👋 Hi, I’m Mahesh — and I’m building apps (and explaining how)

I’m a Software Engineer, a Flutter Developer and Freelancer who’s worked on real-world apps, from basic startup MVPs (the simplest working version of an app) to apps used by global audiences. And when I’m not coding, I love writing about how things work using analogies, simple storytelling, and a whole lot of “explain like I’m 5” energy instead of dumping walls of code.

If you’ve ever thought:

“I want to build apps, but it sounds too complicated.”

“I get what code does, but not why it’s done that way.”

“I’m tired of tutorials that throw code without context.”

Then this series is for you.

You know the tutorials that toss buzzwords around without clarity. That’s exactly why I’m writing the blog series I wish existed when I started.

This is the start of a 51-part blog series designed to take you from:

“What even is an app?”
to
“Wow, maybe I can build one!”

And we’re not rushing.

Whether you're a curious non-dev, a beginner developer, or someone who wants to really understand what makes an app tick, you're in the right place.

PS: I’m still learning too, but here’s what’s helped me bridge the gap between ‘how’ and ‘why’.

So… what is an App, Really?

An app is just a list of commands that tell your phone what to do.

Think of your phone as a robot chef. The app is the recipe you give it:

• Want a game? Recipe says: “Draw pixels, play sounds, track taps.”

• Want a camera? Recipe says: “Turn on lens, save photos, add filters.”

But here’s the catch: Android and iOS speak different languages.

---

🧃 The Juice Stand: How Apps Are Built

Now this one’s a bit more advanced, but don’t worry — we’re just scratching the surface here.

You want to share your amazing juice recipe (your app idea) with two types of friends:

• Android friends who only drink from blue cups

• iOS friends who only drink from red cups

First Try: Native Apps (Make Two Juices)

You write the recipe twice.

• Android uses Kotlin/Java (your chef speaks Spanish)

• iOS uses Swift (your chef speaks French)

✅ The juice tastes great for both
❌ But you had to do everything twice

Second Try: Flutter (Google’s Way)

You find a magic bottle 🧙

You pour the juice in once using Dart (the language that flutter understands), and the bottle automatically transforms into whatever cup the user needs:

• Blue cup for Android

• Red cup for iOS

• A browser mug or even a desktop flask, if needed

✅ One recipe, one codebase, works everywhere
✅ Fast development, consistent flavor
⚠️ Sometimes, one kitchen adds too much garnish — but nothing major

That’s when you stop and go… “Wait. That’s it? I’m done already?”
That’s why Flutter feels like cheating.

Third Try: React Native (Facebook’s Way)

You use JavaScript, the language of the web.

Your phone tries to translate it into native instructions at runtime.

✅ Great if you’re already a web developer
⚠️ But if the translation breaks, the app can stutter or feel “off”

Fourth Try: Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP)

This one’s clever — and a bit different.

You make the main juice once (business logic in Kotlin).
Then, you pour it into two separate cups, decorating each one slightly.

It’s like giving both Android and iOS the same base drink — but you let each one pick their own toppings and glass style.

✅ Less repeated work
⚠️ Still need to tweak the final serving per platform
⚠️ It’s newer, and not every kitchen supports all flavors yet

What This Looks Like in Real Life?

Let’s say you open Swiggy.

• The homepage UI is like a plate built with Flutter or React Native — one layout, adapted to any phone

• The payment logic (talking to banks, OTPs, wallets) — that’s written in Kotlin Multiplatform or native code

• The cart updates when you swipe or tap — that’s the recipe (code) your phone-chef is following

No matter what tools are used behind the scenes, the goal is the same:
Serve the juice, without making you squeeze oranges twice.

Why Flutter Feels Like Cheating!

You know that feeling when something’s so simple, so smooth…
you double-check because it shouldn’t be this easy?

That’s what Flutter feels like.

While other tools make you juggle two codebases, two languages, and two teams just to build one app — Flutter hands you one brush and says:

“Go paint your app. I’ll handle the rest.”

🐦 Flutter Bird Dash — The Mascot That Flies with You

You’ve probably seen Flutter’s little blue bird zipping around. It's not just a cute mascot, it's symbolic.

Bird Dash (or Dash, the Flutter mascot) represents:

• 🐣 Starting small (beginners welcome)

• 🐦 Building fast (thanks to hot reload)

• 🛫 Growing wings (scaling your app with plugins and platform channels)

Key Takeaways:

• App = Recipe for your phone.

• Flutter = Write once, run anywhere (with tiny tradeoffs).

• Other tools = More control, more work.

• You = Future app-building wizard 🧙.

(Think of this as your “app literacy” starter pack.)

Coming Up Next…

In the next part, we’ll talk about how Flutter is like building LEGO — and why that one idea can make you feel dangerously confident with UI building.

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