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Mobile applications are now a must for almost every online business. As many as 56% of online connections are made via mobile devices, according to the latest StatCounter data, making them higher than tablets and computers. What’s more, 27% of those were iOS devices, according to the same source.
So, we have no doubt ** — iOS app development is certainly worth the investment **. If you’re wondering which iOS development language is best for this purpose, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, you’ll find all the most important information on this topic, including:
- Key questions to keep in mind before you start building aN iOS app,
- The best programming language for iOS development,
- The best mobile cross-platform tool that enables you to develop applications for multiple operating systems simultaneously.
5 things to remember before you start using aN iOS app
Developing a good, comprehensive iOS app is a big deal that requires a lot of analysis and planning. That’s why we’ve prepared a short but handy list of things to keep in mind when you want your application to succeed.
1. Define the main purpose
Before you begin, you should consider why you decided to build your application and try to answer some simple questions, such as:
- Why do I want to build this application?
- What user needs will your application meet?
- Is there a similar solution on the market? If so, what makes my product unique?
When you answer these questions, not only will it be easier to present them to users, but you’ll also be better able to determine further plans for future application development.
2. Conduct market research
The next step is crucial, but many entrepreneurs forget it. In order for people to want to download your app, you first need to get to know them better.
You can do surveys or use customer segmentation and then create profiles of average target users based on nationality, age, gender, or other criteria.
This kind of action will allow you to create customized marketing campaigns to maximize downloads.
3. Prepare a detailed plan for your iOS app development
If you have successfully completed the first two points, you can proceed with the plan.
It should be as detailed as possible and contain all the necessary information. Below you will find a list of questions to ask yourself when preparing such a plan:
- Which technology is best suited for developing this application?
- What are the details of the user interface?
- How will you measure the success of your application?
- What activities can you do to bring your app idea to life?
- What security issues should you consider?
- Do you plan to develop releases for other operating systems in the future?
- What do you want to achieve?
4. Consider compatibility with multiple iOS versions
When developing aN iOS app, you need to keep in mind that not all iPhone users regularly update the system on their device. So, for example, if your application is only compatible with the latest version, and your user is using an older version – he or she may become disappointed and immediately delete the application.
This is why you should focus on preparing your application to be compatible with all possible versions of the system. This will take more time, but trust me – it’s easier than convincing disappointed users to reinstall it.
5. Evaluate your internal ability to build this application
The time and cost of developing an iOS app depends on its functionality and complexity. It is usually the work of a small number of specialists, including iOS developers, front-end developers, UX designers, UI designers, graphic designers, and even QA developers and project managers.
In addition, the team should have a good knowledge and understanding of the market and experience developing such applications. So, at the beginning, you should decide whether you want to involve your internal team or outsource your iOS application development.
7 techniques for iOS app development
When you’ve found the answers to all the questions listed above, it’s time to choose the iOS development language in which to write your application. Why is this so important?
Because if your application is successful, you’ll want to extend it with new features and possibly introduce other devices. That’s why it’s so important to define your long-term plans to determine which programming language will enable you to implement them.
Below we list the best techniques for iOS application development. Here you’ll find iOS specific and universal languages, as well as cross-platform frameworks. Review them and decide which one is best for your project.
1. Swift
Swift is a programming language for developing macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and tvOS solutions. Apple created it in 2014 as a successor to Objective-C. Swift is intended to work with frameworks like Cocoa and Cocoa Touch, as well as a large code base written in Objective-C for Apple products.
According to the Stack Overflow 2020 Developer Survey, Swift is the 17th most popular programming language in the world, with 5.9% of developers worldwide using it.
Swift for iOS Development — pros and cons
When to use Swift for iOS application development?
If you want to create an application relatively quickly that can be easily expanded later, Swift is a good choice. The language is relatively easy to learn and ensures a fast development process, as well as writing safe and reliable code. In addition, it is updated regularly, so you can easily make any improvements to your application.
2.Objective-C
Objective-c is a language that was created as an extension of the C programming language with object-oriented programming capabilities.
It was developed in the early 1980s by Tom Love and Brad Cox at their software company Stepstone, formerly known as PPI (International Productivity Products Company).
It is a general-purpose language used primarily for programming Apple’s operating systems (such as OS X and iOS) and their apis: Cocoa and Cocoa Touch.
According to Stack Overflow’s popularity report, Objective-C is ranked 20th, three places below Swift. Only 4.1 percent of developers worldwide currently use it.
Objective-c for iOS Development — Pros and cons
When to Use Objective-C for iOS application development?
Compare Swift to Objective-C, and in a few cases, Objective-C will be the better choice. It’s a mature language, and maybe even a little dated (the last version was released in 2016). Its popularity is declining, so finding developers to program in it can be challenging.
** So, when is Objective-C a better choice? ** It should only be considered if you want to create an application that can be used by everyone, including older versions of iOS that Swift does not support.
3. C#
C# is a high-level, object-oriented, general-purpose programming language. It was created as Microsoft’s answer to the Java language. C# is tightly integrated with the.net platform as both a framework and a runtime environment.
C# was developed and is most commonly used to write applications for Windows systems. However, since the.NET framework appears on Linux and Mac systems, it is possible to use the language to develop native software for almost any platform, including iOS.
C# is the seventh most popular programming language worldwide, used by 31.4% of software developers worldwide.
C# for iOS development – pros and cons
When to use C# for iOS application development?
The key to mobile C# development is to create the Xamarin platform for building Android and iOS applications. It uses Mono, an open source implementation of the.NET platform that runs on all major operating systems.
This programming language is a particularly good choice in the following situations:
- You have experienced C# developers on your team,
- You also plan to create mobile applications for Android users.
4. HTML5
HTML5 (HyperText Markup Language 5) is the fifth and last major version of HTML – the technology for creating and rendering web sites by defining the meaning and structure of their content.
Developers often use it in combination with CSS and JavaScript, which together are known as the “front End Three.”
Interestingly, knowledge of HTML5 also makes it possible to develop iOS applications with tools such as Apache Cordova or the aforementioned Visual Studio for Mac.
HTML is the second most popular technology in 2020, along with CSS.
HTML5 for iOS Development — Pros and cons
When to use HTML5 for iOS app development?
If you want to quickly develop a simple iOS app that can also be accessed offline, HTML5 is the way to go. If you have people on your team who specialize in HTML5 and can develop such applications, it’s worth considering this option.
5. Java
Java is an object-oriented, class-based, general-purpose programming language. Importantly, its code does not need to be recompiled to run on any platform.
Java is currently used by more than 9 million programmers worldwide, making it the fifth most popular programming language in the world.
Java is also one of the most popular languages for Android application development. However, with its extensive flexibility, you can also use it to build cross-platform applications.
Java for iOS Development — Pros and cons
When to use Java for iOS application development?
Despite its popularity and flexibility, Java is not a popular choice for iOS application development. However, if you already have an Android mobile application developed in Java, you should consider using the same programming language to create the iOS version.
6. React Native
React Native is a cross-platform framework launched by Facebook in 2015. Today, it is one of the most popular cross-platform tools. It uses JavaScript to create native applications, allowing software developers to build mobile applications using Web site technologies.
It’s used by brands like Facebook, Snapchat, or Instagram, so you can be sure the solution is trustworthy.
React Native for iOS development — Pros and cons
When to use React Native for mobile application development?
If you want to develop mobile apps for both iOS and Android, and your team includes JavaScript or React Native experts, React Native is the perfect choice. The solution will enable you to save time and money, and – given its popularity in the world’s most popular mobile applications – you can be sure it’s a proven solution.
7. Flutter
The Flutter is a comprehensive application software development kit (SDK) that includes ready-to-use widgets and tools. It was founded by Google in 2015 and officially launched in 2017.
The tool allows building cross-platform applications, providing Flutter developers with an easy way to create visually appealing, natively compiled mobile, Web, and desktop applications using just one code base.
Flutter for iOS Development — Pros and cons
When to use Flutter for mobile application development?
Flutter is worth considering, especially if you plan to create not only iOS and Android applications, but desktop and Web versions as well.
In addition, the tool is based on the Dart programming language, so if your team members know the language — this will be the right choice for your company.
summary
Choosing the best programming language for iOS is an important decision that can have a critical impact on the success of your idea. This is why you should define your needs and expectations, and choose the solution that works best for you based on that.
If you’re still in doubt about which technology to choose — here’s a brief summary of the most important differences between the technologies.
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