/dev/world 2025

One App, 3 Platforms: A Beginner-to-Developer Journey in Kotlin, Swift, & Dart

This presentation provides a unique insight into how the same mobile app was developed in three different languages, Swift, Kotlin, and Dart (Flutter), within just 13 weeks as part of the Mobile Application Development unit in the Master of Information Technology and Systems program at the University of Tasmania. The app, designed to record and display live statistics for team sports in real time, was developed from the ground up by two students starting with no coding experience. Yu Wang will share her journey from complete beginner to confident developer, outlining how she overcame challenges such as learning syntax, debugging, and mastering multiple languages in a short period. Her experience highlights the value of hands-on practice, peer learning, and rapid immersion in real-world development tools. Nida will then guide the audience through the end-to-end development process, including prototype design, usability testing, and implementation across all three programming languages. She will offer an engaging comparison of these languages through relatable analogies, revealing how language design choices shape the developer experience. This session is not only an inspiring story of learning but also a valuable technical comparison for experienced developers curious about cross-platform development from a fresh perspective.

About the presenter

Onnida Hempattawee and Yu Wang are postgraduate students in the Master of Information Technology and Systems at the University of Tasmania. Despite having no prior coding experience, they successfully developed a fully functioning mobile application in Swift, Kotlin, and Dart (Flutter) within just 13 weeks as part of the Mobile Application Development unit. Their dedication, adaptability, and technical achievement were recognised when their apps were selected for presentation at the ICT Capstone Project Expo at UTAS. Their unique journey offers valuable insights into cross-platform development, hands-on learning, and rapid skill acquisition.