Lessons From App Week

App Week 2014 is over, and I failed.

But that's okay!  I have a nearly-completed codebase and a handful of valuable lessons:


1) Turn features into functions.

Before you even start coding, think about the actual functions you'll need to make a feature work.  That means plenty of up-front planning.  It also means really dialing into the libraries you plan to use.

For example, did you know that MongoDB can't do "$near" on polygons?  Neither did I!


2) With Cordova/PhoneGap, that hard parts are easy, but the easy parts are hard.

You'll be surprised how much time you spend shuffling around icon files and splash screens.  There are a handful of customizations that can make your life much easier.  For example, check out this post from Holly Schinsky.


3) The iOS simulator is old and broken.

It'll get you 90% of the way there, but don't lean on it for anything other than the most basic features.  You'll have to use real hardware if you want to test anything involving a compass or accelerometer.