What are Micro Apps on iOS?

by Jeremy H • March 17, 2020

To understand what micro apps are on iOS,  we first must look at what a "micro app" is. A micro app is a small, precise, highly specialized application. It is designed for a single use case. They can run independently, or you can combine several micro apps in pursuit of a more complex objective. Some example use cases include reading from or writing to an enterprise database, or sending alerts or notifications when a particular event occurs. Read some of them here.



In this post, we'll cover:

The micro app trend is intended to counter the "bloat" that plagues many software applications. These past methods were overextending themselves with too much functionality. By encapsulating a single function within a single application, they make it easier to separate your concerns.

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On iOS

Theoretically, micro apps can be built using any programming language and development platform. However, it's very common to build micro apps in HTML5. This is a lightweight solution stack that enables you to load the application dynamically. Therefore, you'll be able to bypass the Apple and Android app store gatekeepers.

Still, there's nothing preventing you from building a micro app with any language or technology you desire—including iOS. The good news is that you can easily spin up a micro app for iOS devices. You can then integrate it into your larger enterprise IT infrastructure.

Micro apps for iOS should be designed to take full advantage of the mobile platform on which they run. This includes access to the phone dialer and iMessage. This also includes built-in apps such as Contacts, Mail, Notes, and Calendar. Depending on your micro app's functionality, you can also leverage iOS features such as push notifications and location services.

While they are limited by the constraints of the iOS operating system, including computing power, iOS micro apps can punch above their weight. They do this by communicating with other micro apps, both on the same device and over the network. For example, an application running on a server may generate an alert. This is then pushed out to the various micro apps running on users' smartphones, tablets, web browsers, and computers.


DreamFactory for Micro Apps on iOS

Looking to develop micro apps for iOS? You're not alone. The good news is that you can dramatically simplify the API and authentication process for your micro app ecosystem by using iPaaS (integration platform as a service) solutions like DreamFactory. The DreamFactory platform can automatically generate APIs for a wide variety of databases and file systems, making it easier than ever for your micro apps to access the information they need.

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