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Learning Mobile Development
Checklist Before Adding A Library To Your App
Libraries don’t come for free. They can be costly in the long term.
Recently, on the iOS front, Apple introduced a bombshell requirement, mandating app developers to integrate libraries with their Privacy Manifest. This posed a significant challenge, as some of the libraries the app relies on do not yet have any Privacy Manifest. This could potentially jeopardize the app’s ability to ship updates after May 1st!
Meanwhile, in the realm of Android development, while not yet implemented, significant changes are on the horizon. Android is contemplating the introduction of a new SDK framework dubbed SDK Runtime. This initiative aims to verify the safety of libraries before their integration into applications.
The Checklist
Therefore, in light of this consideration, it serves as a reminder that dependencies on libraries come with associated costs. Prior to adoption, thorough due diligence is imperative.
I initially shared my thoughts on Reddit regarding a potential checklist, and received relatively positive feedback. I will now expand upon it here for greater clarity.
The Business Impact
Firstly, let’s delve into a fundamental and serious aspect
- Is it used as part of our core business functionality need?
Consider this scenario: you’re developing a chess app and opt to integrate an AI library for your chess engine. This choice inherently creates a dependency for your app’s core functionality. In light of this decision, the next question naturally arises. - If we need to exit from it (for whatever reason), what will the cost be?
If the AI library becomes deprecated or imposes an unreasonable fee, do you have an alternative plan, or will it jeopardize the viability of your chess app?
The Legal Implication
After confirming the library’s suitability from a business perspective, the next crucial step is to ensure legal compliance.
- What license is it using, and the impact to the source code (has to be open source too?)
Numerous…
