Cornell AppDev

The mission

Cornell AppDev designs, develops, and maintains open-source mobile applications that make life at Cornell simpler, smarter, and more connected. Each semester, we build and launch products that directly serve thousands of students across campus, including well-known apps like Eatery, which helps students explore campus dining options, Uplift, Cornell’s all-in-one fitness and wellness app, and Resell, a Cornell specific secondhand marketplace.

Our goal goes beyond development; we strive to provide every member with hands-on, real-world experience in product creation from ideation and design to implementation and launch. AppDev gives members the opportunity to experience what it’s like to work on a real product team, helping them develop as engineers, designers, and marketers.

The team

Our team is made up of over 60 members who share a passion for building meaningful apps. AppDev is organized into five subteams, each responsible for a key part of our development process.

iOS

The iOS subteam designs and develops mobile applications for Apple platforms using Swift and SwiftUI. Our developers focus on creating polished and high-performance apps with smooth user interfaces and thoughtful functionality. From debugging complex animations to integrating APIs, iOS members gain hands-on experience with mobile app architecture, Apple’s design frameworks, and the full development lifecycle.

Android

The Android subteam brings AppDev’s products to life on the Android platform. Using Kotlin and Jetpack Compose, Android developers work on crafting intuitive, reliable, and well-structured applications for users across devices. The team handles everything from UI development to API integration and ensures feature parity with iOS counterparts, giving members real experience in large-scale, cross-platform collaboration.

Backend

The Backend subteam powers the infrastructure behind all of AppDev’s apps. Using tools like Node.js, Docker, Flask, and PostgreSQL, backend engineers build APIs, manage databases, and ensure that each app runs securely and efficiently. They also collaborate closely with iOS and Android teams to design scalable architectures and maintain the server systems that keep AppDev’s ecosystem connected.

Design

The Design subteam leads the creative direction behind AppDev’s products. Designers focus on user experience, visual design, and interaction flow, transforming ideas into wireframes, prototypes, and final interfaces using tools like Figma and Cursor. They work hand-in-hand with developers to ensure that each product is functional, consistent, and aligned with AppDev’s design identity to make every app enjoyable to use.

Strategy

The Strategy subteam manages everything that keeps the organization running behind the scenes. This includes sponsorship outreach, alumni relations, marketing, branding, GTM, and data analytics. The team also oversees social media and external partnerships, ensuring AppDev maintains strong connections with sponsors, alumni, and the broader Cornell community. 

Courses

AppDev believes that education should be hands-on and accessible to everyone. To support this belief, we offer four Cornell-accredited courses that are open to the entire campus community. Each course is designed, taught, and managed by AppDev members who are passionate about teaching practical development and design skills.

• Introduction to iOS Development teaches students how to create iPhone applications using Swift and Xcode, starting from the basics and progressing to complete app builds.
• Introduction to Android Development introduces students to mobile development using Kotlin and Jetpack Compose. By the end of the course, students can design and build their own Android apps ready for the Google Play Store.
• Introduction to Backend Development focuses on the server side of applications, including database design, APIs, authentication, and deployment. Students use Python and Flask to build and launch their own backend systems, along with AI tools like Cursor and Claude Code.
• Introduction to Digital Product Design explores UI and UX design principles through tools like Figma and Cursor. Students learn how to think like designers, analyze existing products, and create interfaces that balance form and function.

These courses bring together students from a wide range of majors and experience levels, creating a space where anyone can learn to build, design, and collaborate on real products. Each semester concludes with the AppDev Hack Challenge, where students from all four courses team up to design and develop their own apps to apply what they’ve learned in these courses.

Winners from the spring 2026 Hack Challenge!

Why donate?

Every contribution directly supports our mission to teach, build, and share technology that benefits the Cornell community. Donations help us maintain our existing apps, fund development resources, and host events that bring together students from across campus.

Your support makes it possible for our members to learn real-world software development, design, and teamwork skills while creating products that reach thousands of users. It also allows us to expand opportunities for students through workshops, our semesterly Hack Challenge, and collaborations with other organizations.

When you donate to AppDev, you are helping students turn their ideas into meaningful projects and giving them the tools to make a lasting impact through technology.

Thank you for your support!

For more information on Cornell AppDev, feel free to visit us online at cornellappdev.com!

As a registered student organization, we are committed to equal access to all of our programs and do not discriminate based on any protected identity status.