10 Steps to Becoming a Professional iOS Developer — From Scratch

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Want to get a piece of the mobile development pie and experience the hottest and coolest technology? You have a good eye, young man.

There is no doubt that mobile development is going to be a big thing now and in the next few years. There are tons of development jobs waiting to be filled. Companies are looking for programmers of all levels - beginner, entry-level, mid-level, experienced, expert. This article is for beginners - I will help you find your first iOS development job.

"Why should I listen to you?"

You might say that. That's a problem - if a rookie gives random advice, it's best not to listen.

I’m not some guru, or even a particularly experienced iOS developer—but I know the market well enough to be of some help to you.

I started out as an independent developer with a few apps that didn’t make much money (but enough to keep me fed and focused on development). Later, I joined a company as a junior iOS developer, and finally I could focus on making apps without worrying about what to eat tomorrow. If I wanted, I could have found a company to work for and lived a comfortable life (but that probably wasn’t for me—I have entrepreneurial blood in my veins).

Now, less talk and more action — how can you become an iOS developer?

1. Buy a Mac (or sell a kidney if you don’t have an iPhone).

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iOS development requires a Mac.

Well, you can settle for the next best thing (like a hackintosh, or Mac In Cloud), but listen to me - for iOS developers, Mac will be your main weapon. Generally speaking, you don't need to spend a lot of money to buy the latest, fastest, and most expensive equipment, but at least you have to have something called a Mac . Of course, if you are a small local tyrant and want to buy a better entry-level device, then you might consider Mac Mini - it may be the most cost-effective one. If you pursue portability like me, then buy Air - especially its large-screen version. We don't have to buy new products, and getting second-hand ones from eBay is also great.

2. Install Xcode.

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Now that you have a shiny new (or good used) Mac, the next step is to install [Xcode], the most important software for iOS developers. Xcode is the IDE (Integrated Development Environment) for developing iOS apps. It's free and you can download it directly from the Mac App Store. Download it now, don't wait!

You will write code in Xcode, edit it, "draw" your app in storyboard, do unit testing, etc. You will also need Xcode to upload your app to the App Store. You have to be as familiar with it as possible, because it is the most important software for every iOS developer.

3. Learn the basics of programming (probably the hardest part).

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Now we are probably at the hardest step - you need to start programming directly. If you have a certain programming foundation, you can choose between Objective-C (more difficult) and Swift (easier), which is probably not that difficult - they are basically standard object-oriented programming languages. But if you have never written a line of code, don't panic - here are two welfare resources for pure beginners:

1. Ry's Objective-C tutorial?——Suitable for "nostalgic" Objective-C enthusiasts. You don't have to learn Objective-C very well (Swift is the future trend <or already the current trend>), but it's best to understand its basics and be able to read the code written in it.

2. Swift language guide, officially provided by Apple - this is the best Swift reference and learning material. If it comes from Apple, it must be quality.

Of course, you don't have to understand everything in depth - wait until you are more experienced to talk about this. But you must have a good understanding of concepts such as variables, pointers, classes, data types, and loops. In this way, your future learning will be smooth.

4. Follow the tutorial and copy it

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From this point on, you're finally going to make something useful. Check out these sites:

1. AppCoda — Probably the best place to start for beginners. You can find tons of different tutorials here, all with very detailed instructions. Be sure to check them all out!

2. Ray Wenderlich – Another useful website with a massive database of iOS development tutorials. Follow along and learn step by step.

But don't limit yourself to these websites and tutorials! Go ahead and make a calculator app. Then a weather app. Then a currency converter app. Then a music app. Got it? Make whatever tutorials you can find.

Recommended reading:

• 27 places to learn iOS development.Best ones.: Not just written for beginners.

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Keep following the tutorials and making apps until you feel comfortable using Xcode and the programming language (Objective-C or Swift of your choice). At this point, we move on -

5. Start developing your own app

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OK, we are getting into the groove. Now, you should start developing your own application, which will become your magic weapon for future interviews.

Don't be scared! You're not going to build Facebook. You have to start at a junior level, right? At a junior level, you can learn a lot from your colleagues. It's no use aiming too high, you can't become an expert with five years of experience overnight.

Therefore, you should keep calm and think about what area of ​​iOS development you are currently best at.

Maybe you've developed a web-related app? Maybe you've studied UIKit and are good at making complex user interfaces? Or maybe you've developed a music player app and love audio on iOS? You have to use your interests and knowledge as the basis for developing an app. Write clean, stylish, and well-running code.

6. During this period, I hope you can also learn as much comprehensive knowledge of software development as possible.

The fact that you are reading this article probably means you are not planning to study computer science at university anytime soon. The good news is! You don’t have to!

You can turn on your computer at home and take a lot of courses on computer science, programming, software engineering, etc.

Of course, this is not a degree, but it is enough for iOS development. See the picture above? Read the text above. I won't give you the link - information search is one of the most important skills for developers. Start training. Google is your teacher and friend.

#p#

7. Complete the application.

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You've been focusing on learning and developing apps for days, weeks, months, and now you have a decent app. Your app is your resume - you have to give it your all. Even better, give it your all. What will the company want to see in your app? Here are some suggestions:

• Well-running applications

• Clean code

• Code structure — small classes, proper variable naming, good file grouping in Xcode, etc.

• Use of storyboards (if you can use both storyboards and freehand user interface programming, that would be awesome)

• Using CocoaPods

• Some simple unit tests

• Use of third-party libraries (e.g. some open source projects on GitHub — this is a big plus, as it is very useful in real-world work)

By the way, if you are looking for some cool iOS open source libraries, you may want to check out my other article:

• 27 iOS open source libraries to skyrocket your development.: Definitely worth a read. Seriously.

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Of course, everything depends on what kind of job and company you are looking for, but in general, if you learn the above words well, you will not be afraid of traveling around the world .

OK, now you have your own cool app. Next step -

8. Release the app on the App Store

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Um, just to be clear - this step is optional, as it requires a developer account, which costs $99 per year, which is likely to cost you more than you can afford.

To launch or not to launch, that is the question...it's up to you. However, many companies would see it as a big plus if it is successfully launched.

Having your own app in the App Store means that you are familiar with the app release process , the restrictions that Apple places on apps (which are quite a lot), and the things that are required for release other than the app itself (such as app descriptions, keywords, screenshots, promotional videos, etc.).

You can choose to skip this step, but I highly recommend it (I probably got my first job thanks to an app I created in the App Store).

9. Upload the application to GitHub.

GitHub is a social platform whose main function is to share source code (there is another platform similar to GitHub but not as popular as GitHub, Bitbucket).

You can upload source code here (which can be set to public or private), browse other people's code here, and contribute to open source projects. GitHub is widely used, and even if you have always been a solo developer, you can benefit a lot from it - you can better organize your code and get the best possible backup.

But why should you upload the application? It’s simple, just show the source code to your interviewer.

Stop sending code via email. This isn’t the 90s.

10. Contact your favorite companies!

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It’s time to realize your dream - now you are ready to accept your first iOS development job! It may be as an intern or an entry-level position, it doesn’t matter - what matters is that you are now capable of finding your first job , and the beginning is always the hardest.

So, get your resume ready, find the company you want to work for, and start developing apps with them!

Now that you have some development skills, you may want to try your hand at being an independent developer before you get into the workforce, but you don't know what kind of apps to make. Need some inspiration? Take a look at the weekly report on the best iOS apps and games , which I curate - there are all kinds of great apps there that iOS developers will definitely want to make!

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Maybe you have a cool app in the App Store? I curate my own iOS Apps Weekly every week, so send me a direct message on Twitter , maybe your app will be the next App of The Week!

If you liked this post and want to read more, please hit the recommend button below - it inspires me to share more stuff (I have an endless supply of ideas in my head!) You can also follow me on Twitter, where I frequently post about iOS development stuff. Thanks!

Pawe [[137422]] Bia [[137423]] ecki (@pawel_bialecki) | Twitter : Latest tweets from Pawe [[137424]] Bia [[137425]] ecki (@pawel_bialecki). iOS developer, electric guitarist…

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Recommended reading:

• 52 people every iOS developer should follow on Twitter.: They’re not just programmers.