IoT solution helps the Precision Farming industry.

Prototype — the Best Place to Start

Jumping into app development for IoT from scratch might be overwhelming, given the many components such projects consist of. That’s why WebbyLab experts suggest making your journey a little easier by starting with a prototype.

Why choose the IoT prototype over the full-fledged solution right away? Here are several reasons:

• It allows you to validate your ideas and Internet of Things app features.
• It is a cost-effective way to test your ideas before investing in the entire development process.
• It helps you mitigate risks early on.
• It allows you to gather user feedback and work on possible improvements.
• It streamlines the further development of a full-fledged solution.

Having created a well-structured prototype, you’re safe to continue the development process. Want to know how much it costs? Check out our article on the IoT prototype implementation.

Alexey Krol

Chief Business Development Officer

Consulted 30+ IoT startups to speed up time to market.

Get a Consultation

Challenges in Developing IoT Applications

The major challenges of the Internet of Things app development are mostly connected to four key aspects: security, reliability, privacy, and tech inconsistency. Let’s review the specifics of each. You’ll get a better idea of how to build an IoT application for your business.

IoT Security

System security should be implemented in the initial stages of IoT software development. It reduces the risks of breaches and inconsistent performance. For example, in a charging station developed by WebbyLab, there is an option to pay for charging via the app. It’s essential to ensure the app can’t be breached to prevent unauthorized charges.

Based on our experience in IoT optimization, we suggest adding multiple security layers encrypted and embedded to the devices’ ID numbers at the production stage. Additionally, to secure the station from third-party access, you can add a “dangerous activities” entity, which needs manual confirmation from the administrator to perform certain actions.

Data Privacy

Wearable, home, and many other IoT devices often collect personal information and sensitive data. For instance, biometric data, personal preferences, users’ behavior, or any other data hunted by frauds. The hacking methods become more tricky and severe, so the IoT engineers must create a robust system with an advanced security level and consistently update it (including IoT device updates) to minimize the risks of data compromise.

That is why, for instance, IoT home devices require regular mobile app updating from the official vendor to ensure the highest level of personal data security.

IoT Reliability

There are different approaches to ensure the high reliability of the data storage and maintenance for your IoT device:

• Grandfather-father-son backup (GFS) — the approach in which there are three or more backup cycles, such as daily, weekly, and monthly. It helps to update the reserved copies of your data timely.
• The 3-2-1 backup — implies having at least three copies of your data: two local (on-site) but on different devices and at least one copy off-site. It ensures high data storage security and minimizes the chances of its loss. 
• Software encryption — the approach in which the data is stored and can be accessed with the encrypted key only. It prevents sensitive data leakage and its further use by criminals.

These options allow you to efficiently reduce the risks of system compromise and ensure a smooth performance of your IoT solution from the long-term perspective.

Technological Inconsistency

Lack of standardization has become one of the most notable technical IoT challenges on the market. Company-developer needs to combine different Internet of Things protocols integrated within a single IoT solution. In most cases, the IoT app developer defines the possible ways to connect the basic MQTT protocol — Message Queue Telemetry Transport — with other protocols used within the target system.

How Much Does It Cost to Build an IoT Application?

The overall IoT app develop ment cost can vary depending on different factors, and we’ll share the estimate according to WebbyLab’s experience. The factors influencing the final price include the project’s type (Prototype, MVP, or full IoT product), its complexity and development approaches, company rates, and many more. On average, developing an IoT application for your business starts from 15 thousand dollars and higher.

There are two approaches to custom IoT app development:

• Creating the system from scratch — enables the creation of more customized and feature-specific solutions. However, it requires building servers and a well-prepared team for system support.
• Utilizing the specialized platforms for IoT development — is perfect for rapid growth. It implies getting the required functionality from ready-made templates. It can greatly reduce the delivery time and simplify the overall development process without sacrificing the app functionality.

What to keep in mind if you’re developing custom software from scratch? Consider various processes, from product planning and development to release and maintenance.

Luckily, today, you no longer need to hire in-house experts to deliver the IoT project you need: there are many authoritative vendors, such as WebbyLab, ready to build a functional, robust product at the most reasonable cost.

Below, you can learn the average rates and delivery time for IoT app development services at WebbyLab, depending on the project type and processes performed.

As for the building IoT MVP, our team provides the development services of the IoT hardware, software (web or mobile app), and an IoT platform. The overall development price for such a project starts at $30,000. It can be delivered in as fast as 12 weeks.

However, you can also include the customization features to the final IoT solution, like integrating IoT Cloud services with third-party devices, specific data metrics, analytics, etc., which will add to your product’s functionality and value. The pricing for the add-on features is calculated individually for each project.

How to Find IoT App Developers?

Recognizing a reputable Internet of Things app developer is crucial for your project’s success. That’s why we’ve prepared several tips to help you find and hire IoT developers:

• Clearly define your project’s scope, including required technologies and niche expertise.
• Look for developers with a background in your industry and hands-on experience developing IoT applications.
• Use online platforms like LinkedIn, Upwork, and GitHub to locate IoT developers worldwide.
• Review developers’ portfolios and client feedback to assess their expertise and reputation.
• Evaluate developers’ technical knowledge through interviews.

Yet, searching for a reliable IoT app development service provider on your own can take time and effort. The good news is you can always connect with trusted IoT experts at WebbyLab.

Examples of Good IoT Apps to Understand the Particularities of the Market

How to make an IoT app that will outrank the competitors and conquer the target market in 2023? Reviewing successful IoT-based case studies can help you identify the key trends and get insights for your custom app project.

• MyBox — EV Charging Stations. MyBox is an EV charging station manufacturer and supplier that needed to develop a cloud-based ecosystem for managing private and public EV charging stations. WebbyLab helped them create a stable and secure custom application for the remote configuration, maintenance, and management of numerous EV chargers with various user flows and hardware. 
• Factory of the Future — Manufacturing. The IoT solution of Airbus implies extensive usage of smart devices to enhance the communication between operators and robotic tools responsible for different construction tasks.
• FIELD System — Industrial Automation. An open platform by FANUC enables the execution of various IIoT applications focusing on heavy devices like robots, sensors, and machine tools.

After discovering well-made IoT projects, let’s dive deeper into WebbyLab’s expertise in your Internet of Things solution.

Building IoT Solutions with WebbyLab

IoT solutions work for any business model across different industries and benefit them with streamlined processes, higher profits, and improved services. Launching one means building a solid ecosystem that seamlessly integrates web and mobile applications to deliver the best end-user performance.

If you want to revolutionize your business with IoT apps, choose WebbyLab as your trusted partner. We’ve been building IoT applications for several years and, even better, can create IoT devices, hardware modules, and firmware solutions.

So far, we’ve delivered hundreds of innovative products and advanced solutions for businesses from different industries, making us one of the top-ranking companies in the IoT application development market. Contact us anytime to get a quote on your IoT application from WebbyLab’s most competent experts.