The Sunsetting of JetBrains AppCode — A Farewell to an Exceptional IDE
Introduction
The world of digital transformation continuously evolves, bringing about fresh and innovative tools for mobile app development. Among these, JetBrains’ AppCode stood tall, offering a comprehensive Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for Swift, Objective-C, C, and C++ development. Built on JetBrains’ IntelliJ IDEA platform, AppCode was designed to automate routine tasks and promote more productive coding for developers. This article will revisit AppCode, its benefits, and discuss its recent sunsetting announcement.
The Legacy of JetBrains AppCode
Swift Support
AppCode provided top-tier support for Swift, including language syntax, code formatting, and refactoring. It was the go-to platform for Swift developers who sought an environment conducive to clean, maintainable code.
Efficient Project Navigation
AppCode was famous for its efficient project navigation. It allowed for quick jumps to any file, class, or symbol, saving developers’ time and effort when navigating through substantial codebases.
Intelligent Code Assistance
AppCode’s intelligent code assistance was truly second to none. It could generate boilerplate code and offer more strong auto-completion than many other IDEs. It understood context, made sensible suggestions, and even filled in much of the code.
Advanced Refactoring Capabilities
AppCode boasted extensive refactoring capabilities, making it superior to other iOS IDEs. Developers could safely refactor entire projects in just a few clicks, a testament to its convenience and efficiency.
The Sunsetting of AppCode
After the release of AppCode 1.0, 11 years ago, JetBrains made coding for iOS/macOS a delightful experience. They achieved several feats, including first-class C++ support, an ultra-fast release of initial support for the new Swift language, and most importantly, the introduction of Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile technology. Despite these accomplishments and some growth in adoption, AppCode didn’t achieve the market share JetBrains had hoped for, leading to the decision to sunset the product.
While this marks the end of AppCode, it’s worth noting that JetBrains will continue to provide technical support and release updates addressing compatibility issues with Xcode 14, and critical security updates until December 31, 2023. However, the updates will strictly be limited to these areas.
Please note that the sunsetting of AppCode does not affect the Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile, an independent tool that combines JetBrains’ passion for Kotlin with their knowledge of mobile technologies. Investment in this tooling continues, and for further updates, one can check out the Kotlin blog.
As a token of appreciation to the users, JetBrains is taking an unconventional approach for granting fallback licenses. Instead of receiving a license for the product version that the user started their subscription with, users will get a license for the version available when their subscriptions end.
The Future Without AppCode
While JetBrains AppCode may no longer be developed, the value it brought to Swift and Objective-C development cannot be overstated. It offered a potent array of tools that made coding for these languages easier, faster, and more efficient. While there was a learning curve, most developers found the productivity gains worth the initial time investment.
Conclusion
The sunsetting of JetBrains’ AppCode marks the end of an era. This strong, intelligent, and efficient IDE will be missed by many Swift, Objective-C, C, and C++ developers. Nevertheless, JetBrains’ continued investment in other tools, such as Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile, shows promise for the future. It is this legacy that makes AppCode’s farewell bittersweet. Let’s take a moment to thank AppCode for the support it offered over the years, helping countless developers streamline their iOS development workflow.
