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Learning Xcode 8
Learning Xcode 8

Learning Xcode 8: Learn to build iOS Applications with Xcode 8

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Learning Xcode 8

Chapter 2. Welcome to Xcode

For the uninitiated, developing for the iOS platform can seem a little daunting. There are so many aspects to think about when building an application: interface layout, backend data manipulation, managing code libraries and documentation, creating and releasing builds—the list goes on and on.

As you probably know by now, Xcode was built to let you perform all of these tasks in a single, consistent application. It is a true integrated development environment (IDE). However, with so many features and capabilities, it can take a while to learn all of its tricks. In this chapter, we'll be walking through the basics and getting you on course to be an Xcode master. Topics we'll cover include:

  • Setting up Xcode and new projects
  • Navigating the sections of the Xcode application
  • Configuring a project
  • Understanding resource files
  • Using the editor to modify source files
  • Creating a Hello world applet

By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to create...

Getting started

Before we can jump in and get our hands dirty, there are a few things we need to do. We'll start off by installing Xcode and looking at where you can access beta versions of the software when they're available. Then we'll get set up with the developer accounts we made in Chapter 1, Overview of iOS Development. Finally, we'll look at setting up a new project.

Installing Xcode

Really? A whole subtopic on installing an application? It does seem a little silly, but you'll find that when working with development environments there is a lot more going on than a traditional consumer-facing application. For that reason, we'll take a little time to make sure that everything is installed properly.

In this book, we'll be working with Xcode 8. In order to make things as simple as possible, Apple distributes the latest version of Xcode through the Mac App Store (MAS). When new versions of iOS are released (10.0, 10.1, 10.2, and so on), Xcode will be updated...

Navigating Xcode

Now that we've finally made it into the software, let's take a look around. You'll notice that there are a lot of subsections in the application window, along with a handful of toolbars and buttons. To make sense of everything that's going on, we're going to break things down into different areas. Before we begin, in the top-right corner of the application window should be three grouped buttons. Make sure they are all blue and active by clicking on them. This will make all of Xcode's shelf areas visible:

Navigating Xcode

Figure 2.7: A breakdown of the main components of the Xcode application window

At this point, your window should look similar to the preceding screenshot. I've broken down the full window into four separate sections: section A is the editor view, section B is the navigator sidebar, section C is the debug area, and section D is the utilities sidebar. At the very top is the Toolbar; we'll be using the buttons on the far right of the...

Exploring the editor

Now we have a pretty good idea of what all the different parts of the Xcode window do and how they work together. We covered the two sidebars and the debug area in a good amount of detail, but now let's take a closer look at what the main editor can do.

Standard editor

Let's take a look at some of the different configurations for the editor. In your navigation sidebar, you can see a list of files. Right now, the HelloWorld project file is selected. Clicking on a file will make that the active file and open it in the editor. Select the ViewController.swift file and you'll see the editor change to show the source code:

Standard editor

Figure 2.8: The editor view when a .swift file is active

You'll also notice that at the very top of the editor window is a hierarchy bar view starting at the root project (the blue icon), going through folders and files, ending at No Selection. If you click your cursor around at different points in the source file, you'll see that No...

Understanding project settings

Now that you have a good understanding of navigating Xcode on your own, let's head back to the file that was open when we first started our project. In the project navigator, this is the very topmost file; it has a blue icon, and is named the same as your project:

Understanding project settings

Figure 2.14: The General tab of the project settings file

This file represents your project's settings. There are a lot of important sections in the project settings file that you'll have to interact with in pretty much every project, from app icons, to iCloud capabilities, to custom compiler settings. In this section, we're going take a tour of the most commonly used parts of the project settings file.

Project targets

Like many of the other windows we've explored, you'll notice that the editor for the project settings is split into two columns. On the left, you can see the projects and targets in your app, and on the right are the actual settings. Let's look at the...

Creating and managing files

So far on our tour of Xcode we've been looking at and fiddling with all of the files that were automatically created when we started the project. Now we're going to take a look at the different types of resources that are used in a typical Xcode project and how to create, import, and manage them.

Resource types

While the number of resource types that Xcode can handle is quite large, there are only three resource types that you'll need to know about for most use cases. These are the Swift file, the Storyboard, and the Asset Catalog. We've already seen an example of all three resource types, but before we continue we should get a better understanding of what they are used for and how they work.

A Swift source file is a text document that contains source code written in the Swift programming language. Normally, you'll have one class per file, but you can technically declare as many classes, structs, and so on in a source file as you like. We...

Getting started


Before we can jump in and get our hands dirty, there are a few things we need to do. We'll start off by installing Xcode and looking at where you can access beta versions of the software when they're available. Then we'll get set up with the developer accounts we made in Chapter 1, Overview of iOS Development. Finally, we'll look at setting up a new project.

Installing Xcode

Really? A whole subtopic on installing an application? It does seem a little silly, but you'll find that when working with development environments there is a lot more going on than a traditional consumer-facing application. For that reason, we'll take a little time to make sure that everything is installed properly.

In this book, we'll be working with Xcode 8. In order to make things as simple as possible, Apple distributes the latest version of Xcode through the Mac App Store (MAS). When new versions of iOS are released (10.0, 10.1, 10.2, and so on), Xcode will be updated through the App Store, bundled...

Navigating Xcode


Now that we've finally made it into the software, let's take a look around. You'll notice that there are a lot of subsections in the application window, along with a handful of toolbars and buttons. To make sense of everything that's going on, we're going to break things down into different areas. Before we begin, in the top-right corner of the application window should be three grouped buttons. Make sure they are all blue and active by clicking on them. This will make all of Xcode's shelf areas visible:

Figure 2.7: A breakdown of the main components of the Xcode application window

At this point, your window should look similar to the preceding screenshot. I've broken down the full window into four separate sections: section A is the editor view, section B is the navigator sidebar, section C is the debug area, and section D is the utilities sidebar. At the very top is the Toolbar; we'll be using the buttons on the far right of the toolbar very frequently throughout the next...

Exploring the editor


Now we have a pretty good idea of what all the different parts of the Xcode window do and how they work together. We covered the two sidebars and the debug area in a good amount of detail, but now let's take a closer look at what the main editor can do.

Standard editor

Let's take a look at some of the different configurations for the editor. In your navigation sidebar, you can see a list of files. Right now, the HelloWorld project file is selected. Clicking on a file will make that the active file and open it in the editor. Select the ViewController.swift file and you'll see the editor change to show the source code:

Figure 2.8: The editor view when a .swift file is active

You'll also notice that at the very top of the editor window is a hierarchy bar view starting at the root project (the blue icon), going through folders and files, ending at No Selection. If you click your cursor around at different points in the source file, you'll see that No Selection changes depending...

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Key benefits

  • Learn the theory and tools behind app development using Swift 3 and Xcode 8
  • Build a fully featured iOS app, including a companion app for the Apple Watch
  • Optimize, debug, and ultimately release your app on Test Flight and the App Store

Description

Over the last few years, we’ve seen a breakthrough in mobile computing and the birth of world-changing mobile apps. With a reputation as one of the most user-centric and developer-friendly platforms, iOS is the best place to launch your next great app idea. As the official tool to create iOS applications, Xcode is chock full of features aimed at making a developer’s job easier, faster, and more fun. This book will take you from complete novice to a published app developer, and covers every step in between. You’ll learn the basics of iOS application development by taking a guided tour through the Xcode software and Swift programming language, before putting that knowledge to use by building your first app called “Snippets.” Over the course of the book, you will continue to explore the many facets of iOS development in Xcode by adding new features to your app, integrating gestures and sensors, and even creating an Apple Watch companion app. You’ll also learn how to use the debugging tools, write unit tests, and optimize and distribute your app. By the time you make it to the end of this book, you will have successfully built and published your first iOS application.

Who is this book for?

This book is intended for programmers looking to get a jump-start into the world of iOS development. Whether you’re a young student who has only spent a few months with Java, or a seasoned developer who has spent their career developing for a different platform, all that is expected is a basic understanding of a programming language such as C++, C#, or Java.

What you will learn

  • Understand the most important features of the Xcode IDE
  • Write Swift 3 code for application data models and view controllers
  • Prepare visual layouts for an iOS application using storyboards, size classes, and auto-layout
  • Integrate many common technologies into an app, such as multi-touch gestures, CoreData, and notifications
  • Build companion applications for the Apple Watch with watchOS 3
  • Debug applications using Xcode's suite of debugging tools, and prevent bugs with unit testing
  • Optimize an application using Xcode 8's profiling tools and asset catalogs
  • Distribute a beta application through TestFlight, and a finished application through the App Store
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Publication date, Length, Edition, Language, ISBN-13
Publication date : Nov 18, 2016
Length: 480 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781785885723
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ISBN-13 : 9781785885723
Vendor :
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Table of Contents

17 Chapters
1. Starting Your iOS Journey Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
2. Welcome to Xcode Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
3. Introduction to Swift 3 Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
4. Using Storyboards, Auto Layout, and Size Classes Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
5. Taking Advantage of Source Control in Xcode Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
6. Building Your First iOS App Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
7. Integrating Multitouch and Gestures Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
8. Exploring Common iOS Frameworks Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
9. Working with Core Data Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
10. Creating a watchOS Companion App Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
11. Advanced Input Using Sensors Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
12. Sending Notifications Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
13. Writing Unit Tests Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
14. Debugging an iOS Application Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
15. Optimizing Your App Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
16. Distributing an iOS App Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

Rating distribution
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon 4.3
(3 Ratings)
5 star 66.7%
4 star 0%
3 star 33.3%
2 star 0%
1 star 0%
Michael Briscoe Jan 25, 2018
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
This is one of the best instructional books I’ve read. My only problem with it is that it is geared specifically to iPhone app development and I’m not interested in that, I am learning Swift for Mac development. Most of the skills transfer over, but would like to have a book that specifically addresses Mac development.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
O. M. Aszkenasy Apr 16, 2017
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
This is the best book about learning Xode 8 that I have read. The author has a highly engaging and enthusiastic style. He provides a thorough introduction to the Model-View-Controller principle (something that I struggled with until now) and then leads you through the complexity of the Xcode interface, something that other books only touch on. Then there's a great chapter on how to build a simple 'hello world' application and explains in detail how it works. Next we start to learn how to programme in Swift. That's how far I've so I will update once I have finished the book. However, I just wanted to get this down as I am so excited to find a book about Xcode that makes it fun and easier to understand this amazing programming environment.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Hal Dale Feb 14, 2018
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon Empty star icon 3
Pretty good.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
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