iOS Using Older Xcode to learn iOS App Programming

[Altis]

A colleague of mine is looking to learn to create iOS apps, but does not yet have an Apple computer. I have a spare 2013 MacBook Air running macOS Big Sur, which as I understand it can only use Xcode 13.2.1 (Dec 2021) to create programs for macOS 12.1 and iOS 15.2. My plan was to give them this computer to use as they don't have a lot of spare funds for a new computer and aren't really sure if they'll take to it.

My question is whether it is of any value to learn on an outdated machine. Obviously, they would not be able to make apps for the latest OS builds, but would apps they make for the slightly older versions still run? Has enough changed that using out-of-date software to learn would be a waste of time or would there be a big difference in learning on a newer machine (in terms of the relevance of what they can learn and create on it)?

Thanks in advance. Neither of us know the answer but I wouldn't want to start them off on the wrong foot, only to find out nothing they make runs on any recent software build and everything they learned has since changed.

 

[casperes1996]

It’s perfectly fine. At my work we have to support iOS 12 which means that we for the most part write code exactly as if it were on an old system. We do have areas where we have features that only work on newer system that is, in the code, hidden behind a check that the iOS version running the code is recent enough to use the feature. But for the most part it’s not too different depending on which API you use. Besides programming fundamentals translate to anything and are useful no matter what technology changes underneath you. At work I also occasionally work with Android. Its way of doing things is very different but the fundamentals are the same so it doesn’t matter too much.

Besides iOS 15 is still fairly recent anyway and a lot of nicer APIs were introduced with it so 15 is a good entry point.

If you really want to run something newer it’s possible to use open core legacy patcher to get the machine running Ventura but it is of course unsupported.

Ps. When I say API that is application programming interface and for simplicity sake think of it as the way you interact with the system.

 

[Altis]

Thank you @casperes1996 for your helpful reply! I'll pass the machine on to them and they can see how they get on. Have to start somewhere and learn along the way!

 

[OrenLindsey]

If you really want the newest Xcode version, you can use open core legacy patcher to install the current OS.

 

[MisterSavage]

I don't know. When I started with Xcode I was perfectly happy with my 7 year old iMac for everything else but I found it was just brutally slow doing compiles if I wasn't doing the most basic of examples. I found it almost unbearable until I upgraded.

 

[Altis]

I don't know. When I started with Xcode I was perfectly happy with my 7 year old iMac for everything else but I found it was just brutally slow doing compiles if I wasn't doing the most basic of examples. I found it almost unbearable until I upgraded.

That's part of what I'm worried about. I'm not too sure how CPU-intensive it is for smaller projects but I suppose they will find out rather quickly whether or not it's doable. I was more worried about learning outdated/irrelevant material and workflows by using an older kit and whether it would even run on newer versions of iOS).

 

[MisterSavage]

That's part of what I'm worried about. I'm not too sure how CPU-intensive it is for smaller projects but I suppose they will find out rather quickly whether or not it's doable. I was more worried about learning outdated/irrelevant material and workflows by using an older kit and whether it would even run on newer versions of iOS).

You could still do a good deal of learning with Swift with playgrounds on an older machine. That would be no problem I would think.

 

[Altis]

You could still do a good deal of learning with Swift with playgrounds on an older machine. That would be no problem I would think.

That's a good point, too. I will pass it along that it could be a good way to get into it.

 

[Rnd-chars]

Also, while compiles won’t be fast on an older machine, the code a beginner creates likely won’t be complicated or large enough for it to be the bottleneck.

You can also recommend to your friend to check out ChatGPT when they get stuck (which they will at some point), which does a surprisingly good job generating Swift/SwiftUI code.