How do you know when you have a good idea?

[ming]

I have an idea (like everyone does) but it requires quite a sizeable time investment to develop.

So my question is, as experienced developers, how do you know when you have hit a profitable and creative idea? Is it only possible to know once you have released the App to the store?

Any tips on what ideas will and won't work (in general)

[flamingliquid]

Two main things:

- There is the market, meaning is there a demand for this type of app?
- An app idea could be a multi-billion dollar app idea, but it all depends on the execution of the app on whether or not the app will be successful, and vice-versa.

[RickSDK]

if you have to ask if its a good idea... then its a bad idea. :/

but seriously, the only correct way to develop apps is to make something that you personally want to use. If you personally enjoy using it and find value in it, then others probably will too. But if you are trying to make something that you think "other people' will like, it'll never work.