iOS App Development Guide for Tech Leaders

Conceptualization

Developing apps for iOS usually begins with a concrete base idea. So, before you initiate the development phase, conduct market research to ensure your iOS app addresses a proper need.  

Development and Testing

Once you are set with the market research data, you can start your development process which includes,  

• Coding 

• Testing 

• Debugging 

Deployment

The next set of processes that require the utmost attention is application deployment (launching on the App Store) and post-deployment support based on user feedback. Once the product is live in the market, constantly engage with your users and the support team for further optimization and to attend to quick issues it can seriously hamper the reputation of your brand.

iOS App Development Environment

 Building iOS apps requires an exclusive development environment tailored to the ecosystem of Apple. In this section, we shall deep dive into the important components of the iOS app development environment and how you can set it up for your success. 

Mac Computer: To develop iOS apps, you need a Mac system. This is a basic requirement because Apple's development tools are made exclusively for its MacOS environment.  

Xcode: Apple's official integrated development environment for iOS app development is Xcode. It contains whatever you need to design, develop, test, and debug iOS apps. Xcode can be easily downloaded and installed from the Mac App store. 

iOS SDK: The iOS Software Development Kit (SDK) is a basically a collection of tools, frameworks, and libraries that helps you to build iOS applications. Xcode usually contains the latest iOS SDK.

Apple Developer Account: To publish your apps on the App Store and use some of its development resources, you must register in the Apple Developer Program. Though this program charges an annual fee, it provides various benefits, including beta testing and app submission privileges.

Simulators and Devices: Xcode offers iOS simulators that helps you to test your app on virtual iOS devices. For quality testing purposes, it's recommended to have access to physical iOS devices, including iPhones and iPads.

Version Control System: Always consider using a version control system like Git to use and manage your codebase effectively. Platforms like GitHub and Bitbucket are famous choices for iOS developers to easily track changes. 

External Devices for Testing: To check your app functionality on iOS devices, invest in an iPhone and an iPad for quality assurance purposes. This is an extremely important step for analyzing performance and user experience. 

Code Editor: Though Xcode includes a code editor, some iOS app developers prefer using third-party code editors like Visual Studio Code for code organization and personalization

The programming language you choose for iOS app development plays a pivotal role. Technology companies need to understand the available programming languages for iOS development. Choose the best one that fits best your business' goals. In this section, you will learn the two basic languages for iOS app development: Swift and Objective-C

Cloud computing: The cloud is no longer a choice; it's a must. More than ever, offshore teams are using cloud computing services to make it easier for people to work together, store more data, and grow as needed. The whole point is to make growth easier and more adaptable.  

Agile and DevOps:  Agile and DevOps are being used by more remote teams to shorten development processes and make them more efficient. With this change, development methods will be more flexible and turnaround times will be shorter.  

Artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine learning (ML): AI & ML development services aren't just trendy terms; they're changing the way we solve problems and come up with new ideas in software development. These tools are being used by offshore teams to make better, easier-to-use apps.  

Cybersecurity: As dangers change, so must protections. Adding security steps from the start of software application development is becoming more popular, especially as more people work from home. To protect against breaches, offshore teams are putting a high priority on secure code and data security strategies.  

Sustainability: People are becoming more aware of environmental problems, so there is a push for more environmentally friendly ways of creating software. This involves making code more energy-efficient and picking server choices that are good for the environment.

Swift:  

Swift is Apple's modern and developer-friendly programming language designed specifically for iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS app development.  

Why is Swift preferred by iOS developers? Here are some key reasons: 

• Readability: Swift's syntax is brief and expressive. It makes the code more readable and leaves no room for erros. 

• Safety: Swift brought in features like type inference, optionals, and automatic memory management, to strengthen code safety and avoid common programming errors.

• Performance: Swift is exclusively created for high performance, thus delivering comparable performance to Objective-C while being a whole lot easier to optimize.

• Interoperability: Existing Objective-C frameworks and libraries can be easily used in your Swift codebase because it is fully interoperable with Objective-C. 
  
• Community Support: Swift has an ever-growing and energetic developer community, resulting in a massive pool of online resources, libraries, and open-source projects. 

Objective-C:

Though Swift has gained popularity of late, Objective-C still has a long history as the primary programming language for iOS and macOS development.  

Here are a few reasons why Objective-C is preferred today.   

• Legacy Code: If you are looking to scale your existing app built in Objective-C, then you would have to continue using it to counter compatibility issues. 

• Access to C Libraries: Objective-C offers instant and direct access to C libraries, thus making it apt for low-level system programming.

• Large Codebase: For projects with vast Objective-C codebases, transferring completely to Swift may not practically work. Hence, a mixed-language approach might be needed.