If you are an Apple fan, you are probably familiar with its popular programming language. If you aren't, you've come to the right place!
This article will review its basics and answer common questions about Swift. We'll get a glimpse of who built this language and an overview of its modern features. Let's dive in!
What is Swift?
Swift is an open-source programming language launched in 2014 as an optional language for building Apple products.
It incorporates additional functionalities from existing Objective-C, Rust, Python, Ruby and other modern programming languages.
Swift coding language is known for being safe, high-performance and interactive. It’s also easy to learn, as it’s a simple and intuitive language. This feature also makes it suitable for cross-platform development.
What is iOS in Swift
iOS is Apple’s mobile device operating system. There’s also macOS for Mac computers, watchOS for the Apple Watch and tvOS for the Apple TV. Native iOS and macOS use Swift as their main development language.
Since its building, Swift has aimed for an easy learning path. Apple defined it as the first programming language for everybody to learn, with simple and lightweight closure syntax.
Over 75% of Apple's jobs in the US are related to iOS and its App Store. It's safe to say that learning Swift is in broad demand in the job market!
Is Swift Front or Back End? Swift is an open-source language that applies to Front and Back-End development environments. As there's only the need to learn one language to build an app, Swift offers a great advantage for devs.
Apple also has its Swift framework for the back end, SwiftNIO (Swift Networking Input Output).
On the front-end side, Swift is currently limited to Apple's mobile and desktop app platforms.
Before this, Apple applied the Objective-C language for its FE development. Nowadays, it relies on the UIKit for User Interface Development.
The SwiftUI framework also helps create apps in a much simpler, more concise and readable way.
Basics of Swift Coding Language
Are you planning on using Swift for iOS app development?
You should first know that you’ll need the Official Apple IDE and Xcode to run and test it.
To learn more, we’ll focus on aspects of the language, such as syntax and data types.
1. Swift Syntax
Swift’s concise syntax works similarly to that of C-based language. Having prior knowledge of C can be an advantage when writing code in Swift!
Among their similarities is that both languages function based on statements, and requests go in sequences for execution. By separating these with semicolons, you can add more than one statement per line.
Swift uses an LLVM-based compiler framework, which translates Swift code into machine code and optimizes it.
Also, work units are modularized using functions and organizing them into types. Functions accept one or more parameters and return values.
Moreover, both Swift and C have struct and class semantics. Both include named variables and constants (mutable and immutable, respectively).
2. Swift Types
Swift shares its data types with a few other languages, so these shouldn't be too difficult to learn.
These include Strings (textual data), Int (integers) and Bools (true/false logic).
Also, there are Double (32-bit and 64-bit floating-point numbers, respectively).
3. Swift Variables and Constants
Variables and constants are essential aspects of Swift, as well as in languages like C and Java.
These associate a name with the number of a particular type. While the values behind variables can change, those behind constants cannot.
You'll need to declare both before you can use them. In Swift, you can use the var keyword to declare variables and the let keyword to declare constants.
Swift vs Objective-C
Swift and Objective-C programming languages are high-level, general-purpose, compiled and open-source. Yet, they have a few differences.
For example, unlike Swift, Objective-C is also an object-oriented programming language. Also, it's dynamic-type: it only has classes and uses YES, NO, and BOOL values.
Meanwhile, Swift is static-type (types are checked at compile time). Besides classes, it also has structures and uses true and false values.
A vast difference is that Swift is an efficient language, especially for Apple apps. However, when it was created, Objective-C had Smalltalk messaging features in mind.
You could also argue that Objective-C is harder to learn, read and maintain than Swift. Additionally, Swift has other safety features that make it ideal for developing apps from scratch. Some include Automatic Memory Management functions or Automatic Reference Counting for managing memory usage. It also has built-in error handling (LLDB debugger).
What Sets Apple Apart?
Many things give Apple Inc. a competitive edge.
We’ll detail some of the most important ones.
- Security. Apple takes security as a priority. When it comes to virtual data, Swift playground encryption is first-class. Apple platforms are unlikely to get hacked, with tight guidelines to protect data from organizations like the FBI.
- Innovation. Apple strives for innovation, and it has a reputation for it. Since 2003, it has spent more on R&D than all its competitors. The investment in innovation has proven to be the right move as the company grows.
- User-Friendliness. Besides its innovations, Apple offers products that are easy to navigate and learn. The company prioritizes simplicity over customizability to ensure everyone can make their way around Apple devices.
- Branding. There's no doubt that Apple developed a strong brand with both high-quality products and high user trust. All its products are compatible and interconnected, making for a smooth user experience. This brand strength has helped Apple foster customer loyalty. Users are more likely to return when needing new devices or services.
Conclusion
Over the last decades, Apple has shown its ability to create innovative products. This mindset allowed the brand to stay relevant in an ever-changing field. In this context, the Swift coding language was a great step!
The language's uses go beyond iOS, applying to Apple's suite of products and services. The Swift coding language is a smart choice for beginners, and it's becoming a more mature language with each update. Its simplicity, career prospects and work opportunities are key!
