How to get started with iOS

Pickaboo!

So you are interested in iOS development? Great, here’s how you can get started. I’ve been a full time iOS developer for many years and amazingly the process hasn’t changed.

Requirements

• An Apple computer
• Patience
• A will to learn

The Process

Download Xcode

As a programmer, one of your main jobs is to write code. This code will do nothing unless you have a tool which can convert it into an interactive thing, like an iOS App. The official tool used by most iOS developers is called Xcode and it’s free to download and use from the Mac App Store.

Install Xcode

Once you have Xcode downloaded, consider it installed and ready to be opened. One thing to note, when opened it will most likely ask you to install additional things, this only happens the very first time you open it. Have your computer’s admin password on hand (you might want to get your parents involved here).

Create a Hello World App

As a toddler you are probably not aware of a 1972 book, A Tutorial Introduction to the Language B by Brian Kernigham. But that book arguably solidified the first steps every programmer takes when you learn a new programming language. You write code that simply prints out hello world.

1. Open Xcode
2. Press Command + Shift + N to create a New Project
3. A popup will appear, leave whatever is selected by default
4. The next popup will ask you what to name your project, I suggest Hello World
5. The next prompt will ask you where to save this project, choose anywhere you like on your hard drive. Note where you saved it so you can come back to it later.
6. You will notice, by default when creating a new project in Xcode, it already creates a Hello World sample code.
7. Now all you have to do is compile the code and see all your hard work in action. You can do this by pressing Command + R on your keyboard.

Conclusion

Congratulations, you just took the very first steps to becoming an iOS developer. There is a long road ahead if you choose to take this further. In fact, this road never really ends. To be a programmer of any kind, constant learning is simply part of the job. Get comfortable with the idea that there will always be more to learn and you’ll be ok.

xoxo dad