TikTok
Demo
About
This is a demo app built using 'Hilt' a new dependency injection framework for Android along with ViewPager2 and ExoPlayer2.
- HomeScreen UI is replicated same as TikTok Android App.
Built With ðŸ›
- Kotlin - First class and official programming language for Android development.
- Hilt - Dependency injection library for Android.
- Coroutines - For asynchronous and more..
- Android Architecture Components - Collection of libraries that help you design robust, testable, and maintainable apps.
- LiveData - Data objects that notify views when the underlying database changes.
- ViewModel - Stores UI-related data that isn't destroyed on UI changes.
- ViewBinding - Generates a binding class for each XML layout file present in that module and allows you to more easily write code that interacts with views.
- ViewPager2 - A library for scrolling content on screen as a Page.
- ExoPlayer2 - A library for playing Audio/Video in much efficient way.
- Material Components for Android - Modular and customizable Material Design UI components for Android.
Contributed By: Baljeet Singh
Architecture
This app uses MVVM (Model View View-Model) architecture.
Contact
If you need any help, you can connect with me.
How to Create an App like TikTok?
We all cover various aspects of the TikTok-like mobile app development process in this space and how it has been a game-changer for the Entertainment industry, bringing many opportunities for revenue. So, let's begin. Now you have made up your mind to create a music app, so what should be the next step for you. Well, there are a lot of aspects you need to focus on, but first understand that music apps like to be classified mainly into two categories, with one being: Music Streaming Apps & other Social Music Video Apps. Now, the first step is selecting your niche. Be clear about TikTok app development, you intend to create. Both categories need unique features, functionalities, & efforts.
In this blog, we have covered social video apps like TikTok, so if you are keen on launching your own TikTok app for iPhone or Android, or both, then continue reading. In this blog, we have covered the crucial aspects of TikTok app price in several points, for an easy understanding of the readers.
Now, to begin you first need to know what TikTok really is.
What Is TikTok Mobile App?
A Chinese Music Video Platform, TikTok allows its users to create music videos and then share them with their friends on social media, like Instagram & Facebook, with animations and music, thus making for a good entertainment dosage. Earlier known as Musical.ly, the mobile app is now known as TikTok and came with a whole new version of the entertainment buster app. It has a huge music community across the world and has established itself as the world's fastest-growing mobile app in very little time. Its iOS version has a very smooth UX/UI, TikTok backend is interesting and going by the latest report, TikTok has reached a milestone by securing 150 million daily users. Despite facing some legal hurdles in Indonesia, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan the app is witnessing rapid growth worldwide.
How TikTok Works?
Basically, in the app, most people lip-sync to popular songs. Its users create and upload their videos, lip-sync, sing, & dance, browse the videos and also interact with other users' content that is covering several topics. TikTok app programming language helps mobile app developers to let users set live videos or live pictures as wallpaper and also enable them to take short videos & share them with their friends. Then, these videos can be spiced up by using filters & special effects, live effects & funny stickers. At the same time, the app enables the users to watch millions of videos that are shared by the other on the app. TikTok app development cost includes features where one can select from amongst the relevant categories, such as serious videos, funny videos, informative videos, as well as interesting head-turning ones.
This way, TikTok serves as a platform for millions of its users to display their knowledge, talent & their precious moments. Besides, they enable you to add your favorite music and sound videos recorded by you. Users can edit the videos with animations, funny animations, sounds, music, filters, and more. Besides, other interesting things, such as R&B, electronica, rock, pop, & rap can also be included in the app.
As per ProductHunt.com, TikTok mobile app has more downloads than Spotify, Snapchat & Gmail combined on the App Store.
The app allows TikTok app developers to add 100+ face filters and emoji stickers to the videos and this plays a huge role in demarcating the videos up to the next level. Also, there are very simple and realistic editing tools within the app that allow users to trim, cut, merge and duplicate video clips. All in all, it offers an awesome experience to its users, which they all love.
TikTok: The Latest Social Network Sensation
You must very well know the popularity of popular social media platforms, like YouTube, Whatsapp, & Facebook Messenger. Now, what if we tell you that TikTok left them all behind in terms of most downloaded non-gaming mobile apps globally on iOS for Q1 2018?
As per Sensor Tower, the rest ranked from second to fourth, respectively. This way, the largest app at the moment is TikTok, owned by Bytedance that was founded in 2012 by Yiming Chang. Further, the app is aka Douyin in firms native China. In the month of July, TikTok made this big announcement that it reached 500,000 users worldwide. Popular social media app Musical.ly is now TikTok Well, it was late last year that Chinese company ByteDance went on to purchase the popular social video app Musical.ly.
And this year, with little pomp, Musical.ly was folded into TikTok, which is very much a similar service created & operated by the ByteDance. Thus, with Musical.ly accounts being migrating to TikTok, this incorporates the most prominent elements of both the mobile apps.
We saw an opportunity to combine the power of AI with the growth of mobile internet to revolutionize the way people consume and receive information. Bytedance enables people to enjoy content powered by machine learning and AI technology, states the company's profile.
Read Also: Use of AI & ML in Everyday Life Brings Future to the Present
“In the first quarter of the year 2018 itself, TikTok was downloaded for 45.8 million times just during a three-month period. Presently, the app has more than 45 million daily active years in China and this is way more than other social media platforms"
Features & Functionality Required to Create TikTok-like Mobile App
When talking about the features and functionality of an app similar to TikTok, you need to make sure that an in-depth study of TikTok programming language would make it easier for the developers to bring on the table a high performing.
Simple User Interface
It is vital for the app development team to provide a simple user interface to the app users, so they can do a lot within the app without any hassle. Make their experience of visiting your app fun yet extremely easy-going. In the case of TikTok, the app starts directly into the feed, going straight to a prominent video. Now the following few videos are also new and quite famous (are measured with HEARTS). So, in this manner, TikTok ensures that the user's first minutes (whenever s/he returns) on the app are absolutely amazing. Now the integral design choice is launching the user into the for You tab. In this manner, recommendations are not limited by creators you have decided to follow. Thus, all in all, it is a fun experience for the users.
Hearts Are Currency
So, you have liked a video, but you yet don't intend to follow the creator yet? Well, no worry. Give a HEART with this non-committal double tap, which is just enough. It is the same as Instagram, though with one minor difference. Here, the creator profile tracks all hearts they ever received. It lets creators metric to chase (such as Followers/Fans) with one huge difference like here one breakout video may shoot up Hearts counts. Yes, just that one may do that for you when you struggle with how to develop app like TikTok.
Hashtags
Again, an innovative concept. Hashtags are very much among the people and the TikTok app allows its users to make the most use of them. With hashtags gaining popularity over the time, every platform is making the most of it. Over the years we are hashtags have become our identity and people use it to gain some popularity.
Yes, Live-Ops
Live-Ops is important to make your app a success. Basically, Live-Ops work as enhancements to the overall game experience (in this case, the mobile app). Like, game events. Live-Ops work to keep the mobile app feels fresh & full of activity. For instance, we have hashtags on TikTok app coding, where it's used just how it needs to be used on Instagram, with a huge difference, i.e. Freshness. On the TikTok app, they are usually new, trending Hashtags (#filterbattle, #freezechallenge, #transitionbattle, & a lot more). Often they are seeded by TikTok like there is a @GlobalChallenge account that offers creators some new challenges to try each week. This way, by providing creators something to create videos about, TikTok ensures the content stays relevant and fresh.
Tools to Express
There are tools available in the TikTok app, which are all of supreme-level. With many filters and AR effects, they tend to be pretty amazing. Besides, what makes these tools unique is they enable the creator to make quick edits, cuts, & slow down the speed & a lot more.
Social Feature
Duets is one exciting social feature offered by the TikTok app. Here, for instance, the creator can begin by recording a lip-sync video of theirs to a specific dialogue. Now the other Tik Tok software users who scan the very popular #Duetwithmehastag will see this and may try putting their own spin on that. This is beneficial in many ways, like in the case of the users, they can feel close to their much-loved stars by recording a duet with them, while thousands of pieces of content are spawned from just one piece of content, besides the scope for creativity is just immense.
Grow on Many Networks
The app enables its users to share their YouTube/Instagram profiles. Though many times most apps shy away from doing so, why would an app be willing to give away its user base to another mobile app? However, TikTok seems to be comfortable with it. It seems that the app recognizes that the best creators on TikTok platform are anyway going to be present on all the other major mobile apps anyway. So that is why TikTok has no inhibitions in giving those following a means to increase their Instagram followers via TikTok.
Read Also: OTT Mobile App Development Cost & Key Features
Original Sound
TikTok allows its users to use their original sound as well while creating the video, which allows them to showcase their full potential in front of the audience.
Music Library
When your experts think about how to make app like TikTok, one point that they cannot miss is the need for unlimited music available in the music library for the audience.
Earn Money
This feature within the TikTok app is very much loved by the users as it allows them to make money by creating fun videos that are popular on the platform. The cost to make an application like TikTok isn’t a lot and since people earn using the app, they can earn money better.
Post Video/Pictures
Using this functionality, the users can share their videos and pictures on the app. This lets the users to build a bigger follower base and thus gaining popularity over the platform. TikTok server is quite huge and can save every image and video shared over the years.
Special Effects
This feature allows users to select background music and create magical clips pretty easily. The cost to develop video sharing app like TikTok majorly depends on the filters and other effects that we let our users modify the posts.
Social Sharing
The app enables users to share their videos on multiple social media platforms. Besides, they can also like, comment, and post other posts.
Share User Profile
This feature allows the users to share their user profiles with other users in order to increase their popularity.
Related Blog: How to Create a Mobile App like Instagram?
Add Other Social Media Account
Yes, other social media accounts can be added to the TikTok app, so this way users can create the videos and then share them on their favorite social platform, be it Facebook or Instagram.
Android, iOS
The app can be created for both the platforms, iOS, or Android, or both of them. Like, in the case of TikTok, it works wonderfully on both platforms.
As the time passes and the competition in the field grows, it becomes quite difficult for the mobile app development team to bring on the screen solutions that are unique and interesting. If you want to stand out from the crowd and bring to your customers a unique experience, it is important that your app offers them features and functionalities more than TikTok does.
Advanced Features That Will Make Your App Outstanding
When working on TikTok architecture make sure that you include some interesting functionalities that make it easier for you to have an edge over your customers. It is important that you offer some features that make you better than the rest.
Real-Time Analytics
Quite an important feature for Admin, from here s/he will be able to analyze live viewers & broadcasters in an overall graphical manner. Here, the admin is aware of real-time insights of the app usage and previous data so to make further decisions.
Video Streaming Architecture
With video streaming be the main goal of TikTok system architecture is that you implement every single detail to it. Ensure that you always stream from an external server and keep the mobile app lightweight. The broadcasting stream passes via server to the user device then it stays there until the user watches it. Post usage will be deleted automatically from the server-side.
Read Also: How To Develop an On-Demand Video Streaming Mobile App?
Meanwhile, the server will convert broadcast and will be doing transmission to the application. For video streaming apps, cloud servers are a necessity. Also, take care of the scaling part of servers as more using the app will be having more requests it will require to handle. TikTok server cost is quite high owing to its popularity and usage. Besides, keep the option to save videos in the external storage of the user's device, so that they can be later watched by the user. However, do take care of the copyright issues prior to allowing the user to save files in the local storage.
Geolocation
This again is a great addition to TikTok system design. Users can find broadcasts as per their region and it allows them to choose which broadcasts to watch from the map itself. What the VOD app developer can do is that they will mark markers in the map in a range around the user's current location to show who is doing a live broadcast in that region. Live ones can be shown in blue while inactive ones in red. Meanwhile, the look can be customized anytime.
Push Notifications
Crucial part of every mobile app, push notifications are useful for the users to keep them notified of the current happening without being on the app all the time. Thus, as their favorite broadcaster begins to stream something, s/he is going to get a push notification on the device for the same sans missing out on anything. Other than that, the Scheduling feature in TikTok app architecture can also be implemented by the app developers. Having the flexibility to schedule future broadcasts makes the app much more interactive.
How to make app like tik tok is a complex question to answer. With such amazing features and functionalities there is a need to develop a similar app that would help you earn better results. As many modified and innovative experiences you offer, that popular your app is.
Five Fast Facts You Need to Know If You Plan to Create an App like TikTok
TikTok, a video-sharing mobile app has around 150 million active daily users while the global mobile app has three times more subscribers. Most of the TikTok videos feature lip-sync videos, lots of pet videos, mainly cats doing some fun stuff, a lot many pretty girls, many young & parkour, and thrill-seeking clips among many other short clips. Tik Tok programming language has taken the app development by storm. Some of the facts related to the application are
- TikTok features a large number of very short videos as well as it enables its users to easily upload and edit these videos themselves and then share.
- Originated in China, TikTok went on to become a worldwide video-sharing platform with its 500 million active users.
- Number 2 on iTunes in the Photo & Video Category, TikTok made the most of YouTube Crash to swoop on Tuesday Night. Presently, it tends to seek Creators similar to YouTube Content Creators.
- Even though TikTok are stated as annoying & creepy, still the TikTok creators are with tens of millions of Followers.
- TikTok App enables its users to create Reaction videos, which appear both Wildly Popular & Wildly Unpopular.
Related Blog: How to Create a Streaming App like Netflix- Key Features & Cost
The facts here clearly reflect how well the app has made a fan-base and thus is a clear indication that anything of the same domain with better and stronger features would surely earn better profits than thought before.
Unique Features that Made Tik Tok Popular
The app offers some great features that can make things much fun for the people. We all understand that TikTok is not a simple app. Unlike other applications, this works majorly on multimedia sharing by editing the videos as and when you want. Add movie songs, your favorite movie dialogues, etc. in your video and let that actor in you see the spotlight and present its talent in the public.
As you step towards creating a TikTok-like social video app, it is vital to understand what the key features that made TikTok popular are. Given below are the main functionalities for TikTok app development.
It enables its users to watch millions of musical clips
The only way to succeed in creating a music video maker app is to offer something unique and varied to your users. Allow your users to explore more and have fun. In the case of TikTok, it enables users, to watch a countless number of musical clips and provide the features that set TikTok apart from the rest.
Its users can shoot many short video clips of mere 15-second
TikTok made the most of the opportunity in its hands and transformed smartphones into a mobile studio. It is really fun for its users to make fun videos with its advanced technology and exceptional features. One of them being, it enables the users to shoot short video clips of 15-second just for fun. Letting your users shoot short clips is important. Further, the users can share the short video clips on social channels, select sound from various categories, and directly record & edit the clips.
Using the Special Effects it offers, users can select background music and create magical clips
So, the audience that TikTok focuses on is evidently the new generation. And as a startup, if you plan to target youth through your video clip app, then offering special effects feature is simply integral. The easy-to-use and fun special effects offered by TikTok allow users to shoot entertaining videos. The image capturing technology and artificial intelligence solutions makes it possible to integrate special effects into the app.
The app allows its users to share their videos on multiple social media platforms
Using this lip-sync app, users create lip-sync music videos of 15-second and then share them on multiple social platforms, such as Whatsapp, Messenger, Instagram & Facebook. Thus, it is clear that enabling users to share videos on multiple social platforms is a necessity for an app like TikTok. Ultimately, with its amazing offerings, TikTok certainly has broken all records set by Whatsapp, Snapchat, YouTube& Facebook. A report by SimilarWeb states that the usage rank of the app is constantly going in an upward direction, and as per the latest trend by Google Trend, the interest in the app has simply increased over time.
These are some additional features that the app development team considers to build unique, user-friendly and interesting solutions.
Is the TikTok App Safe?
Lately, the TikTok app faced a ban by the Indonesian government stating concerns that the platform contains negative content that is harmful to children. The government stated that Indonesia's Ministry of Communication & Information Technology has got more than 2,800 reports from the Indonesian public, which blamed the app for religious harassment and pornography.
A report from South China Morning Post stated that TikTok faced a crackdown on privacy-related issues and that it poses a risk to the children, in particular. The matter, however, was not raised in Thailand. However, following this backfire in Indonesia, Bytedance went on to enhance the app's privacy features. Now the upgraded feature in the app allows the users to permanently delete their accounts or set their videos on private. Besides, parents as well will be able to monitor the amount of time spent by their kids on the app and the content consumed by them. Since then, Indonesia revered the ban implied on the app.
When app like TikTok is developed security becomes a major concern. With some interesting images and videos there are chances of misuse of the data available over the years and it helps you get the most in the limited time.
Technology Stack to Develop an App like TikTok
When developing an app like TikTok, technology would be a strong point. The right technology would made your app be the king of the market, if your on-demand mobile app development team uses the wrong technology the investment may fall to its face.
Streaming Media System: Nimble Streamer, Wowza Streaming Engine Helix Universal Server
Real-Time Analytics: Azure Stream Analytics, Spark Streaming, Apache Flink
Cloud Environment: AWS
Database: MailChimp Integration, Postgres, Cassandra, HBase, MongoDB
Universal Operating System: Debian
For emails: Mandrill
For Database Management: Datastax
For Powerful programming: GWT
Payments: Paypal, Braintree, e-Wallet, Stripe
Phone, Voice & SMS Verification: Twilio, Nexmo
Push Notifications: Push.io, Twilio
Cloud Storage: For this, cloud storage services like Google Cloud Storage, Azure & Amazon S3 can be used. The storage server is crucial in media platforms as it handles thousands of requests per second much efficiently.
Content Delivery Networks (CDSs): In order to serve user experience, one requires using highly scalable CDN services in order to stream media securely. For this, either one can configure its own media server or can use a cloud streaming server to stream, like Amazon cloud front.
Video/audio Transcoding: In this process, media files need to be transcoded in several media formats to make them supportable to all of the major devices and browsers. For this, either open-source software like FFMPEG or third-party solutions like Amazon elastic transcoder can be used.
Media Server Configuration: The server requires to be configured to support all of the major devices and browsers. Configuration of HTTPS, RTMP & HTTP is required.
Player Configuration: Player configuration needs to be done as both desktop & mobile server quality based content on user internet speed.
When you create an app like TikTok, one thing that you cannot compromise is with the technology you use plays an important role in providing you the right support required. To ensure that the development process is inline with the needs and the timeline, we make use of agile development methodology with a structured team.
Required Development Team Structure
It is vital to have a great team put together to create an app like TikTok. Absolutely, no amount of funds and features can help if your app doesn't have the kind of team that can create absolute wonders with the app development process. For this, you will need:
- A Project Manager
- UI/UX Designer
- Android app Developer, iOS app Developer
- Back-end Developer
- Database Experts
- QA Experts
- Delivery Manager
Once your team is sorted, then you can focus on the cost that will go into the development of an app like-TikTok. But before that, let's learn how you can earn money from music mobile apps, like TikTok.
How to earn money from music apps?
The best way to monetize your app may need a little research. There are a few ways using which you can earn money from your music app, they are:
A) In-app purchase
Even though TikTok doesn't have these features, but if you are keen on making a music app then keep in mind that the in-app purchase option can be a great opportunity to earn money. What in-app purchase basically means is charging a small sum of money from the user to upgrade to the premium version or to unlock a few features.
B) Fundraising
Get connected with the investors to raise some investment for your app. Fundraising is a premium model of earning even for the TikTok app and the app went on to receive funds of $100 million from the high-class investors recently.
c) Selling the app
Create a music app and once the app is prominent among the targeted user base then you can get the buyers easily. Get connected with potential entrepreneurs or businesses. Make a deal that is the most profitable for your app business.
D) Advertising
In case you don't find these above-mentioned ways interesting, then you can even choose to display advertisements in your mobile app. Target ads to your audience as per age groups, Location, Likes-Dislikes, etc. Meanwhile, advertising can be of many kinds, like Cost per install, cost per click, etc.
So, when you enter the market and build app like TikTok, choose the right revenue model to earn great profits. The TikTok business model is quite transparent and can help you earn the best profits in the least time.
What Is the Development Cost?
This Chinese music video platform, TikTok has a smooth UX/UI finish and is among the fastest-growing apps in the world. Few other examples of such apps are Dubsmash, Funimate, Vigo, Triller, etc. Some factors that can be helpful to determine the cost of the TikTok-like app are the Number of Platforms (Android, iOS, or both), Development Region, Design Complexity, Requirement of resources, and number of hours multiplied by the cost per hours.
Keeping all the above factors in mind, the development cost should be around $25000 to create a TikTok-like app with basic functionalities for a single platform. However, in case you intend to add more features and create the app for multiple platforms, then the cost may go up to $35000-$40000 when getting the app developed in the Indian region.
FULL SOURCE CODE HERE-: https://github.com/iambaljeet/TikTok
