iOS Is coding for Mac a prerequisite to develop on iOS?

The Cocoa framework on the Mac is somewhat similar but not the same as Cocoa Touch on iOS devices. If you want to program for iOS you can learn that directly without learning desktop Cocoa first.

Bernard SG said:

Any other opinions?

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I agree with robbieduncan. Although there's similarities, Cocoa Touch can be, in ways, simpler than Cocoa, and as such, easier to learn. For example, Cocoa Touch's table views can only have one column whereas Cocoa's grid views can have multiple. This restriction can be a pain but also makes it easier to understand.

Bernard SG said:

Another question: should I purchase Xcode 4 on the Mac AppStore or I'll be fine with the latest 3.2.x? I'm a bit worried that Apple's available documentation is based on v. 4.x

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Much of Apple's documentation is still available in 3.x form. As well, much of the learning resources out there have not yet been adapted to Xcode 4.x. You should be fine.

Also, remember that although you need to be a paid developer to deploy to your device, you can also test your app on the Simulator, which comes free with Xcode, although some features are not available or restricted (for example, no accelerometer).

If you're just starting out, you'd be much better off learning Xcode 4 from the outset. Admittedly there are a lot of tutorials/books out there based on 3.x but these will be replaced/updated in time.

Learning a 3.x when it is for all intents and purposes, discontinued (don't expect any further development) and doesn't ship with OSX Lion seems pointless to me.

Luke Redpath said:

these will be replaced/updated in time.

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So, is what you're saying "wait for them to be replaced?"

FWIW I just got my copy of the third edition of Kochan's book. Since it focuses on Objective C it is a good foundation for either iOS or Mac OS X.

I haven't read the updates (for Xcode 4 and iOS) yet, but it might be a good place to start and build a foundation.

B

balamw said:

So, is what you're saying "wait for them to be replaced?"

FWIW I just got my copy of the third edition of Kochan's book. Since it focuses on Objective C it is a good foundation for either iOS or Mac OS X.

I haven't read the updates (for Xcode 4 and iOS) yet, but it might be a good place to start and build a foundation.

B

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I know of a few books being written/updated for Xcode 4. That said, you can still use older books, just be aware that any instructions regarding the IDE will be different. The code will still be the same.

Bernard SG said:

Another question: should I purchase Xcode 4 on the Mac AppStore or I'll be fine with the latest 3.2.x?

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When you are finally ready to stump up the $99 to test on a device you'll get Xcode 4 for free anyway so don't bother.

Bernard SG said:

Thanks everyone for your answers so far!



Yep, that was why I had the dilemma: there's no question that at some point it would be necessary to use Xcode 4. The question is whether I go for it right now or wait until I'm ready to fully register as a iOS dev (might take quite a while ). The little issue with the latter is the adapting to a new software version later; it's always some effort, perhaps worth $5 to avoid, and isn't Xcode 4 more polished and easier to use?

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I started programming for iOS before I started Mac development. Actually, the iOS APIs are somewhat more refined/cleaner, in part because they are newer, and in part because they provide a slightly more limited set of functionality compared to a desktop platform.

Definitely recommend starting with Xcode 4 as well.

Good luck!

I would say the answer is no. I've coding for iOS or almost six months now, and I've never coded a native Mac app. In fact, I became a mac user just so I could code iOS apps (so I've been a mac user as long as I've programmed iOS apps (though I haven't sold them in app store yet.

As for XCode version, I don't see a reason why you couldn't begin with v3. It's able, and in my opinion, easier to use than v4 (even though there are a lot of "loose" windows in it). But, as suggested, I would only use it for hobby purposes. There seem to be some things that don't work in v4 (in my opinion), and the basic app templates change a bit. I find v4's debugger to be more intuitive, though (and that is very important).

Good luck!