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https://github.com/dwyl/learn-ios-development

📱Notes, Tips & Links for how we (re)learned iOS Development.
https://github.com/dwyl/learn-ios-development

beginner beginner-friendly how-to ios ios-app learning swift swiftui

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📱Notes, Tips & Links for how we (re)learned iOS Development.

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# Learn `iOS` Development



Notes, tips & links 

for how we (re)learned 

**_Native_ `iOS` Development** in **`2025+`**. 📱



iPhone in hand






# Why?



If you already have/use an `iOS` device,

I don't have to waste any time

explaining the value proposition to you;

just skip straight to the "What?" section below.

You probably have dozens of Apps installed on your `iPhone`

and if you want to learn how to _build_ them,

you're in the right place! 



If you _don't_ have/use an `iOS`, `iPadOS` or `macOS` device,

this repo/guide might not _feel_ relevant to you.



But that's like saying the opposite sex 

(the _other_ 50% of people) 

is not relevant to you because you aren't one of them. 🙅 


Because `iOS` / `iPhone` is 50% of the developed world;

even if you have no plans to use an `iPhone`,

they are still ubiquitous.



And if you want to work as a **_full_ stack software engineer** in **2025**,

_not_ knowing how to target the most ubiquitous platform

for software delivery,

is career suicide.



> **Note**: yes, we still prefer the `Web` 

as our App delivery platform.

But Web Browsers on Mobile Devices 

don't offer a truly _native_ experience

and still treat `PWAs` as second-class citizens; 

especially on `iOS` 

where `Apple` can't monetise `Apps` 

that aren't installed via `AppStore`.



## Extended / _Personal_ "Why?"



> **Note**: Skip this if you just want to crack on with learning!



I switched back to `iPhone` from `Android` in 2021

when `Google` stopped supporting/updating my 

[`Pixel 3`](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixel_3)

(which I _loved_) after less than 3 years of owning it.



> **`Android` updates officially ended** for the `Pixel 3` on **October 5 2021**; 

> **3 years** after **launch**! 


> I got mine in **March 2019** so had **_less_ than 3 years** of supported use! 😢 



Meanwhile my _ancient_ 

[`iPhone 6`](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone_6) 

from **2014** - 

that I use for guided meditation -

still works fine.

I used it because it has a headphone jack! 🎧



`iPhone` have a _much_ longer useful life (on average)

than comparable devices from other brands; 

see below for _why_ ...

Yes, there are people still using 10+ year old `Samsung` devices

that they've taken good care of.

These people either don't _care_ about security updates

or they have rooted the device to use a 

[custom ROM](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custom_firmware#Android)

and not need to rely on _official_ `Android` updates.

But these are definitely the exception, not the rule.



According to `Android Police`,

the average lifespan of an `Android` smartphone 

is 2.54-2.67 years.

ref: 

[androidpolice.com/how-long-should-a-smartphone-last](https://www.androidpolice.com/how-long-should-a-smartphone-last/)



`Google` _recently_ (finally) listened to customers

who complained about the short life (support cycle)

for `Android` devices and has now committed to 

[**7 years**](https://9to5google.com/2024/04/21/google-pixel-7-years-updates-meaning/)

of support for _new_ `Pixel` devices. 

But this is not extended back to older devices 

e.g: 5 years old,

only the `new` ones you buy from now on.



Again, my **`10+ Year Old`** `iPhone` still works without issues.



## Business Case



`Apple` has been doing a _much_ better job

of supporting older devices

because they are "**_free_ money**" to them.

Each _active_ `iOS` device is a potential customer for

the `AppStore`, `iCloud`, `Music` or `TV+` subscription.

`Apple` currently makes **`$96bn/year`** 

in recurring revenue from **services**,

so `Apple` has every incentive 

to keep older devices active.



Image



Source: [trefis.com/data/companies/AAPL/7JGMQ7wT/Breaking-Down-Apple-s-Services-Revenue](https://www.trefis.com/data/companies/AAPL/no-login-required/7JGMQ7wT/Breaking-Down-Apple-s-Services-Revenue-)



> `Apple` _created_ the smartphone `App` _economy_.

> And `iPhone` continues to dominate it in every respect.

> Hence the _many_ lawsuits against `APPL` for antitrust:

[theverge.com/24107581/apple-antitrust-monoply](https://www.theverge.com/24107581/doj-v-apple-antitrust-monoply-news-updates)

> Even `if` the `DOJ`/`EU` successfully suit `APPL`,

> their devices & `AppStore` will _still_ out-sell everyone `else`

> and still be the best place to launch `Apps`. 



`iPhone` is definitely not perfect,

it's a _closed_ platform with strong lock-in.

Customers effectively pay `APPL` _rent_

for `iCloud` and other services

which are _adequate_ but not amazing.

If there was a truly _open_ alternative

that wasn't run by an `Ad` company 

that harvests _all_ your data,

we would switch!



But for all the `iPhone` flaws,

it's still the most popular device in the world by far.

It's not even close.



smartphone sales



Source:

[counterpointresearch.com/insight/global-smartphone-sales-top-10-best-sellers](https://www.counterpointresearch.com/insight/global-smartphone-sales-top-10-best-sellers)



So, as _small_ team of `people` building apps we need for _ourselves_

and that hopefully other `people` will love too,

we have to pick the platform where the most _paying_ `people` are; 

that's `iOS`/`iPhone`.



## Why Do _I_ Want to Build a _Native_ `iOS` App?



As a [reluctant] `iOS`, `macOS` & `Apple Watch` "**_power_ user**",

**I want** to build a **_Native_ App** 

that **loads and runs as fast as possible**.

Our experience of using `Flutter` was that it was 20-30% slower to load

than a comparable `Swift`/`Objective-C` (truly native) app.

Our _basic_ app would often get stuck on the splash screen for multiple seconds on latest `iOS` devices (`iPhone 15 Pro/Max` at the time...), this was unacceptable.



Finally there is no other way to build an `Apple Watch` or `iOS` home screen widget

than to use `SwiftUI`. 


Since I want to build _both_ of these 

and use other native-only APIs like

"[Dynamic Island](https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph28f50d10d/ios)" -

a 

[   gimmick](https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/x8vp9o/do_you_think_the_dynamic_island_is_a_gimmick/) 

for sure but a _delightful_ interaction -

I _have_ to use `SwiftUI`. 



# What?



Learn `iOS` development 

using `Swift` + `SwiftUI` 

from first principles 


to build a **_truly_ native experience** on `iPhone`; 

the most ubiquitous device.1



> **1**: This is a bit of a rabbit hole. 🐇 🕳️ 


> _Definitely_ not saying `iOS` has more "users" than `Android`,

> that's patently `false`; 

> globally `Android` has 3.9 billion active users,

> whereas `iPhone` has only

> [2.35 billion](https://www.macrumors.com/2025/01/30/apple-active-devices-worldwide-record/) active devices.

> But as a **_single_ device** to target when building your App,

> `iPhone` has _far_ more acvtive units than any _single_ `Android` device

[explodingtopics.com/iphone-android-users](https://explodingtopics.com/blog/iphone-android-users)

> The easiest way to understand 

> In India, `Android` holds a **92%** market share, 

in **China**, it has a **67%** market share 

and in the **Africa** **89%** as of June 2025.



# Who?



These notes are primarily a tool to document _our_ learning journey. 


A reference we can consult if we need a quick refresher.

We try not to skip any steps and trouble-shoot errors when needed.

As always, our notes are fully open so that _anyone_ 

(including [ClosedAi](https://www.google.com/search?q=openai+closedai) bots) 

can learn _faster_ than we did.



If you find this repo useful, please star on `GitHub`. ⭐️🙏



# How?



This section details everything you need to get started

without excessive hand-holding.

But if you get stuck, please open an issue 



## Prerequisites



Some basic programming experience is desireable but not essential.

If you don't have _any_ prior experience in programming,

I'd recommend learning `JavaScript` or `Python` first

as the learning curve is less steep.



If you already know a couple of programming languages,

`Swift` has a pretty _gentle_ learning curve

and the Official Docs are more than adequate

for learning _everything_ you need:



https://docs.swift.org/swift-book/documentation/the-swift-programming-language/thebasics/



## Required Hardware



You'll need a `Mac` laptop with an `Apple Silicon` processor.

e.g: any `M1` or greater.

No need for any latest+greatest top spec `Mac`;

just the one you can afford (or already have!).



I'm writing this 

and doing all my `Swift` learning

on a base model `M1 MacBook Air`;

the **_cheapest possible_ Mac laptop**

with an `Apple Silicon` unified processor.



`eBay` has _plenty_ of `M1 MacBook Air` units 

people are selling off for cheap:

[ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=macbook+m1](https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=macbook+m1)



Image



That's not a typo! 

Depending on where you are

(and barring any silly import tarrifs/taxes),

you could get the _exact_ laptop I'm using 

for less than £150 ($200 USD or 172 EUR) at the time of writing.