Build Native iPhone/iPad Apps
Starting as a beginner with no programming experience
You want to build apps for iOS, or think you may have the next big idea. Problem is, you don’t have any experience or knowledge about programming. Where do you start?
That’s exactly where I was a year ago,and I’m just about to begin my journey as an iOS developer. To be honest, I wish I had been able to start building apps the moment I became interested, but I tend to get completely lost in my research. (Shiny, objects!) It has also taken me this long to uncover some of the hidden gems online, as there are a lot of new resources popping up and an almost secret society among iOS developers.
I can’t recall the number of times I came across discussions or read articles that claimed you have to know how to program in Objective C in order to build anything for the iPhone / iPad. While that is mostly true, the way it was presented always had an element of fear involved, as if to freak out anyone who dare ask.
I thought I would start my journey into iOS by way of design. I do have a degree in visual communications, after all. This iOS design stuff shouldn’t be too tough, right? (Yes and no) It’s not tough if you already understand design principles and where to go to learn what makes iOS so special.
I’m here to tell you that iOS development doesn’t need to be scary. Apple has some great resources and documentation, and the developer community is huge. To avoid information overload, the first place I would recommend starting is the iOS App Design Basics section to get an understanding of Apple’s design principles. You will see a couple of links that are crucial to understanding the big picture of iOS design. iOS Human Interface Guidelines and iOS Technology Overview are also both a must read.
I plan to create a series of articles here on Medium that showcase various sources of information for those beginning iOS design and development. Some will be free, while others will be paid solutions. For more guidance on how you can learn to build iOS apps, take a look at the following recommendations:
- Start Developing iOS Apps Today - a link in the Apple Developer section.
- iOS App Programming Guide - another link at Apple.
- Building iOS Apps From Scratch - excellent resource from the website Design then Code.
- Coding Together: Developing Apps for iPhone and iPad - Free iTunes U course by Standford University.
- Build an iPhone App at Treehouse - paid course, this link is an affiliate link for your first month free. Very reasonably priced, and the same course I’m currently enrolled in.
Feel free to let me know what you liked or disliked about my first Medium article.
Enjoy … Scott
