Apple Releases Swift Playgrounds 2.0 With New Gallery, Subscription Feature for Following Content Creators

[MacRumors]

Alongside new iOS 11.3, macOS 10.13.4, and tvOS 11.3 betas, Apple today released a major update for Swift Playgrounds, the iPad app that's designed to teach students how to code.

Swift Playgrounds 2.0 introduces a new feature that lets users subscribe to playgrounds from third-party creators, browse and download their content, and get alerts when new playgrounds are made available from content creators.

The update also includes support for new robots like IBM's TJBot and the Mekamon, accessible via the Add Subscriptions button, and a new gallery view will show all playgrounds including third-party subscriptions in one easy-to-see single view.

A new Locations button is designed to let users open playgrounds from the Files app on the iPad, and documentation for iOS features and commands is now available from the Help button and the tools menu.

The latest version of Swift Playgrounds includes new features to make it easier to discover even more content. Now you can subscribe to playgrounds from your favorite third-party creators, then browse and download their content directly within Swift Playgrounds. You'll automatically see new and updated playgrounds in your subscriptions, a content gallery that shows all playgrounds in a single view, new robots, and much more.

Swift Playgrounds 2.0 can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Apple Releases Swift Playgrounds 2.0 With New Gallery, Subscription Feature for Following Content Creators

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Hah! this really made my day!

 

[ghost187]

I went through all 3 levels just to see how serious this is and I gotta say I’m impressed. You can learn more from this app than your first year in college as a Computer Science major.

 

[BWhaler]

Looks incredible. I love that Apple is doing this.

 

[Westside guy]

I've been doing web development for a long time... but I think I'm going to try Swift Playgrounds out because it looks fun!

If only there'd been "Perl Playgrounds" available a couple decades ago...

 

[DrwMDvs]

They should really adapt Swift for MacOS.

 

[D.T.]

They should really adapt Swift for MacOS.

You can use Swift to write apps for MacOS, iOS (and all it's various flavors), unless you were talking about something else? (if so, apologies!)

 

[thisisnotmyname]

not everything needs a subscription.

 

[RichardGroves]

not everything needs a subscription.

It’s subscription as in ‘get notified of a content update’ not ‘recurring payment for content’ AFAIKS.

 

[Kenn Marks]

Alongside new iOS 11.3, macOS 10.13.4, and tvOS 11.3 betas, Apple today released a major update for Swift Playgrounds, the iPad app that's designed to teach students how to code.

Swift Playgrounds 2.0 introduces a new feature that lets users subscribe to playgrounds from third-party creators, browse and download their content, and get alerts when new playgrounds are made available from content creators.

Swift Playgrounds 2.0 can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Apple Releases Swift Playgrounds 2.0 With New Gallery, Subscription Feature for Following Content Creators

It would be nice if I could upgrade my Swift Playgrounds 1.6.1 from the App Store, all it will let me do is open my current version. I could delete 1.6.1 but that would also delete all the Playgrounds I’ve already completed. Anybody have a workaround that will retain my completed Playgrounds and upgrade everything to Swift 2.0?

 

[vicviper789]

It’s subscription as in ‘get notified of a content update’ not ‘recurring payment for content’ AFAIKS.

we are talking about apple now tho..

 

[thisisnotmyname]

It’s subscription as in ‘get notified of a content update’ not ‘recurring payment for content’ AFAIKS.

That makes a lot more sense, thank you.

 

[lec0rsaire]

Apple really hit a home run with this app. Great for kids and adults. It really is a must have for anyone interested in Swift and coding in general. It will only get better with 3rd party content.

 

[badNameErr]

Swift Playgrounds can only be used as a generic constraint because it has Self or associated type requirements.

 

[ZZ Bottom]

This app is excellent, but why not offer a Mac OS based version? Either they’re just really lazy, or they’re using iPad exclusivity to coerce schools into buying iPads and Macs for Playgrounds and Xcode.

 

[SeminalSage]

This app is excellent, but why not offer a Mac OS based version? Either they’re just really lazy, or they’re using iPad exclusivity to coerce schools into buying iPads and Macs for Playgrounds and Xcode.

Actually, there is a version, sort of, for the Mac. If you go to iBooks (just Books now I guess), there is an "Everyone Can Code" section. There are about 6-8 free books Apple has written to learn coding and Swift. These books are tied to XCode Playgrounds you can download, from Apple, to learn the lessons.

As an aside, I went through the iPad version, and am now working my way through the iBook version. It'll teach you everything you need to get started with coding, Swift, and XCode.

 

[DrwMDvs]

You can use Swift to write apps for MacOS, iOS (and all it's various flavors), unless you were talking about something else? (if so, apologies!)

This fun-looking app only appears to be available for iPad This could easily be adapted for MacOS.

 

[D.T.]

This fun-looking app only appears to be available for iPad This could easily be adapted for MacOS.

Ahh, thanks for the clarification, yeah, that's kind of a bummer.

 

[lec0rsaire]

This app is excellent, but why not offer a Mac OS based version? Either they’re just really lazy, or they’re using iPad exclusivity to coerce schools into buying iPads and Macs for Playgrounds and Xcode.

Would be awesome to have this on MacOS. I use my MacBook much more than my iPad and I would definitely use Playgrounds more if it were on my MacBook. While I don't see myself dedicating myself to programming, I would sure like to do it as a hobby.