How to Develop an iOS App & Why Choose the iOS Platform?

In the evolving app market, developers face significant challenges on platforms like Google Play due to policy and algorithm restrictions. But should developers throw in the towel? Absolutely not!

Remember, the app market is bigger than just Google Play. It's time to shift gears and start building your iOS app empire! This guide provides a detailed roadmap on how to develop an iOS app and achieve higher goals.

Options for Developing an iOS App

1.  iOS App Builders

Using no-code app builders such as AppyPie can quickly bring an idea to the Apple Store, even for those without coding knowledge. However, this often results in sub-par outcomes.

2.  Learning iOS Development

If you're aiming to create an iOS app on your own or want to become a competitive software developer, diving into iOS development is a solid choice. It can take weeks or even months to become proficient enough to start building an app. However, the learning curve can be steep and time-consuming, potentially delaying your idea from being quickly and effectively brought to life.

3.  Hiring an iOS Developer

In a cutthroat marketplace, speed can make or break your app's success. Sometimes, the smartest move is to hire a professional: either a mobile app development company (a team of expert developers and UX specialists) or a freelancer (a solo developer). A team often brings greater expertise, flexibility, and reliability to meet your business goals, ensuring your app stands out from the crowd.

👉 The 5 Biggest Challenges Of iOS App Development You Don't Know About

Steps to Becoming an iOS Mobile App Developer

Step 1: Choose an iOS Language

To kick off your iOS app development journey, you'll need to choose between two main programming languages: Swift and Objective-C. Swift, which became Apple's official language in 2014, is relatively young but boasts a robust support community.

The learning curve for iOS development heavily depends on your prior development experience, familiarity with programming languages, aptitude, and the time you dedicate to learning. Generally speaking, Swift is considered easier to learn and is a great starting point for most developers.

Step 2: Find an iOS App Development Tutorial that Best Fits Your Learning Style

There are numerous fantastic resources for learning how to code in Swift and Objective-C. The key is to find the iOS app development tutorial that aligns with your level of knowledge and preferred learning style.

Resources for Learning iOS App Development:

• Official Apple Website: Offers Swift resources, including documentation, videos, a structured curriculum, and interactive Swift Playgrounds.
• Apple Documentation for Objective-C: Comprehensive guides and references.
• Online Academies: Platforms like CodeAcademy, Udemy, Coursera, PluralSight, and JetBrains offer courses, including official Apple Swift courses.
• Books & In-Person Classes: Traditional learning methods that provide in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience.

Step 3: Enroll in the Apple Developer Program

Before diving into iOS development or creating an app, you need to enroll in the Apple Developer Program. You can join as either an individual or an organization, though the latter has more stringent requirements. While a free account allows you to download Apple tools for developing and testing iOS apps, you'll need a paid membership to submit your apps for review and distribution on the Apple App Store.

Step 4: Download Xcode

Xcode is Apple’s integrated development environment (IDE) for macOS, essential for developing applications across iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and tvOS. While it's widely used for Swift programming, Xcode also supports multiple other languages, including Objective-C, C, C++, Java, AppleScript, Python, Ruby, and more.

Xcode comes with the iOS software development kit (SDK), tools, compilers, and frameworks necessary for designing and coding an iOS app. Keep in mind that Xcode is only compatible with macOS.

Step 5: Design & Build the App

Without the expertise of design and user experience (UX) / user interface (UI) professionals, an app can appear and feel unprofessional. However, Apple simplifies UI design with SwiftUI, its user interface toolkit. SwiftUI employs declarative programming, which describes how the UI should visually appear, allowing Xcode to generate the code or providing the option to generate code with a real-time UI preview.

To get started on this stage of the iOS development tutorial:

• Start a New Project:
  • Create a name for your project.
  • Select SwiftUI if you plan to use it for the interface.
  • Begin with a Single View App for simplicity in your first project.

Open the “Project Name” Group in the Project Navigator:

• Open the “Project Name” Group in the Project Navigator:
  • The project will start with a display of "Hello World" that you can delete or preview (click “Resume” in Editor and Canvas mode). This is just to demonstrate how SwiftUI works.

SwiftUI enables quick development and translation of views for various platforms, with automatic adjustments of container sizes, padding, spacing, and colors for each platform.

While SwiftUI is powerful, it may produce complicated errors that are not yet well-documented, and the community ecosystem for support is still maturing. Larger brands should consider hiring UX designers to create, test, and implement more customized solutions. Ideally, both design and development should be iterative processes, seeking and integrating feedback to ensure the app meets business goals.

Step 6: Test & Deploy

After building your iOS app with Swift, the next crucial step is testing.

Testing Your App:

1. Xcode Simulator:Use Xcode’s simulation app to preview how your app looks and functions on various devices.
2. Automated Testing:Employ tools like the XCTest framework and iOS Unit tests for thorough automated testing.
3. Real Device Testing:Conduct real-world testing on various iPhones and iOS versions to gather user feedback.

Deploying Your App:

1. Prepare for Submission:
   1. Ensure your app is stable and meets the latest App Store submission requirements, including the new rule that allows users to delete their account from within the app.
2. Submit to the App Store:
   1. Submit your app for review, which typically takes 2-3 days.
   2. If the app is rejected, use the feedback to make necessary changes and resubmit.

By following these steps, you can ensure your app is well-tested and ready for deployment on the Apple App Store.

💡 Important Note:

ASOWorld does not provide app development services. For development, please choose a professional development team. However, we do offer comprehensive ASO (App Store Optimization) services, including metadata, keywords, reviews, and ratings optimization after your app is launched. These services help improve your app's visibility and download rates.

👉 For more detailed information, please refer to our document: A Collection Of Questions About The Process Of Launching iOS App.



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Shorten the iOS Development Learning Curve

Start Small

Begin by mastering basic concepts and creating sample apps to test these functions and features.

Always Test

Regularly simulate the app within Xcode to account for different screen sizes, iOS versions, and usability components.

Learn at the Right Pace

For new programmers, practicing 2-4 hours a day can lead to fluency in about 6 months, with an additional 3-9 months to develop a new app.

Be Patient

The first few apps may have errors or not function as intended. Persistence is key, as the average app takes 3 to 9 months to develop.

Keep Learning

Stay updated with changing mobile app trends and requirements through blogs, news sites, forums, and official Apple developer news.

💡 Expert Insights: At ASOWorld, we have extensive practical experience in App Store Optimization (ASO). For more detailed strategies, refer to our comprehensive article: Mastering iOS App Store Algorithm 2024: In-Depth ASO Strategies to Boost Your App's Visibility.

This article delves into the latest iOS app ranking algorithms and provides actionable insights to enhance your app's performance on the App Store.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is iOS development harder than Android development?

iOS development is generally easier due to Swift's high readability compared to Java. However, this may change as Kotlin advances.

Are Xcode and Swift the same?

No, Swift is a programming language, while Xcode is an integrated development environment used to build Apple-related apps.

Why do iOS apps make more money?

iOS apps generate more revenue due to their popularity in high-income regions like Japan and the United States, where users are willing to spend more on apps.

Conclusion

Developing an iOS app offers a viable alternative to the challenges faced on platforms like Google Play. By choosing the right development path, utilizing available resources, and staying persistent, achieving success in the iOS app market is within reach.



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