I'm aware that patents are 1. expensive and 2. usually for physical objects but if I wanted to patent a specific action on my mobile app, would that make sense to? Could I patent the code and/or design of the app?
Casey hi. Under a legal viewpoint, yes, you can do it. But some technical and business persons think it could be expensive and may not provide enough protection, because in this digital era, without frontiers, you have to think in terms of national and international laws. In USA, as starting point, you can contact https://www.uspto.gov and a specialized lawyer. In addition, these links may help you: https://appinventiv.com/blog/how-to-patent-mobile-app/ --- https://www.inc.com/ben-lee/you-dont-need-a-patent-for-your-app-heres-why.html --- I wish you success.