From Idea to App Store: My First Journey with SwiftUI and Firebase

Every developer has a project that marks a turning point—a leap into a new ecosystem that is both challenging and incredibly rewarding. For me, that project was AniQueue, an iOS app for tracking anime and manga. It was my first dive into building a full-fledged application with SwiftUI, Firebase, and a third-party API.

The Spark: A Personal Need

As a huge fan of anime and manga, I was constantly juggling a mental list of what I wanted to watch or read next. While there were other apps, I wanted something that was simple, clean, and fast. I envisioned an app that would let me quickly search for any series and add it to a personal queue. This simple idea became the foundation for AniQueue.

Embracing New Technologies

This project was my first real test with a completely new set of tools.

• SwiftUI: I chose SwiftUI because I was drawn to its modern, declarative syntax. Building the user interface was an amazing experience. Seeing my designs come to life with just a few lines of code felt like magic.

• Firebase: For the backend, I needed a way for users to have their own persistent queues. Firebase was the perfect solution. I used Firestore to store user data, allowing for a seamless and real-time experience across devices (though the first version was just for one device).

• Jikan API: To get all the anime and manga data, I integrated the Jikan API, a free, unofficial MyAnimeList API. This was my first time working with a third-party REST API in a Swift application, and it taught me a ton about handling network requests, parsing JSON, and managing asynchronous data.

The Result: A Published App

After months of learning, coding, and debugging, I finally published AniQueue on the App Store. It was an incredibly proud moment. Since its launch in August 2025, the app has already gained over 100 users who have tracked more than 1,000 anime and manga titles.

This project wasn't just about building an app; it was about the journey of turning a personal need into a tangible product and mastering new technologies along the way. It solidified my passion for mobile development and creating great user experiences.