Building Mobile Apps on Replit: Case Study + Inside Look From Product Team
Blog post from Replit
In a recent webinar, host Manny Bernabe spoke with builder Dan Kempe and Replit designer Victoria Kim about creating and deploying iOS apps without a traditional development team, using the example of Kempe's Flash News app built during Replit's mobile Buildathon. The discussion highlighted how Replit's tools, including Replit Agent and Expo, empower non-technical builders to quickly prototype, iterate, and publish production-ready mobile apps. Kempe's journey from idea to App Store involved using Replit's capabilities to develop Flash News, a speed-reading news app, which garnered nearly 300 downloads and positive community feedback. The webinar also explored mobile app design principles, emphasizing the importance of adhering to Apple's guidelines, leveraging existing networks for marketing, and the strategic use of social media to build early traction. Victoria Kim provided insights into Replit's streamlined processes for app deployment and future enhancements, such as support for in-app payments and Android publishing. The overarching theme is the democratization of app development, enabling solo builders to independently create and market sophisticated mobile applications.