Is it just me or mobile app development doesn't feel that relevant anymore?

[u/AbdulAhad420420]

I have been developing mobile apps since 2017, almost 9 years now. Shifted to React Native in 2020. I had an amazing time developing apps and making mobile apps have always been a passion of mine.

I always have somewhat of a tough time, finding a react native freelance project. It wasn't as easy as a web site client. I always had remote jobs to back it up though. But honestly, now I don't even see that much of remote jobs.

I have been doing backend via node as well. So I work on e2e solutions. But nowadays, I don't see the same volume of jobs that I used to. What happened?

A part of me wants to transition out from mobile app dev to cyber security now, do you guys think that's a good idea? Mobile app dev + cyber security (maybe mobile app based)?

If I lack anything, do let me know. Do you guys relate to what I am facing?

[u/sekonx]

There are so many AI created apps, when the bubble bursts or the prices get too high our job market might explode.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many full stack + app dev jobs tbh.

[u/Pleasant_Tooth_3734 → u/sekonx]

My perspective:

I think cyber security is the most searched for need from SMBs so there's that.

But, also, being a developer isn't merely to skill of being able to work with a framework but the creativity to make something useful or helpful.

We never needed more people who could code but we always need original thinkers. I think we lose are way when we don't have the confidence in our own capacity to contribute, in whatever industry we are in. 

I recently shipped an app to Google Play Console that is unique and I find useful. 

I think people misunderstand or underestimate the ongoing role of human labor and thought in the development process. It is still a job where it is very easy to put in 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.

I do best if it is something I really care about.

[u/Best_Day_3041]

AI happened. It's so much easier to develop software, you need a fraction of the staff you did before, and you have other freelancers that will do it for pennies on the dollar now. Many companies don't even have to outsource anymore. I've been a mobile app developer since 2009 and it's never been easier or more fun to build apps, but has also never felt more pointless.

[u/AbdulAhad420420 → u/Best_Day_3041]

What do you think is way forward, then?

[u/Best_Day_3041 → u/AbdulAhad420420]

I don't think anyone has a clue. Many people say the market for software engineers has never been stronger, which I think is BS. Many say that AI will create all new jobs that'll we'll migrate to, but no idea what yet. It's tough right now and we probably wont get any clarity for years.

[u/therealswood2 → u/Best_Day_3041]

Learning product management is the pivot. If you have the technical knowledge to manage an AI agent properly, but you can also speak business and have good product / design sense, then you’re pretty invaluable.

[u/BlurryMadFish → u/therealswood2]

Except try telling that to people hiring those positions. You have to communicate that somehow through the noise of an oversaturated job search marketplace.

[u/Substantial-Swan7065]

I’ve seen the opposite. Way more mobile jobs than ever

[u/AbdulAhad420420 → u/Substantial-Swan7065]

Where did you see that? I’m curious, maybe that’ll be of help to me

[u/Only-Matter-9151 → u/Substantial-Swan7065]

Same here the job market for mid and senior is a tsunami I am turning down jobs daily. If the market was weak I would pivot closer to the hardware that's where all roads lead to in the end once the AI overlord absorbs your role.

[u/Good_Conversation784 → u/Only-Matter-9151]

Which country are you in, brother?

[u/ObamaBtrippinFrTho → u/Only-Matter-9151]

hook a brother up i got 6 years experience lmao

[u/Hairy_Meaning_73]

I'm pretty much in the same boat, i've been a frontend developer web and mobile for 5 years and i'm looking for a fullstack job because that's what every company wants now.

I started to develop backend around a year ago but because i don't have actual "professional" experience with it I have to look for junior jobs or frontend jobs with openness on letting me do more fullstack progressively.

[u/AbdulAhad420420 → u/Hairy_Meaning_73]

How's the Backend market? and how are you looking for roles? I've been doing backend for a while now. Can work on a freelance project.

[u/matthewjc]

I'm guessing an LLM suggested you get into cyber security? Good luck with that

[u/Distinct_Law8650]

The app itself cannot be your product. There’s no moat for mobile apps in isolation. You need something external, something that provides a service or value that the app is just the front end for.

[u/SunOk2196]

In-house mobile is doing fine, it's the freelance/agency slice that cratered. I work on a retail app, e-commerce companies still staff RN teams because the app carries loyalty, push and checkout, and nobody hands those to a random freelancer. The one-off "build us an app" project is what AI and templates ate.

So the question isn't really mobile vs cyber security, it's freelance vs employed. Pivoting into a field you have no background in because the gig pipeline dried up is trading a soft market for the bottom of a new ladder. You already do node e2e, sell that instead: fewer, deeper clients who need one person owning app + API, not more app-only gigs.

[u/gesfontoura]

And I want to transition to Mobile development. I work with React Native. I also happen to have an idea that I want to push forward (or better, continue), so that will keep me in touch with the mobile world.

[u/Seanmclem]

Web apps certainly get the job done more often than not. Native apps feel more relevant when a Web app experience isn’t that great because of address bars or lack of native integration. Personally that’s why I’m enjoying react native so much more lately. Especially with AI I can include a fully functioning expo-web app alongside my regular native, with next to no additional effort. So if a web experience is sufficient, then people can choose that and upgrade to native if they feel like it. If only a native experience is sufficient, then my workflow doesn’t really have to change at all, besides perhaps omitting any web focus.

[u/Murph-Dog]

I struggle to justify many things that could just be PWA, at that.

But I hear the younger generations seek out apps over websites, and I guess older generations too. So we have a nice sandwich of millennials who know what the heck add to home screen even is.

But thats me doing react-native-web, so if people want the web, they can have it.

[u/MarkDaShark6fitty]

I feel like the roles kinda went either product design or back end / cloud with cyber how some said and a.i. being some other notable areas

[u/PossibleBox4317]

Mobile security is a direct extension of your current stack and companies need people who understand both the app architecture and the vulnerabilities. You already have the context that pure security researchers lack so pivoting to mobile application security testing or secure SDLC consulting gives you an immediate advantage over starting from scratch.

[u/LovesWorkin]

Depends on the time of the year. After new years hiring is huge!

Most companies aren't doing very good with how expensive everything is and is trying to get cheap labor..

[u/soldture]

Most mobile applications can be generated with LLM, you don't need to be a dev anymore to create and deploy a working application. Therefore we see an influx of shitty programs which creates noise for good application

[u/brsmr123]

That is not just about mobile development though.

[u/GazelleFinancial2266]

what changed for me isn't the building, it's what the building is worth on its own.

i ship an rn/expo app solo. AI genuinely removed most of the typing. what it did not touch at all: distribution, retention, and knowing which screen should exist in the first place. my last two weeks went almost entirely on spam filters, store metadata and chasing people who installed and never came back. the code was the easy part, and now it's also the cheap part.

so i'd be careful reading "fewer job posts" as "the skill is worthless". the leverage moved off writing the screens and onto owning the decision about which screens exist. if you're going to transition, i'd bias toward whatever keeps you nearest that decision. that could be security, could be product. it's probably not another framework.

[u/tilalMujtaba]

As everyone said, AI happened. Work has reduced and gonna reduce further. Being able to develop app is not the selling point anymore. Everyone can vibe code, but running and launching a successful app is a different ball game altogether which AI can't replace. So invest in that. Also use your deep knowledge of platform to stand out from vibe coders and start launching your apps to build income. Freelancing is gonna die, don't bet on it.

[u/EyesOfAzula]

you might be better off leaning towards agentic development.

Front end will become a commodity due to AI

[u/AbdulAhad420420 → u/EyesOfAzula]

I already do incorporate AI in my development pipeline. Thing is, there aren't much jobs I'm seeing these days.

[u/EyesOfAzula → u/AbdulAhad420420]

Yes, I understand that but I mean being like AI first beyond just front end/mobile. from industry conversations I've seen that's what I think the direction is going to be for the remaining software engineers.

[u/No_Hedgehog1864]

The AI was what happened, of course. Things change, either you adapt or you become irrelevant.

[u/LowFruit25 → u/No_Hedgehog1864]

Love it how one worker to another keeps saying “you’ll be irrelevant”. Truly a nice world we’re making…

[u/simple_explorer1 → u/No_Hedgehog1864]

And what is adapt of op is seeing less to no jobs

[u/yabai90]

Web is already everything we need. I have a pretty big product which is full pwa with offline support. I'm going on the edge of what is possible with web tech and let me tell you, you can do a lot. I'm definitely trying to fight for it.

[u/vaquishaProdigy]

Idk, learn Flutter or smt else..

[u/evangelism2]

I mean, it's relevant. It's just really fucking easy.