Introduction to Xcode — iOS Development
Xcode is an Integrated Development Environment for constructing applications for Apple platforms like iPhones, iPad, MacBooks, etc. Integrated Development Environment or IDE is a program that is used to build other programs. It only works in Apple operating systems like macOS, iMac, etc. Apple launched it in the year 2003. Every IDE consists of three parts: the editor, the debugger, and the interface builder. The editor is the part where a programmer writes code. The debugger is the part that informs a programmer of an error and helps him to rectify it. The interface builder is the part where a programer works on the visual elements of the app and integrates them with the code.
Xcode, over the years, has made a lot of remarkable development, and the recently updated versions are well furnished with all the features that are needed. The main languages used with Xcode are Swift, Objective-C, C, and C++. But Xcode supports many other languages. It supports C, C++, Objective-C, Objective-C++, Java, AppleScript, Python, Ruby, Rez, and Swift source code with a variety of programming models, including but not limited to Cocoa, Carbon, and Java.
Swift is a powerful and intuitive programming language for macOS, iOS, watchOS, and beyond. Swift includes modern features that the developers love.
Swift is a general-purpose, multi-paradigm, compiled programming language developed by Apple Inc. for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and Linux. Swift is designed to work with Apple’s Cocoa and Cocoa Touch frameworks and the vast body of existing Objective-C code written for Apple products.
Difference between Xcode and Swift.
The main difference between Xcode and Swift is that Xcode is an Integrated Development Environment(IDE), which means that Xcode includes many additional tools for development. A few examples are debugger, source control, device management, iPhone Simulator, profiling tools, Interface Builder, documentation, and much more to build Mac IOS applications.
Swift is a powerful programming language developed by Apple. Swift is the result of the latest research on programming languages, combined with decades of experience building Apple platforms. Named parameters are expressed in a clean syntax that makes APIs in Swift even more comfortable to read and maintain. Even better, you don’t even need to type semi-colons. Inferred types make code cleaner and less inclined to mistakes, while modules eliminate headers and provide namespaces. Memory is managed automatically using tight, deterministic reference counting, keeping memory usage to a minimum without the overhead of garbage collection.
Apple products are everywhere, be it homes, offices around the globe are filled with iPhone, MacBook, watches, etc. Regardless of the OS or devices, you intend to develop, Swift, is the language that powers them all.
Apple has released various versions of Xcode over the years.
If you want to develop an application with the best features and in an efficient way, firstly, you need the latest version of Xcode on your working systems.
Follow these steps to learn the whole procedure to get started with Xcode:
STEP 1: Downloading latest version of Xcode on your working devices:
You can easily download the latest version of Xcode (11.5) from the Apple App Store or Apple’s website on any one of your systems. Click Here.
Step 2: Open Xcode:
On clicking the Xcode icon on your system, a screen welcomes you with its version number. On the window, there are various options for you to get started with.
— Get started with a playground:
This is an option for a beginner or any iOS developer who wishes to learn the development of language Swift.
— Create a new Xcode project:
This option is for you to start creating a new project on Xcode. Most of the time, it is used for application-based development.
— Check out an existing project:
This option is for those who have already created or have a project on Xcode and wish to view or open it.
Since we are talking about using Xcode for application development, click on Create a new Xcode project.
STEP 3: Choose a suitable template for your App:
After you click on the button, a screen will pop like the picture displayed below.
Next, you have to choose the type of application template you want to develop.
Since we are talking about the basics, click on Single View App, and hit next. Other types of application templates are also available like a gaming app, an Augmented Reality App, an iMessage App, a Sticker Pack App, etc.
STEP 4: Project description and other details.
After you hit next, another screen pops up for you to type out the project description and related option.
As the screen below, the first option is,
— Display name:-
You can give any name which you want, but the better practice is to provide an appropriate name for your product.
— Organization name:-
It’s merely the name of your organization or group of developers whatever you want to call it
— Bundle identifier:-
It’s a unique name that gives uniqueness to your application on the AppStore market. This is an essential part of Production. So, choose a Product name & organization identifier carefully.
— Language:-
It’s a selection option for the Xcode project, like which language you choose for development. Xcode project provides two languages; C objective and Swift. You should select Swift because it is the latest one.
— Devices:
There are three options available:-
- iPhone: an app that only is available for iPhones.
- iPad: an app that runs only on the iPad.
- Universal app: an app that runs on both the iPhone and the iPad.
STEP 5: Saving your project on desired location:
Now click the next button. It asks you to choose a location to save and create your project on your Mac. Choose any folder you like and click on the create button.
STEP 6: Final Xcode Project Screen.
The final Xcode project screen looks like the one shown below.
For an Xcode project, there are various files for you to navigate and also to code and design your interface.
Navigation Area — This area is used for navigation form from one file to another and also coding to designing a part or vice versa.
Debug Area — This area is used for debugging purposes. After running the project, you can debug any code with this area & put some breakpoints to view specific code execution.
Editor Area — This area is used for designing the screen of iOS devices & is mainly used for coding areas where you can write code related to selected types in the Navigation area.
Simulation of your application:
There’s a play and stop button on the top, which is used to test your application on Xcode provided simulation devices. This contains the different sizes of Simulator means different iOS device types like iPhone 5, 5s, iPhone 6, 6s, iPhone 7, 7s, iPad Air, Mini, etc. You can choose any device in which you want to test your apps.
Now close your project and go to the directory where you saved your project. You always open the name .xcodeproj, and it will open the whole project on Xcode.
And voila! You have created your first Xcode project in simple six steps successfully. Now you can efficiently start developing your application.
Greetings, I am Nandini Aggarwal, a learner of iOS development at Apple Developers Group. I am a B-Tech student of Computer Science here at Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore.
Thank you for reading!
