iOS App Development with Swift

Wouldn't it be a privilege to get your app found on iOS App Store? The store puts your creativity at display in front of over 1 billion iOS users worldwide. So the moment you are there, your business prospects get multiplied manifolds. However, it takes real hard-time to create app that can outpace the competition of 2.2 million apps. Indeed, you have to be at your best while pursuing iOS app development. Here is a guide for aspirants as how to get started with.

Create Your Apple ID (If you don’t have any)

1. Open “iTunes.” Make sure that you have the latest version.
2. Navigate to the top of the iTunes window, choose “Account > Sign In”. Then click “Create New Apple ID”.
3. Read and accept the “Terms and Conditions” and “Apple Privacy Policy.”
4. Complete the form to create your new Apple ID. The email address that you use becomes your new Apple ID. To make account recovery easier in future, it asks about security questions and optional rescue email ID.
5. Fill the form, click “Continue.”
6. Enter your credit card and billing information, then click “Continue.” The entered information can be removed or updated later.
7. Check verification email received, and click on the link therein.
8. Your Apple ID is ready.

B. Set up Xcode

Xcode, dubbed technically as an IDE or Integrated Development Environment, is a comprehensive resource that provisions all assets that you or an iOS app development company needs to build an iOS app. In addition, the IDE supports development for other Apple platforms including tvOS, watchOS, and Mac. Find steps to Set up Xcode and create an Xcode project in it. Prerequisites include: “A Mac computer with Xcode 7.1 or later installed.” It’s recommended to use the latest OS X and Xcode versions. Install Xcode and run the Setup file.

To create an Xcode project

1. Open “Xcode.”
2. Choose “File > New > Project”, or click “Create a new Xcode project” in the “Welcome to Xcode” window.
3. Under the operating system you want to target, select “Application”, select a template from the list of templates, and click “Next.”

For example, to create an app with a single empty window, for iOS apps select “Single View Application,” and for Mac apps, select “Cocoa Application.”

4. In the dialog that appears, fill in the “Product Name” and “Company Identifier” text fields.

5. Enter company identifier in reverse DNS format. If you don’t have a company identifier, use com.example., followed by your name, and replace it later. The other default values in this dialog should suffice for now. The screenshots below is for creating an iOS app. For tvOS, watchOS, and Mac apps, options are similar, but not identical.
   

6. Select your programming language.

7. Click “Next.”

8. A dialog box appears asking for the location where you want to save your project.

9. Specify a location for your project, optionally deselect “Create git repository on,” and click “Create.”

10. For iOS apps, a new project window appears, similar to the one below.
    

C. Join the Apple Developer Program

This entitles you to distribute your built app on App Store or submit it for testing using TestFlight. Visit the Apple Developer Program Enrollment website and follow the instructions.

D. Design Beautiful App

Apple fosters creativity and makes available ample resources to guide designers. Auto Layout Guide educates about creating adaptive yet versatile user interfaces. While the iOS Human Interface Guidelines provides guidance on making the app consistent with the user interface conventions for iOS.

E. Swift Programming

The creativity gets a tangible manifestation with the Swift programming language. Its expressive nature makes programming a fun. Favoring the Agile development methodology, Swift allows developers to cross-check the outcomes of their coding endeavor. So in a way it reduces the probability of programming errors. Significant features are listed as follows:

O. Variables are always initialized before use.
O. Array indices are checked for out-of-bounds errors.
O. Integers are checked for overflow.
O. Optionals ensure that nil values are handled explicitly.
O. Memory is managed automatically.
O. Error handling allows controlled recovery from unexpected failures.

F. iOS Technology Overview

Apple has been constantly enhancing and updating its operating system to improve the user experience on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices. The iOS Software Development Kit (SDK) is loaded with the tools and interfaces required to develop, install, run, and test native apps.

In the recent iOS edition, i.e. iOS 9 and iOS 10, Apple has extended the usage of its system apps, such as Phone, Siri and Maps with third-party apps. So developers can make conversational apps with Siri. Apps can use Phone functionality to let users connect with their brands. So there are more ways to engage with an app and access in-app content for users.

G. Debug and Test Your App

Xcode is equipped with a powerful debugging feature that swings into actions automatically when the app is launched. Here is what it does.

O. Identifies and locates the problem
O. Examines the control flow and data structures of running code to detect the causes
O. Devises a solution and edit your code accordingly
O. Runs the revised app and confirms that the fix works

H. Ship Your App

After successfully testing your app on multiple devices and system versions, the time comes when you have to make it available to the public. You can also release the app to selected users as part of TestFlight. This will help you overcome any potential errors before making its final release on App Store.