Mini programs run on a different platform from apps, and they are generally considered simpler to produce than an app. Their immediacy appeals to consumers, and merchant-side development is increasingly active. To answer the question of how long a mini program takes, start with the steps of WeChat mini program development. Much is shared with app development: scope is set by requirements, type and planned functions. A few examples give a rough sense.
1. Showcase mini programs. For presentation purposes a mini program basically only needs to show the company on one hand and publish company content on the other, so there are fewer functions and the build is shorter, generally around 15 to 20 days.
2. Healthcare mini programs. Programs for specialised industries are more complex. A healthcare program needs at least hospital profiles, doctor profiles, online appointment and registration, online payment and report viewing. With more functions the cycle is longer and the cost higher, generally between one and two months.
3. Dining mini programs. In the consumer sector, dining mini programs have spread fastest. Location, reservation, queue numbers, ordering, payment, coupons and a membership system are all essential functions, so the build time is comparable to healthcare, since both have large function sets.
4. E-commerce mini programs. Shopping mini programs are the most complex of these categories. They need not only the functions but also a high standard of page design and layout, which is a result of how the e-commerce industry has evolved, so the requirements during development are comparatively high and the cycle longer, generally one to two and a half months depending on requirements.
The development cycle is decided jointly by the requirements and the team, and it determines both the launch date and the overall budget. The cost is calculated against the process: the product manager clarifies the required functions with the company and draws up a plan; pages are designed and the front end, back end and architecture are developed; the mini program is assembled on the WeChat platform and its interfaces are debugged; the product is tested across systems and phone versions so that bugs are found and fixed; it goes live for a trial period and then officially launches; and roughly one year of after-sales maintenance follows.
Developers offer two routes, templates and custom development, and specialist providers put more emphasis on custom work. For merchants and customers, marketing is the ultimate purpose of either route. A template is a reasonable way to try things quickly at low cost: register and log in, choose an appropriate template, and the platform has already optimised the build, the experience and the code, so you only need to click, try and share. Custom WeChat development makes greater demands on both technology and budget, and companies differ in emphasis, some on design and some on engineering. From a marketing standpoint a successful product cannot skimp on either.
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