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iOS Where to start with Software Development

S

ShaneBunting

Suspended
Original poster
Aug 10, 2009
161
0
United Kingdom
Hello, I'm not sure if there's a good thread like this (or a simple one).. if so, Please point me to it! :)

But I'm looking to get into Xcode and Objective-C programming.

However, I don't know anything about C. I did a bit of Java, so I understand some of the 'global' characteristics of programming, but I'd like to learn C/Objective-C and get straight into Xcode if possible.

What's the best book/tutorial/video series to go to for learning this completely by myself, my motivation and my Mac?

I'd appreciate all responses!
 
If you already know how to write programs decently well (Java, et.al. and debugging your code), then the stickies at the top, and the pointers to Apple's videos, the Stanford online course and the Big Nerd Ranch books are often highly recommended. I suggest trying all three.
 
I meant a very basic understanding of Java, I could only make plain text based 'programs' as such. I'll try looking at Big Nerd Ranch books online.

Do the Stanford videos assume any kind of knowledge or are they ok for absolute beginners?
 
The videos do assume a pretty fair understanding of ObjC/OOP. He does slow down on some parts, but clearly these are not entry level students.

IMO, they assume basic OOP and Xcode. They explain MVC and other concepts but IMO, that's a bit beyond entry level OOP.

IMO, the BNR (Big Nerd Ranch) is a better place to start... IMO, it's better to re-learn some things than it is to skip over some basic concepts. Lynda.com starts out pretty entry level as well, so Lynda.com or BNR would be better choices.
 
Last edited:
ShaneBunting said:
Do the Stanford videos assume any kind of knowledge or are they ok for absolute beginners?
Click to expand...

The prerequisites for the Stanford iOS course include 2 prior courses: Programming Methodology and Programming Abstractions, both of which are available on iTunes U. But those two courses are not easy unless one has some prior programming experience (a beginning programming class of some sort).

Also, the BNR books leave out almost all discussion of the two above topics, which can leave one crippled in understanding of some programming concepts useful or necessary to some types of iOS development.
 
ShaneBunting said:
Hello, I'm not sure if there's a good thread like this (or a simple one).. if so, Please point me to it! :)

But I'm looking to get into Xcode and Objective-C programming.

However, I don't know anything about C. I did a bit of Java, so I understand some of the 'global' characteristics of programming, but I'd like to learn C/Objective-C and get straight into Xcode if possible.

What's the best book/tutorial/video series to go to for learning this completely by myself, my motivation and my Mac?

I'd appreciate all responses!
Click to expand...

See if you can understand and follow this guide from Apple.

https://developer.apple.com/library...s.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40011210-CH3-SW1
 
KarlJay said:
The videos do assume a pretty fair understanding of ObjC/OOP. He does slow down on some parts, but clearly these are not entry level students.

IMO, they assume basic OOP and Xcode. They explain MVC and other concepts but IMO, that's a bit beyond entry level OOP.

IMO, the BNR (Big Nerd Ranch) is a better place to start... IMO, it's better to re-learn some things than it is to skip over some basic concepts. Lynda.com starts out pretty entry level as well, so Lynda.com or BNR would be better choices.
Click to expand...

I remember the Stanford course being gated by one or two semester length programming courses in their curriculum. I looked it up online a while ago. It's probably one of their electives.
 
It would be nice to have a series of videos (or just one long-ish video) that showed how to build a very basic app. Let's say one for a shopping list (tons of those on the store - nothing terribly proprietary there) - showing from beginning to end how to do it - then showing little tweaks like changing the font, backgorund color or tying into reminders in iOS, etc.
 
freelancing said:
It would be nice to have a series of videos (or just one long-ish video) that showed how to build a very basic app. Let's say one for a shopping list (tons of those on the store - nothing terribly proprietary there) - showing from beginning to end how to do it - then showing little tweaks like changing the font, backgorund color or tying into reminders in iOS, etc.
Click to expand...

Ray Wenderlich's site has recently added video tutorials. Perhaps that will be one of them.
 
I think lynda has one that walks you through an rss reader. Has the full code for an app in the store. The series is data based apps or something like that.
 
I had no knowledge of programming, past some basic web stuff, (HTML, CSS, jQuery, PHP etc.)

I read Big Nerd Ranch Objective-C and iOS programming and I am now very comfortable in the SDK and am happy jumping into the API documentation when I want to use different Cocoa Touch Objects for my projects.

Highly Reccomended.

Instead of just learning how to hack apps together (how i started), by following tutorials and not really understanding the concepts, I found that reading these two book (took a few weeks) gave me a very thorough understanding of using the SDK, protocols, block and using the documentation properly etc.
 
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