When using a modern mobile phone, most people will take the tremendous amount of power they have at their disposal for granted, flipping through photos and catching up with friends without a care. Of course, though, like any software, the apps you use on your phone have to go through an incredible journey. At each stage, new challenges are faced, each uglier than the last. This sort of job isn’t easy, and a lot of people don’t have what it takes. But, what exactly does go into the apps you use on your smartphone?

• Planning

At the very start of this endeavor, most developers will do some planning work. With the input of those paying for the app, a good idea of the features, design, and infrastructure behind the app will be established. From there, the developer will work out a rough timeline for the process of making the app. In most cases, this sort of document will include a lot of information and can take many weeks to create. The most successful plans are made swiftly and carefully, though, using inspiration while it’s still fresh.

• Development

With a good plan in place, it will be time for the team to get to work on building the app. Most companies will use a very strict procedure for this sort of work. Nowadays, arguably the best method for this sort of work is agile, a system which enables developers to adapt their design on the fly to make up for changing markets. You can learn more about this through a guide to agile methodology, along with other methods being used. Development will take a while, with a lot of changes being made to the design along the way.

• Testing

Of course, even in the biggest and most awkward companies, most apps with the right planning and development strategies will make it to the testing phase. This part of the job is one of the most important. Without user testing, an app can quickly go from success to nothing, simply because people don’t understand what has been made. There are loads of companies around the world which dedicate themselves helping businesses with this sort of work.

• Launch

Even with testing completed, the job isn’t over quite yet. Now, it’s time to get the app onto the platforms it’s being aimed at. Android and iOS are the two most common mobile operating systems, though this is usually decided during planning. For Apple’s App Store, software is strictly vetting, often forcing developers to make changes to their work. Google, on the other hand, is much more welcoming. Most app launches also come with a small party, along with a lot of hype around the web.

This should give you a better understanding of the tools you use on your phone. Now, next time you use Instagram or Facebook, you might take a second to thank the developers who put their hearts and souls into making it. Of course, though, there’s plenty more to be learned if you’re willing to do the research.