How to Start Writing iOS Apps
You’ve had the idea in your head for a while, and now you’re ready to give iOS app development a try. Where do you start? There are many resources available online to help you get started with learning how to code in Objective-C, the language of choice when writing apps for Apple’s iOS platform. Whether you use them or not, here are some tips that can help get you started on the right foot and make sure you have fun along the way!
Learn Objective-C
The first step is to learn Objective-C, the language used by iOS apps. There are a number of books, tutorials, and classes that can teach you Objective-C if you’re interested in learning more. For example, see Udemy’s Beginner iOS Development With Swift course. That said, this course is not required to start writing iOS apps. I also recommend downloading Xcode from the App Store and experimenting with various examples for other programming languages such as Java or C++. This will help you better understand how apps are written on Apple devices before jumping in head first.
Download the Xcode Package
Xcode is the best way to start learning how to write iOS apps. Apple’s App Store has over 2 million apps, which can make it hard for new developers like you and me! But don’t worry, there are lots of people and companies who will help you with all of your needs! And the best part is that Xcode includes everything you need.
Create Your First Project
Your first app might be just for you or for a client. The goal is to start the process of learning, and writing your first app will help you learn some Swift and layout basics. If you want your project on GitHub, remember that it should be public. You might also need to fork the repository in order to make changes. For this tutorial, we’ll create a timer app with basic functionality. In future tutorials, we’ll explore more features such as alarms and timers within apps. I recommend starting with something basic like a countdown timer so that you can focus on Swift and UIKit while leaving out complex features such as alarms until you get some experience under your belt.
Build an App with Some Code (Optional)
Knowing how to write iOS apps is critical, but don’t stop there. There are plenty of coders out there who will be more than happy to do all the hard work for you. But if you really want a true understanding of what’s going on in the code behind your app, it may be worthwhile learning a few basic programming skills yourself. Fortunately, if you’re completely new to coding, it’s never been easier: all it takes is a little time and some basic instruction from iTunes U.
Make Your First App, Without Coding
You’ll be delighted by how simple it is. At the moment, there are only three steps required to build your first app without writing any code. First, you must choose an idea. The second (you guessed it) is to start planning your app! Once you know what type of iOS app you want and the audience you’re trying to reach, you can use a template called Hello World (detailed in step 3). Step 3: Design your first app. This can either be done using software such as Photoshop or simply drawing on paper with a pencil, then scanning it and using the digital files. Then, simply share your iOS app via email or one of the other ways we’ll teach you below. You’ll never run out of ideas for new apps!
Submitting your App to iTunes Store
You may have noticed that you can’t submit your app until you’ve finalized it and uploaded all the necessary files. You may need some time with the beta testers to ensure everything is working, but once that’s taken care of it’s time to get the rest of your submission ready. A great place to start is filling out the App Details on iTunes Connect so that Apple has a record of all your app info including Description, Ratings, Pricing (incl. local pricing), as well as App URLs (apps without a website).
