How to be top 1% of iOS Developers in 2024

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Being a top 1% developer isn’t just about mastering Swift, SwiftUI, and Xcode. It’s also about having a solid grasp of various languages, allowing you to blend them together to streamline your iOS project development.

In tech, everything becomes possible when you let your imagination run wild. It all boils down to having the right skills and a broad range of knowledge to bring those ideas to life.

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Let me share my recent experience that highlights why I favour for iOS developers to have a broad range of knowledge across various domains.

I recently joined a mid-sized tech company that solely focused on iOS applications. Within two days of starting, I gained access to the project’s GitHub repository and began exploring it. What surprised me was the extensive presence of legacy code written in Objective-C. Despite my confidence in Swift, having developed apps in it for the past five years, I was truly amazed by the project’s complexity.

It employed Objective-C for the legacy code while integrating Swift for newer features. The use of ‘.h’ files to bridge Swift with Objective-C was fascinating.

Furthermore, as the company specializes in providing frameworks and SDKs, hiding crucial code was a must. The existing developers ingeniously used bridging, along with Ruby and shell scripts, to achieve it.

If you’re an aspiring iOS developer aiming to stand out and work with top tech giants like Google, Facebook, Netflix, and others, mastering the following points can give you a significant edge.

What all to learn then

1. Embrace Automation When Feasible

With AI’s growing influence, neglecting automation might hinder you from being a 2x engineer. Acquiring a solid grasp of languages like Ruby and Python enhances your comprehension of tools such as Fastlane, CocoaPods, and popular GitHub repositories like Danger. These resources play a significant role in automating tasks within iOS projects.

2. Learn How to make Framework and SDK

The ability to create frameworks and SDKs demonstrates a strong grasp of iOS development essentials, design patterns, and top-notch practices. They streamline teamwork by setting clear boundaries between different elements, fostering seamless collaboration among large teams.

3. Learn Obj-C and Swift

Mastering both Objective-C and Swift for iOS framework and SDK development offers a distinct edge like Bridging the Past and Future. Objective-C ensures compatibility with older code and libraries, while Swift provides modern features for new frameworks. Supporting developers in both languages fosters teamwork and diverse expertise. Integration with third-party tools in either language expands the capabilities of the framework.

4. Mastering Unit and UI Test

In mid to large tech giants, dedicated teams handle feature implementation and write unit and UI test cases. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t learn how to write them yourself. Understanding these tests helps you add extra elements to your code, making life easier for other developers.

5. Wrting good documentation

Mastering the art of writing clear, concise documentation can be your secret weapon as an iOS developer. Imagine: your code is polished, your UI shines, but cryptic comments and confusing instructions leave colleagues and your future self scratching their heads. A Well-written documentation transforms such scenarios Your code, no matter how elegant, needs a verbal translator. Precise documentation explains logic, decisions, and edge cases, making your codebase a self-explanatory map for anyone who follows

Take a moment to reflect and share your thoughts in the comments. Appreciate your time reading the article.

Thank you, Do you have any questions or comments? 😊