iOS Learn Swift or Objective C for Iphone App

[sasaOvie]

Hello i'm new to this forum, i'm sorry if this question already was asked.

I want to start programming ios apps for iphone/ipad. I have got experience in java, c#, javascript, unity, python and some more. But i have never made an iphone or android app. Which i want to do to find out if i like it.

The question would be: which language Swift of Objective C is better to learn nowadays and what can be achieved with one that you cannot achieve with the other?
In short: what is the difference in these two languages?

 

[Zazoh]

You'll need to know both unless you are working for yourself only. I'd dip my toes in with Swift. Programing can be boiled down to some key concepts with regards to

1. Variables
2. Arrays
3. IF / Then
4. Loops
5. Storage

The most important part, like in Java, is knowing what Library objects to interact with. Need to register so you can search and interact with the libraries.
Another thread, same question:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/learn-objective-c-or-swift.1800409/

Blog with Differences.
http://www.tothenew.com/blog/12-key-differences-between-objective-c-and-swift/

 

[sasaOvie]

Thank you very much, Zazoh. This really helped me getting the info i needed.

I am doing it as a hobby next to my job. I think i'll start with swift. I've done c++ so objective C shouldn't be to hard i guess.

 

[throAU]

if you're just starting i'd learn swift. it is safer, can be optimised further, is cross platform and can also be used for scripting.

it may not be quite so mature, but the writing is on the wall for objective c as far as general app development goes.

i'm not saying to pay zero attention to objective c, but swift is the path forward from here.

 

[deadworlds]

I recommend you take a look at apples books “app development with swift”. The beginning of the book covers most of the swift syntax. The rest of the book covers some of the iOS API with lots of projects and examples.

Make sure you also download the teacher edition of the book, so you get access to solutions.

 

[firewood]

Before the public release of Swift 3, I would have said Objective C, because supporting Swift 1, 2 and the 3 beta as they evolved was a mess of incompatibility. Now, I only recommend Objective C and C for finishing or maintaining existing apps, and for apps that need to use the latest university research algorithms (image analysis, music synthesis, etc.) and/or lots of legacy C libraries.

Also, most of the newer books on iOS 10 (and later) are in, or are going to be in Swift.

 

[spiffers]

In short, Swift.

Objective-C is not going away any soon, but it will be used for niche projects/classes. Same goes for programming in assembly. The problem is that a lot of the needs for fast real time code are covered in Metal, but I think there is still some space for both of them.

 

[Hagrid]

Am I the only developer that still doesn't like Swift? Swift, which they say is easier to read, sometimes makes me scratch my head. I just "Grok" Objective C, not so much with Swift. Maybe it's because I never learned any scripting languages(as I'm a hardware dude). YMMV

 

[Markoth]

Am I the only developer that still doesn't like Swift? Swift, which they say is easier to read, sometimes makes me scratch my head. I just "Grok" Objective C, not so much with Swift. Maybe it's because I never learned any scripting languages(as I'm a hardware dude). YMMV

Do some serious development in Swift, and you’ll grow to love it, once you get used to its somewhat highly punctuated syntax.

 

[deadworlds]

Sorry to hijack the thread but I have a similar question. I come from a c++ background and have been working with swift for over a year now so I’m comfortable using it. My question is, should I bother to learn objective-c or just stick to swift?

 

[firewood]

Sorry to hijack the thread but I have a similar question. I come from a c++ background and have been working with swift for over a year now so I’m comfortable using it. My question is, should I bother to learn objective-c or just stick to swift?

Learn Objective C if you plan on reading or working with legacy code in Objective C, using unique libraries that aren't being adapted for Swift in time to meet your needs, or need APIs (there are still a few) where there is no good Swift documentation yet. Otherwise, stick with Swift and C.

 

[PhoneyDeveloper]

You can learn the objective-c syntax in a day or so. The important details are the system APIs, which are essentially the same in swift and objective-c. Doing a few objective-c tutorials wouldn't hurt any iOS developer.

 

[TokMok3]

Hello i'm new to this forum, i'm sorry if this question already was asked.

I want to start programming ios apps for iphone/ipad. I have got experience in java, c#, javascript, unity, python and some more. But i have never made an iphone or android app. Which i want to do to find out if i like it.

The question would be: which language Swift of Objective C is better to learn nowadays and what can be achieved with one that you cannot achieve with the other?
In short: what is the difference in these two languages?

If you decide to learn Swift, make sure you start learning Swift 4.0, because there has been a lot of changes from Swift 1.0. Make sure your books are Swift 4.0, otherwise your are into a nightmare of code not compiling.

 

[scottwb]

Swift - especially now the server side swift is progressing. I've recently developed some IBM OpenWhisk actions in swift and porting the business logic from my app to the server was a breeze. This wouldn't have been possible with objective-c

 

[bjet767]

Yes this question has been posted many times.

If one has never programmed before, iOS is both easy and very long/deep at the same time to learn. The API is very robust with a huge base of code and techniques to it.

Learn Swift because that is what Apple wants new folks to do. If you know any form of object based C learn objectiveC, it's the heart of all Apple operating systems.

One advantage to Swift, does more with less typing.

 

[jjxt1]

Swift - 1. easy to learn , read and write (don't believe me? read some objc code and swift code and see for yourself)
2. newer language and got all the good stuff from all other language
Objc - easy to find a job right now

and 1 simple logic - if objc is good, swift will not be born. Simple as that.

 

[DeepIn2U]

I recommend you take a look at apples books “app development with swift”. The beginning of the book covers most of the swift syntax. The rest of the book covers some of the iOS API with lots of projects and examples.

Make sure you also download the teacher edition of the book, so you get access to solutions.

How would one go about doing this without the need to register as a developer? Can this be done in iBooks as I don't see the teacher edition.

 

[deadworlds]

How would one go about doing this without the need to register as a developer? Can this be done in iBooks as I don't see the teacher edition.

Getting the teacher version doesn't require a developer account. However you should sign up for the free developer account so that you can at least install and run your programs on a real phone/ipad

This is a link to the teachers version of the "App development with swift."
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/app-development-with-swift/id1219118093?mt=11

Page 7 of this book includes links to "Student Materials" and "Teacher materials", they are the white circles with arrows. The rest of the book is not particularly useful.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Getting the teacher version doesn't require a developer account. However you should sign up for the free developer account so that you can at least install and run your programs on a real phone/ipad

This is a link to the teachers version of the "App development with swift."
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/app-development-with-swift/id1219118093?mt=11

Page 7 of this book includes links to "Student Materials" and "Teacher materials", they are the white circles with arrows. The rest of the book is not particularly useful.

AWESOME! Seems the books with white background and Yelow font are the Teacher Guides.

Much appreciated!

 

[firewood]

If you only plan to do new iOS app development, the Swift will be the better option, as the vast majority of new iOS documentation, example code and tutorials are being written for Swift.

If you plan on working with or maintaining legacy iOS and Mac code, then learning Objective C may be required.

If you plan on doing a lot of coding outside of mobile, then exposure to the C subset of Objective C will be useful in other career paths including a lot of real-time, embedded system, and OS system programming.

 

[grandM]

Swift - especially now the server side swift is progressing. I've recently developed some IBM OpenWhisk actions in swift and porting the business logic from my app to the server was a breeze. This wouldn't have been possible with objective-c

any good book on server side development?