February 9, 2015 at 5:54 pm

Creating an iOS application. From idea to result

• iOS development

It all started when I looked around and, not seeing the car of my dreams, decided to design it myself
Ferdinand Porsche

Hello, Habr. I want to tell you how I created my own first iOS application and what came of it.

Idea

The idea for the application arose naturally: create something that you would be happy to use yourself. I write notes all the time. After all, every busy person has a certain set of facts that he receives during the day, and which are worth remembering. And since everyone forgets (and that’s normal!), there’s no better solution than just writing it down. I always felt some kind of inconvenience when working with the note-taking applications presented in the AppStore. Excessive complexity in management, presence of unnecessary categories, clutter additional information- all this prevents the application from performing its main function. Plus, many of these things just look ugly.

Therefore, putting all bets on simplicity and convenience, I began to create a concept. Application model with a single list of notes. Everything in one place, what could be simpler? If something is of great value or relevance, it is not necessary to attach a label to it, because it is enough to simply move more important note to the top of the list. Old and unnecessary entries will gradually fall down and will subsequently be removed by the user.

Functional

After the concept was thought up, I wrote down the main functionality - those things that I would like to focus on in management:

Enough standard functionality for this kind of application, you agree. But this is just the tip of the iceberg, the devil is in the details.

Tools

Before writing the code in Xcode, I completely recreated appearance applications in vector editor Sketch. This program is great for quick creation layouts. There are a lot of plugins available for this application, among them there is Sketch Preview - viewing the artboard directly on the device through the Skala Preview program. You just need to download the free Skala Preview programs to your computer and mobile device and install the plugin. After that, select the desired artboard, press the Command+P combination, and within a second the appearance of the application is transmitted to the device.

In addition, the application is very convenient for creating screenshots for publication in the AppStore. For each screen size, a different set of artboards was created, along with the use of styles; the time spent on formatting was minimal. But about the publication a little later.

Development

In the application, I used only two controllers - one directly for all, all, all notes, the other to display a small tutorial when first launched. I organized work with the database using the CoreData framework.

After creating the basic functionality (creating, deleting, editing notes), I decided to improve each of these functions.

Agree, text editing in iOS is implemented quite inconveniently. If you make a mistake in a word, to move the cursor to desired position you need to make a touch and, without removing your finger from the screen, try to get into the selected area. In addition, after correcting the error, you need to return the cursor back to the end of the line. In my application, I decided to rework the mechanism for moving the cursor: in order to make a change to a word, you just need to swipe in the area between the keyboard and the phrase being typed without blocking the view of the text.

I decided to implement the animations of deleting and moving to the top myself, and to bring the visual support as close as possible to real life. Something has acquired a higher priority - swipe to the right and the note moves to the top of the list. To delete, swipe left and the strikethrough animation will show how long you need to extend the swipe to complete the deletion. If you accidentally delete it, you just need to shake the device (“Shake”), and the note will return to its original place.

In order to highlight the note, I used LongTapGesture and the application's three main colors - white, blue and red, which formed the main color palette.

I decided to make the transition between day and night themes automatic - why has no one yet thought of changing the appearance depending on the position of the sun in the sky? It's very simple - after dark and after sunrise, the theme changes, and the user does not need to be distracted from taking notes, because the application will always automatically adjust to the surrounding conditions.

Naming

The name of the application is the most an important part during development, this is the first thing the user sees in the store. There is information about this on Habré. I decided to approach the selection of the name thoroughly: to begin with, I went through the list of the 1000 most popular words in English and wrote down all sorts of combinations that would be suitable for the name of a mobile application for notes; besides, I wanted to keep it within 8-10 characters. But at the same time, I didn’t want to choose the name SuperNotes or NotesPlus etc, I wanted something new. I liked the combination mad note, which I accidentally came across in Urban Dictionary:

mad note - excellent, entertaining, surprising, unexpected or awesome

The slogan immediately appeared: MadNotes - Note your passion. Since I already had a palette of primary colors ready (white, blue, red), I decided to immediately come up with a suitable icon. The situation with logos for applications of this kind is deplorable:

Since notes on paper are written with a pencil or pen, I decided to display this on the icon - a pencil rotated at an angle of 45 degrees. It turned out like this:

Result

Since the project was initially conceived as a design project, I decided to participate with my application in the all-Ukrainian competition Ukrainian Design Awards: The Very Best Of in the Digital Design category. There were several weeks left before the competition, during which time I managed to make a publication on Behance, where I visually showed all the main functions of the application, and also recorded a video preview.
Since the winners of the competition are not disclosed until the very last moment, it was incredibly pleasant to see my work at the exhibition of the winners' works - the jury saw and appreciated the main concept - minimalistic and, at the same time, functional application for taking notes.


The application has been in the AppStore for several months, during which time I made six updates and rewrote the code in Swift. IN latest version(1.2) added synchronization with iCloud, so the notes have already moved to the cloud.

Thank you for your attention.
Note your passion

Download and install Xcode. Xcode is the development environment in which all iPhone apps are created. Xcode is available for free from Apple, but this program Requires OS X version 10.8 or later installed. Does not exist official way run Xcode on Windows or Linux. This means that if you want to develop an app on an iPhone but don't have a Mac, you'll have to buy one first.

• To develop apps for iOS 8, you will need Xcode 6.0.1 and iOS 8 SDK. Both can be obtained from Apple. iOS 8 SDK contains enough big number new APIs that will allow you to create all kinds of new apps, including integration with iCloud and Touch ID.
• To develop apps for iOS 10, you will need the iOS 10 SDK, available on the Apple website. In language Swift programming and there have been significant changes to the SDK in this version of Xcode. Good news is that after this version there will be even more code changes in Swift.

Install good text editor. While you can do everything in Xcode, you'll soon realize that working with large code sizes is much easier if you have a dedicated text editor that specializes in programming. The two most popular options are TextMate and JEdit.

Install a vector graphics program. If you plan to create images and designs for your application, you will need a vector graphics program. Vector graphics can be scaled without losing quality, which is important for any good-looking application. Popular vector programs this is CorelDraw, Adobe Illustrator, Xara Designer and Inkscape. A good free graphics editing program is DrawBerry. She's not as powerful as professional programs, but good for beginners, or for those who don't want to pay for something they'll only use once.

Learn Objective-C. Objective-C is a programming language that is used to create functionality in iPhone apps. It processes data and works with objects. Objective-C comes from the C family of languages ​​and is an object-oriented language. If you already understand C or Java, learning Objective-C will be easy enough for you.

• You can now use the Swift language, the successor to Objective-C. Swift has a simpler syntax and is more modern.
• While it is possible to build a basic application without knowledge of Objective-C, you will not be able to perform any advanced functionality without the need for coding. Without Objective-C, all you can do is move back and forth across screens.
• There are many tutorials on the Internet, and a lot of information can be found in various books on Objective-C. If you want to get serious about iPhone app development, you'll find some of these resources helpful.
• Some of the most popular online communities for Objective-C include the Apple Developer Forums, Google's iPhoneSDK group, and StackOverflow.

Consider outsourcing development. If you have no desire to learn Objective-C, or you don't have the artistic flair, there are a large number of freelancers and development teams who can handle various parts of the project for you. Outsourcing your development is a difficult process, but it will save you a lot of trouble if you are not a programmer. Make sure everyone who will be working has a non-disclosure agreement and that you have agreed on payment before starting work.

• Upwork (an amalgamation of the former oDesk and Elance) is the most popular freelance marketplace on the Internet, where you can find hundreds of developers and artists of all levels.

Create a developer account. To distribute your application to App Store or give it to others to test, you'll need to register to get an Apple developer account. The account costs $99 per year and requires you to enter your tax and banking information to create it.

• You can create your account on the iOS Dev Center website.

Download some test apps. Once you've signed up for a developer account, you have access to Apple's development resources. These resources include many example projects that can give you a wealth of information about how applications are developed. Find an example that has something to do with the type of application you want to create and practice with it in Xcode.

Part 2

Planning the application

1. Define the concept. Before you open Xcode for the first time, you should have a well-thought-out plan for your application and its capabilities. This may include a design document that reflects the entire functionality of the application, sketches user interface and transition between screens, a basic idea about the types of systems that will need to be implemented.

   • Try to stick to the design document as much as possible when developing your application. This will help you focus on the opportunities you need.
   • Try to draw at least one sketch for each screen in your application.

2. Determine your target audience. The audience for your app is highly dependent on how the app looks and its functionality. For example, an application with a to-do list will have a completely different the target audience than that of a shooting game. This will help you.

   Think about what the application is for. If your application is some kind of utility, it should offer a solution to a problem that no one has previously offered, or you need to offer The best decision than what was offered before. If your application is a game, then it should have a unique feature (or features) that will differentiate it from other games and attract specific players.

   Study the content. Your user interface will be determined by the type of content you will show to your app's users. For example, if your app works with photos, you'll want the user interface to make viewing and navigating between photos as easy as possible.

   Practice creating a good UI. The user interface should never get in the way of the user. This means that options should be clearly visible and the user should never have to wonder what any button does. If you use icons, they should clearly indicate their function. Navigation throughout the application should be flexible and natural.

   • User interface design is both an art form and a science. You'll likely continually revise your design as the project progresses.

Part 3

Creating an application

1. Create new project in Xcode. Open Xcode and start a new project from the File menu. Select "Application" under the "iOS" heading on the left side of the window. In the templates section, select "Empty Application".

   • There are many ready-made templates, and everything is created for various tasks. Start with a blank template until you get the hang of the design process. You can try one of the more complex templates once you understand how things work here.
   • You need to provide the product name, your company ID, and the class prefix. If you don't already have an Apple Company ID, enter com.example. For the class prefix, enter XYZ.
   • Select "iPhone" from the devices menu.

2. Create a Storyboard. A Storyboard is a visual representation of all the screens in your application. It displays the contents of each screen as well as the transitions between them. The Storyboard tool will help you in developing your application.

   • Select File → New → File.
   • Under the iOS heading, select "User Interface".
   • Select Storyboard and click Next.
   • Select iPhone from the devices menu, and then name the file "Main". Make sure you save it in the same place as your project.

3. Assign a Storyboard to your project. Once you have created a Storyboard, you need to designate it as the main interface of your application. Then this Storyboard will be loaded when the application starts. If you don't assign a storyboard, nothing will happen when the application starts.

   • Click on your project name in the navigation tree on the left.
   • Find the Targets heading in the main window. Select your project from the Targets list.
   • Find the Deployment Info section in the General tab.
   • Enter Main.storyboard in the "Main Interface" text box.

4. Add your first screen using a view controller. View controllers determine how content will be viewed by the user. There are many pre-built view controllers available, including standard views and tables. You'll add view controllers to your storyboard, which will tell your app how to display content to the user.

   • Select your "Main.storyboard" file in the project navigation menu. You will see a blank canvas appear in the Interface Builder window.
   • Find the Object Library. It is located at the bottom of the right side and can be selected by clicking on the button with the small cube. This will load a list of objects that can be added to your canvas.
   • Click and drag the object" View Controller" (view controller) to your canvas. The first screen will appear on your canvas.
   • Your first "Scene" is complete. When you launch the application, the view controller will load your first screen.

5. Add interface objects to your first screen. Once you've defined the view controller, you can start placing the interface objects you need on the screen, such as labels, text input fields, and buttons. All interface objects can be found in the Objects Library list, which can be found inside the View Controller object.

   • Select and drag objects from the list, and add them to your screen.
   • Most objects can be resized by clicking on the edge of the object and moving it. As you resize, guides will appear on the screen so you can make sure everything looks right.

6. Edit the objects you added. You can change the properties of each object, allowing you to create individual and intuitive interface. For example, you can add alternative text to an input text field that tells the user what to type.

   • Select the object you want to change and click on the "Attributes Inspector" button at the top of the right side. The button looks a bit like a shield.
   • Change the object the way you like. You can change the font style, font size, text color, alignment, background images, alt text, border style, and more.
   • The existing options will change depending on which object you are modifying.

7. Add more screens. As your project grows, you'll likely want to add more screens to display all the content your app needs. For example, if you're making a to-do list app, you'll need at least two screens: one for entering a to-do, and one for viewing the list.

   • Additional screens can be added by moving and releasing the view controller to an empty part of the canvas. If you can't find an empty area to release your mouse, click on the "zoom out" button until empty areas appear. Make sure you lower the view controller to the canvas and not to the existing screen.
   • You can change home screen by selecting the view controller that you want to make the leading one in the project window. Click the Attribute Inspector button and check the "Is Initial View Controller" checkbox. For example, if you're making a to-do list, you'll want the list itself to be the first thing the user sees when they launch the app.

8. Add a navigation bar. Now you have two screens in the application, it's time to make it so that the user can move back and forth between them. You can achieve this using a Navigation Controller, which is a specialized version of the View Controller. This controller adds a navigation bar to top part of your application, and allows the user to move back and forth between screens.

   • A navigation controller must be added to your initial view so that it can control all subsequent screens.
   • Select the starting view in the project window.
   • Select Editor → Embed In → Navigation Controller.
   • You should see a gray navigation bar appear at the top of the screen where you added the controller.

9. Add functionality to this navigation bar. Now that you've inserted a navigation bar, you can start adding navigation tools to it. This will allow the user to move back and forth between screens.

   • Add a title to your navigation bar. Click on the Navigation Item under the view controller you assigned it to. Open the Attribute Inspector and enter a title for the current screen in the Title field.
   • Add a navigation button. Open the Objects library if it is not already open and find the Bar Button there. Select it and drag it to the navigation panel. Typically, the buttons that move you "forward" in the application are placed on the right, and the buttons that move you "back" are on the left.
   • Give the buttons properties. The buttons can be customized with special properties that allow them to easily adapt to different conditions. For example, if you are creating a to-do list, you might need an Add button to create new entry. Select the button and open the Attribute Inspector. Find the Identifier menu and select Add. The button will change to the "+" logo.

10. Link your new button to an existing screen. For your button to function, you need to connect it to another screen. In our example with a to-do list, the button will be located in the general list, and it needs to be associated with the to-do entry screen. To link a button, hold down the Control button and drag the button to the second screen.

    • When you release the mouse button, the Action Segue menu will appear with a list of options. Select "Push" to move between screens. You can also select "Modal", which will open the screen as a completely standalone screen, without a sequence of screens.
    • If you use Push, a navigation bar will be automatically added to your second screen, as well as a back button. If you choose modal, you'll need to manually insert a second navigation bar, as well as add Cancel and Done buttons (in a to-do app; your app will have other buttons, depending on your app's needs).
    • You can create the Cancel and Done buttons the same way you created the Add button. Simply select "Cancel" and "Done" from the Identifier menu in the Attribute Inspector.

11. Take advantage of data processing capabilities. Up to this point, it was possible to create a basic interface without having to write code. If you want to add deeper functionality such as data storage, user input processing, you need to dive into coding. Writing code is beyond the scope of this article, but there are a large number of Objective-C tutorials on the Internet.

    • You can use a navigation UI prototype when hiring a developer. If you have a working interface, then it is much easier to explain what you need from the program.

Part 4

Application testing

1. Launch iOS Simulator. XCode comes with a built-in iOS emulator that allows you to test your app on a selection of emulated iOS devices. To launch the emulator, select "Simulator and Debug" from the menu at the top of the XCode window, and then select the device you want to test on.

   Build the application. Click on the Build button, which looks like a regular Play button, to compile and run the application. Building the application may take several minutes. On the dashboard you can monitor your progress. Once the build process is complete, the iOS Simulator will open and you can start testing your app.

   Check out the app on your own iPhone. Before you distribute your app for testing, you can test it on your own device (if you have one). First, connect the device to your computer via USB. If iTunes opens, close it. Select "Device and Debug" from the drop-down list and then click on the Build button. After a few seconds, the app should launch on your iPhone. Test all functionality before closing the application.

   Do some debugging. If an application crashes, you need to determine what happened and why. There can be an infinite number of reasons. Open the debug console and read the error messages. Most often they will not be particularly clear. If you don't understand the error, try searching for error messages on Google. There is a chance that you might come across a post left on the Apple Developer Forum where a developer has already answered the question.

   • Debugging an application is a long and tedious process. If you don't give up and persevere, you will get better and better over time. You will begin to recognize mistakes, find them quickly, and sometimes even expect them. A common mistake is to free an object's memory more than once. Other common mistake- if you forget to allocate memory and initialize an object before you try to add or assign something to it. With each application you will have fewer and fewer errors.

2. Check memory usage. The iPhone doesn't have much memory. Each time you allocate memory for an object, it will need to be freed when you finish working with it. There are tools such as the iPhone SDK, which can be used to view and analyze memory usage, among other things.

   • With Device and Debug selected, select Run → Run with Performance Tool → Leaks. This will launch Tools and, with it, the application on your device. Now start using the application as you normally do. It will be a little slow at times as the program records and analyzes memory usage. All leak sources will be displayed at the bottom of the screen.
   • Double-clicking on any object will open the corresponding code for you, and clicking on the small arrow in the Address column will open the history of the memory problem. Sometimes the place where the leak is found is not the same place as where it came from.
   • If you're stuck, try the process of elimination. Comment something out, carefully omitting some area of ​​the code, and then run it. Sometimes you will be able to narrow your search and then perhaps find the desired line. When you know where the error is, you can fix it or rewrite it. Remember using Google can give you direct links to Apple forums or documentation that describes your case.
3. Fill out the form with the application description, keywords, support site, category, contact email, copyright, etc.
4. Complete the Rights and Prices forms.
5. Your iTunes pictures should be ready. You will need a large 512x512 icon, as well as several screenshots of your application. Screenshots can be obtained from the iPhone simulator using ⌘ Command + ⇧ Shift + 4, and dragging. Make sure they are 320x480 for iPhone. Screenshots are a very important part of marketing your app, so make sure they show the most important parts.

Download your app. Click on "Ready to Upload Binary" and you will be taken to a screen that will ask you to download the Application Uploader tool. Download it and click Finish.

• Install Application Uploader tool and run it. The first time, it will ask you to enter your iTunes credentials.
• Application Uploader tool will check your iTunes account Connect, and will find all applications for which you can download a binary file. Select what you need, select the zip file you created earlier and download it. The bootloader will check some of its things, and will point out errors if it finds something incorrect. This could be the version number, missing icons, etc. If everything is great, download the zip and you'll be done.

Wait for verification. There is nothing you can do except wait for the verification process to complete. Apple will notify you via email in a few days or weeks if your app's status changes to "In review". Once an application reaches this stage, what happens next is very fast. If the application fails the initial set of tests, you will receive a rejection email on the same day telling you why the application was rejected. Also, the letter will Apple recommendations on its repair. If your app passes review, Apple will send you an email letting you know your app is ready for sale. Your app will now appear in the iTunes app store.

Try testing the application on as many i-devices as you can find. Even better if they are installed different versions iOS.

If you love paper books, check out Amazon.com for books on iPhone development.

Warnings

• The iPhone SDK is constantly changing, and so are devices. If an SDK update occurs while you're working on a project, read what's new before using the new SDK. This is not necessary at this stage, unless Apple has said that all new downloads must be compiled new version SDK. If you upgrade, some of the methods you use may become outdated. While this will likely result in a compile-time warning at most, it's better to be on the safe side.
• When you become successful and your app appears on the App Store, don't be mad at those who leave your app bad review. Some leave helpful reviews and some just like to be rude.
• Nobody guarantees you large quantity downloads or sales, but don't get upset.
• Application development is a fascinating thing; you won't be able to stop.

How to write an application for Iphone - 10 important steps + 5 useful tips.

People who know can earn good money without leaving home.

Where to begin?

What steps should I take?

What does someone who wants to write their own application need to know?

For what purpose do you want to make an application for Iphone?

More recently, the AppStore began operating, and everyone who has programming skills has the opportunity.

However, not everyone knows how to create an application for iPhone.

To choose the most convenient system for creating applications, you should decide for what purpose you want to produce them.

Goals may be different:

• Earning money for living.
• Earning money for a big purchase.
• Self-presentation.
• Skill development.
• Presentation of goods and services provided.

Depending on the goal, you will have to make an effort to learn how to competently create Interesting games, diaries, online - libraries that are in demand.

To earn the minimum capital, you can devote 2-3 hours a day to work.

For more serious savings and skill development, you will need more hours daily work– from 4 to 12.

How to write an application for Iphone - 5 important steps

A beginner can create simple game in 1-3 days, following step by step instructions. How to make an application for Iphone that will attract a large audience and receive many positive reviews?

Steps to create an application:

Download and installation special program Xcode.

Choose a convenient text editor.

You can write codes in Xcode, but it is much more convenient to use a separate editor and copy the text into a line.

Select and install a vector graphics platform.

If you wish to create your own designs and images, you will need to use vector software.
The most popular and convenient are CorelDraw, Inscape.

Learn the Objective C programming language.

Without understanding the programming language, you will not be able to with many functions and users will only be able to open and close pages and inserts.

Download several test, ready-made options from the Apple website.

By evaluating their work, you can build your own application at a high level.

It may not be enough just to understand the programming language.

In this case, you are left with several options:

• Outsource application development.
• Move forward step by step, learning the language on your own.
• Sign up for courses.
• Abandon the idea of ​​​​creating applications.

If the last option doesn't suit you, move forward.

Just download Xcode and learn it.

Many who think about how to write an application for the iPhone think that this can be done without much effort.

This is a wrong opinion.

To create a truly interesting application that will bring in a lot of money, you will have to work hard.

Planning and strategy for creating an iPhone application

Planning – important stage in creating the program.

Until you have a concept ready, you shouldn't download Xcode, you simply won't be able to figure out what you need to do.

What to do when creating an application concept:

1. Draw an approximate view of the game or diary on a piece of paper, indicate the main details.
2. Decide on your target audience.
   Will this application be for children, teenagers or adults.
3. Determine your main goal.
   What benefits will the program bring to those who download it?
4. Find photos that match the theme.
5. Create a user-friendly interface.
   Each button should have a specific function and be clear at first glance.

Once the concept is created, set the project aside for a few days and then come back and review everything you've written with a fresh mind.

If there are no errors or inconsistencies, continue working on the program.

Steps to create an application:

1. Open a new file in Xcode.
2. Select the item – Empty Application.
3. Select a blank template.
4. Go to the Storyboard menu and save the file in a new project.
5. Give the application a name.
6. Using your programming language, enter all the required codes.
7. Using a view controller, create an application screen.
8. Add the previously selected interface - images, items.
9. Create as much as possible more screens and fill the folder with them.
   How more features will be in the application, the better.
10. Test the result of your work.

The video below shows the beginning of this process for creating an application:

What do you need to know about testing when writing an iPhone application?

After you have independently assessed final result in a special emulator, it is necessary to provide the opportunity for other people to evaluate the project.

By working on one project for several days or weeks, you stop noticing obvious mistakes that would immediately catch another person's eye.

In order to allow several people to test the application, you need to use an Ad-Hoc certificate.

Once you have the opportunity to send out the application for testing, try to take into account all the wishes and comments of users.

What you need to know about testing:

1. The number of reviews can be huge, and each of them will have to be studied and taken into account.
   If more than 50 percent of the reviews are negative, a major overhaul is necessary, but you should not give up.
   Few beginners have been able to create a great app the first time.
2. To authorize testers, ask each of them for their device number.
   Only knowing the Udid will you be able to submit the file for the test.
3. Each Ad-Hoc certificate will require the creation of a separate archive with developments.

After passing test mode, again you should postpone work for a few days.

A beginner should understand that learning how to create interesting applications is not a matter of one day.

The first three applications must be done with special thoroughness, paying attention to every, even the smallest detail.

Publishing a written application for iPhone

The new application will be stored in the Realise folder.

All you need to do is find it and archive it.

At this point, the work on creating the project can be considered completed.

Approval from Apple moderators is required for it to go on sale.

After assessing all criteria, a letter confirming approval or rejection of the application will be sent by email.

Most main criterion, which will be used to evaluate the platform’s adaptability to iOS 8.

In the future, access to the created program and its settings will be available in the iTunes menu in the connect section.

Then fill out a detailed form, create a colorful description, and set a price.

The last step is to add icons and screenshots that will help the user evaluate the product and make a purchasing decision.

However, the work doesn't end there.

If you want your sales to go up, you need to provide advertising.

Use for this: VKontakte, Instagram, Odnoklassniki and Twitter.

You can send out a few free copies to major bloggers and reviewers in exchange for advertising.

Sales reports will be sent to your email regularly.

If necessary, you can download them to your computer or phone.

You can also track sales dynamics in a special iTunes menu.

Answering the question, how to write an application for iPhone, we especially emphasize two main things: knowledge of a programming language and the presence of an interesting, original idea.

At the end of last month, developer Richard Felix published an entertaining one in which he tried to explain as clearly and concisely as possible how to create successful application for iOS. In particular, he shared useful tips for beginning developers, with their own observations in terms of program design and latest trends in the App Store.

Richard on personal experience knows all the intricacies of development, since over the past few years he has created a number of popular applications for modern mobile platforms and the web (Are My Sites Up, Stunning, Dispatch and others).

So, at some point in your life, you decided to become a developer and try your hand at creating your own iOS app. You're afraid that you'll spend a lot of time (and money) developing a program that no one will use. You dream of creating an app that will be actively selling a year after its release, but you have no idea how to do it. The tips described below will help you achieve your goals.

Find an original idea

On each Apple presentations announces million-dollar sales of iOS devices and fantastic App Store records. Guided by this fact, many novice developers mistakenly assume that creating another banal email client or photo editor will allow them to earn millions of dollars (in their opinion, for this it is not at all necessary to climb the top lines Apple app store charts).

However, despite the prevalence of the iOS platform, this is a big misconception. Of course, in this case you will earn some money and recoup the development process, but to truly achieve significant success, your program must not only perform the stated functions, but also have some kind of original feature, a kind of zest that would distinguish it from hundreds of competitors and attract attention against the general background.

Research your target audience

The App Store offers anyone a real treasure in the form of charts of popular applications, on the basis of which you can decide on the category of the program, notice some points for yourself and find that very original idea.

IN currently we can distinguish the following three categories of the most popular programs in the App Store:

• Alternative applications for system iOS programs(improved calculators, calendars, email clients, photo editors, task lists, and so on). They are popular because many people face restrictions standard tools iPhone/iPad and want to expand the functionality of their devices. Apple creates programs for the masses (they are easy to use and intuitive), which is why more advanced users suffer (if you want more functions, you will have to use the application third party developer- and this plays into our hands).


• Games, and a variety of them. Especially those that force you to share the application with friends and colleagues, which is much more valuable than any advertising banner.


• Applications with a minimum number of functions that at first glance seem so elementary that many developers dismiss such ideas even at the stage of thinking about the project. A typical example is a program called Over, which allows you to add elegant captions to your photos. For an advanced user, Over may seem like a rather limited tool, but many beginners are completely satisfied with this “photo editor,” which is confirmed by good sales. It's amazing how the correct implementation of a single declared function can lead to a completely successful program.

Don't reinvent the wheel and update often

Many popular iOS applications have achieved their success thanks to the following feature - they allow the user to quickly perform some action (edit a photo, for example), but do not burden him with unnecessary functions and buttons. There is no need to reinvent the wheel and create a photo editor with music playback function.

Put yourself in the user's shoes, try to focus on the features that will really useful. It is not at all necessary to implement all your ideas in the first version; leave minor ideas for future updates of the application. After the program is released in the App Store, you will have a lot of user reviews, based on which you can draw conclusions about the need to implement this or that function.

Besides, regular updates applications allow your product to be constantly heard and “flash” before your eyes potential buyers in the blogosphere.

Draw a colorful icon

A beautiful icon is the key to the success of any application ( so anyone? - editor's note). Holding an iPhone or iPad in his hands, the user always wants to see high-quality graphics and a “luscious” design on his display, which, as they say, is pleasing to the eye. People will be more likely to pay attention to the program if the design department spends enough time and effort creating an attractive brand icon. Ultimately, this should help your app reach the top of the App Store charts.

On specialized sites like

Every day the number of people dreaming of learning how to create programs is increasing. After collecting information on the Internet, the idea comes to them that the most promising is the development of applications for iOS, the operating system from Apple. In fact, dreaming is one thing, but programming is another. Creating your own application is not easy. But it’s not prohibitively difficult either. What is needed for this?

Programming language

To write programs for a specific platform, you need to use a specific programming language. App development for iOS and Android is different. If you have a platform from Google, you need to choose Java language, then for iOS choice stands between Objective-C and Swift. Long time development for iOS platform was carried out only with the help of language Objective-C programming. Even though it is many years old, it is still being developed and used by a large number of developers. But its downside is the high barrier to entry.

Since the most important source of profit Apple is its application store, employees are interested in more useful and interesting utilities. For this reason, a developer conference is regularly held to talk about changes in operating systems. In 2014, developers were shown the latest Swift programming language, which is used to develop applications for iOS. Swift is easy to learn as it has a very simple syntax and is strongly typed. This language is very suitable for those who want to learn on their own.

What you need to get started

Except basic knowledge programming, you need to have the following:

• a computer or laptop with the OSX operating system on board;
• Xcode development environment, which is free.

This set allows you to run applications in a special simulator directly on your computer. But keep in mind that in the future you may need to pay $99 to get an annual subscription to the developer program. After payment you will be able to:

• run developed programs not in a simulator, but on real devices;
• place applications in App store Store;
• download new versions of the development environment and iOS.

In new versions of Xcode, a sandbox element called Playground has appeared. Here the developer can experiment with a new programming language.

Many people want to start writing programs, but they think it is extremely difficult. Of course, in order to become a professional, you need to have a lot of knowledge and vast experience behind you. But in order to create a small application, there is no need to be a professional.

Where does the development of applications for iOS and Android begin? Learning happens by doing. Therefore, we must start with it. A lot of theory is not always good. After all, if a person reads ten from cover to cover, he will not. We need to act.

Playground

This sandbox is a wonderful environment for learning a programming language. How does she look? The user enters a line of program code and immediately sees the execution result. Once it becomes clear that the written fragment works as it should, you can simply transfer it to the project. Using the sandbox, you can solve problems such as:

• mastering the syntax of a programming language;
• improving programming skills by experimenting with new APIs;
• performing simple arithmetic calculations;
• developing a new algorithm and monitoring its every step.

iOS app development: where to start

Theory is, of course, good, but, as mentioned earlier, practice is needed. In order to get acquainted with the sandbox, you need to launch the Xcode development environment. After launch, the user can see a window in which it is proposed to create a new project or launch Playground. We need a second point. Now you need to come up with a name and save the “sandbox” to any convenient location on your computer. By the way, developing applications for iOS on Windows is also possible, but then a large number of problems will need to be solved. This includes installing a pirated operating system, editing important files, and many errors and crashes.

After saving, the very Playground that is needed will be launched.

At first glance, there is nothing interesting here. But as soon as you enter your code there, the appearance will immediately change.

To get started, you can try writing the following:

for var y = 0; y< 10; ++y {

println (“result: (z)”)

After this, the sandbox will change its appearance. The column on the right (results pane) shows the values ​​for each row that are obtained after execution. Also in the right column you can enable the display of a time panel, which makes it possible to track changes in time of the selected expression. The console output with the text that would be output by the program is also displayed here.

Commenting code

Development of applications for iOS, as well as for other platforms, is not complete without comments, which are needed to make it easier for the developer to navigate the code. Comments are lines that are ignored during program execution. They can be either single-line or multi-line.

Variables

So, applications are written in a programming language. The basis of any language is variables. Developing applications for iOS and Android without using variables is impossible. As the name suggests, it is a container that holds a mutable value. Each variable must have a unique name and can contain both numeric and text values. In the Swift programming language, variables are defined using the words var and let. In the second case, the variable cannot be changed and must be initialized when declared. In the first case, the variable is initialized immediately before use.

Every variable has some type. These can be strings, floating point numbers (fractional), boolean values ​​(true and false).

Output of results

The result of the program execution is output to the console. What it is? This is what allows the user to interact with the computer. Thus, the output console used to be called the monitor, and the input console was the keyboard. Now the meaning of the terms has changed a little. This is the name of a program window intended for input and output of commands. Developing applications for iOS often requires the output of some data. For this purpose in Swift language The print and println commands are provided. The first differs from the second in that it automatically starts on a new line.

Functions

The next basic concept in programming is functions. This is a certain sequence of actions that perform a specific task. Each function can take some values ​​and also return a result. To use this construct, you must first declare it using keyword func. It is followed by the name, as well as parentheses. If any value is to be returned, its type is indicated after the brackets. If there is no return value, then the type can be omitted or an “empty” type – void – can be specified. The parentheses contain the values ​​that the function accepts. To call a function, specify its name and values ​​for the arguments.

You can make sure that the parameter name is required when calling a function. To do this, it is framed with the “hash” symbol.

So you can write some useful features, which can, for example, calculate exchange rates and convert one unit of measurement to another. Every time you need to use them, you just need to call these functions, and not write the code again.

Now what?

So, as can be seen from the above, developing applications for iOS with your own hands may well be within the capabilities of everyone. The main thing is to learn the basics of the programming language, become familiar with the development environment, and practice a lot and often. It is practice that makes significant progress. But what is described here is just the beginning. There will be a lot of interesting, complex, and exciting things to come in the world of programming. This will help you always keep your brain in good shape, create something new and earn good money. After all, Apple technology is used all over the world. Therefore, your application can be appreciated by millions of people.