What is MIT App Inventor?
Creating applications is something that may seem like a difficult task for those who have no clue about coding. However, MIT has a solution for that as well, which comes in the form of MIT App Inventor. Allow me to elaborate before you ask the question, ‘What is MIT App Inventor’?
It is an amazing application that allows individuals to design and create all kinds of mobile phone apps. The great part is that it has been used to design more than 22 million applications worldwide, even by the ones who do not know a word about coding.
Before you begin your jump from one website to another, obtaining information about this app, let me stop you right there. After watching multiple of my students use this application, I have gained a ton of knowledge on this subject. I have shared it all in the article below, so take some time out and give it a thorough read.
Introduction to MIT App Inventor
MIT App Inventor is a programming application that was designed by Hal Abelson at MIT in 2010. This application allows individuals to design and create fully functional apps that work with Android and iOS devices. It is free of cost, so any person can use this programming application to create mobile apps for different purposes.
Features of MIT App Inventor
The first great feature of the MIT App Inventor is that it comes with block-based programming, which makes it highly efficient for users to design new applications. The app itself has blocks of codes available; all the users need to do is drag and drop them to add different features to the design of their applications. The drag-and-drop design of the MIT App Inventor makes it extremely easy for experts as well as novices to create an application from scratch.
However, the designers of this application have also added a feature of blocks editor, so if a person desires to add a custom function into their application, they can edit the block code and do that. Moreover, this is a cloud-based service. So, in order to need it without any issues, all the person needs is a connection to the internet, and voila! It can also be accessed from multiple devices by the same users.
The last feature of this application, which is by far a great and thoughtful one, is that it can be used by iOS and Android users. So, there is no restriction on the device from the user’s side.
How to Create an App in MIT App Inventor?
In order to design an application on the MIT App Inventor, first, you need to open this app on your device. Once the webpage opens, on the top, there will be a button labeled ‘Create’; click on it. Then, you will be asked to log into the app with a Gmail ID and password, so add your ID and its password to log in.
When the login is successful and a new page opens, you need to click on the button that says ‘New Project.’ A small window will appear on the screen, where you need to type the name of the project and then click ‘OK.’
Now, a page will appear that will have all of the design or code blocks in front of you. You need to pick the features that you want to add to your application, for instance, buttons, clock, checkbox, notifier, WebViewer, Texbox, etc.
Select and drag all of the desired features from the ‘Palette’ column into the ‘Viewer’ column. Keep repeating the same steps till you have a handful of the desired features in the Viewwer column. A nifty part about this developer is that it allows the users to test their application during the building process.
Once you have added all the features that you need, then you need to click on the ‘Blocks’ button present at the top right corner. A column with all the blocks will be available on the right side of the screen. Now, you need to drag the desired code blocks from the ‘Blocks’ column to the ‘Viewer’ column.
What is MIT App Inventor used for?
MIT App Inventor is an application that allows people to design and create their own functional apps. The apps designed by this inventor can be used on all kinds of smartphones.
Is MIT App Inventor easy to learn?
Yes, the specialty of the MIT App Inventor is that it is very easy to learn. Individuals who are interested can easily take the tutorial videos and then get to work designing their own applications.
Is the MIT app free?
Yes, the MIT App Inventor is free to use. The individuals using the app for creating apps do not need to have any monthly subscription or pay any money.
What language is the MIT app?
The MIT app is written in JavaScript, Swift, Kawa, and Objective-C. This application is available in more than 15 languages, which include English, Polish, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, Russian, and Swedish.
Can you sell apps made with MIT App Inventor?
Yes, when a person designs and creates their own app in the MIT App Inventor, they can sell those applications. However, they need to keep the terms of requirements in mind while designing and selling the apps they design.
There is no doubt that MIT is one of the best institutes in terms of providing the best educational programs to their students. However, another great thing about this prestigious institute is that its creations are highly versatile, powerful, and easy to use, especially the MIT App Inventor, which fits this description perfectly.
If you are wondering ‘what is MIT App Inventor’ or ‘how to use it,’ then the article above is perfect for you. I have shared all of my knowledge regarding this application, which I hope you find helpful.
Disclaimer & Thanks: Before I end this article, I would like to thank Connor Gillivan, who helped me collect data related to MIT for this article on “What is MIT App Inventor?”. Connor is an incredible guy, and as an MIT graduate, he knows the ins and outs of MIT. His knowledge helped me collect facts about MIT and interview multiple other students.