Apple Reveals 'Swift Playgrounds' Educational Coding App for iPad

[MacRumors]

Apple today revealed an all-new "Swift Playgrounds" app that aims to introduce users to "a new way to learn to code with Swift on iPad." The app -- which will be a free download -- is aimed for a public release on the App Store when iOS 10 launches this fall.

The library of Apple-developed programming lessons helps students learn core coding concepts, such as issuing commands, creating functions, performing loops and using conditional code and variables, and allows them to progressively build confidence and skill. Apple will regularly release new standalone challenges so students can continue to refine their coding abilities as their skills and interests grow. Educators and developers can also use Xcode® to create their own unique challenges for the app.

Along with other features, the app has custom "learn to code" lessons from Apple that focus on crafting visual cues around numeric coding data to slowly introduce kids into the world of coding. Multi-touch on the iPad helps coding in the app more straightforward, but Apple also crafted a new coding keyboard to add in new code in just a few keystrokes.

Starting today, Swift Playgrounds is available to Apple Developer Program members, and will additionally be available in the iOS 10 public beta this July. The final version of the app is expected to launch for free on the App Store sometime in the fall. All iPad Air and iPad Pro models will be compatible with the app, as well as iPad mini 2-and-later devices.

Article Link: Apple Reveals 'Swift Playgrounds' Educational Coding App for iPad

 

[Z400Racer37]

So cool. It look like they've done a very good job with this, it's very conceptual. Cant wait to try this out

 

[Junipr]

How silly of me to want new Macs! We should all be coding on iPads!

 

[Dilster3k]

This isn't Xcode on the iPad...

 

[nutmac]

To me, easily one of the highlights. I just wish Apple would bring it to macOS as well.

 

[0007776]

How silly of me to want new Macs! We should all be coding on iPads!

That's probably Apple's goal. It'll be awhile until even Apple thinks this is good enough, but this is the beginning of the end for macs.

 

[Altis]

Really neat idea, but would be very to if available on the Mac.

 

[nt5672]

Really neat idea, but would be very to if available on the Mac.

Don't need no stinkin Mac anymore. We have Siri and you can speak all of your code into an iPad.

 

[Spendlove]

Hell even I, a total klutz at anything to do with programming might have a go at this. Never too late to learn!

 

[blesscheese]

Playgrounds could be the gateway "drug" for a whole generation of programmers.

Heck, it even could introduce logic and coding for future liberal arts majors, as well.

I don't think there is any hope for business majors, but maybe this could also do the trick?

 

[FloatingBones]

I was expecting an MC Escher "infinite staircase" for the Swift playground looping demo.

 

[Toutou]

This "every cool kid has to code" ******** must stop soon.

 

[macduke]

I've never messed around with swift, and know just enough Objective C to look at it and tell you what it probably does (this is mostly from experience in other languages). I'm definitely going to be installing this, especially if they get into the more advanced lessons. I think it's a mistake to market it towards kids (in their phrasing, not exactly in what content it may provide looking at some of the other examples on the screen at the time such as the more advanced sorting stuff). This could be huge for people like me who are like 70% designer and 30% coder who want to take things to the next level. I could see myself providing smaller app extensions to things like iMessage, Maps, etc.

My wife and I have committed to teacher our daughter (and soon son) to code when they are old enough. This app is going to be fantastic for us, and much more important than learning a foreign language while in school. There are so many positive benefits when learning to code—even if you don't go into it as a career! Very excited.

 

[JustThinkin']

I was excited when the introduced this, but then when they demoed it I thought it was the exact opposite of "revolutionary."

It appears to do nothing to change Swift whatsoever; rather it uses cute little game-oriented graphics to illustrate the exact same concepts coders have been learning for decades.

Unless I misunderstand it, this nothing but a scary admission that (they believe) the average kid is incapable of conceptualizing anything on his own any more. Which is something I disagree with - I certainly, desperately hope it isn't true!!!

 

[prism]

Great so now everyone is going to become a coder and like what digital did to photography: inflation of the wanna be's substantially diluting the beauty and art in true photography, good coding is going to become even harder to come by.

 

[jonnysods]

My son got excited about this. All I could see was this lady using an iPad to code and I died a little inside.

 

[Jimmy James]

Swift Playgrounds sounds like an interactive website featuring Taylor Swift. That, or children's play equipment marketed by her.

 

[nezr]

I approve of this app. Probably the best part of the keynote.

It better help me code or else I am suing. /s

 

[KindredMAC]

How much do you want to bet that only the iPad Pros will be able to run this?

 

[Altis]

Don't need no stinkin Mac anymore. We have Siri and you can speak all of your code into an iPad.

"Siri, program me the old Music App in Swift."

 

[Saturn1217]

Really neat idea, but would be very to if available on the Mac.

I was thinking the same thing. Using this to learn on a Mac with a keyboard makes more sense. What would be even better is having the app on both platforms and syncable so you could learn at a desk or while mobile.

 

[jayducharme]

Swift Playgrounds sounds like an interactive website featuring Taylor Swift.

It's a treadmill you fall off of.

I too am really excited about Swift Playgrounds. I've been looking for introductory level programming that's intuitive for the basic game design class I teach, and this might work well.

 

[Altis]

I was thinking the same thing. Using this to learn on a Mac with a keyboard makes more sense. What would be even better is having the app on both platforms and syncable so you could learn at a desk or while mobile.

That'd be cool.

Honestly, the ergonomics of the iPad are pretty brutal for coding. But for kids to explore coding, it's a neat idea.

 

[erthquake]

This "every cool kid has to code" ******** must stop soon.

There's a lot of value in learning the problem decomposition skills required by programming. Most students are require to take physics, chemistry, and biology classes. Even though they don't go into that field, they're important for learning how the world works. We now live in a time when it's important to learn how our technology works. See the recent court case between Google and Oracle and the trouble the jury had with understanding the issues for proof how important it is to understand coding.

 

[nt5672]

I was excited when the introduced this, but then when they demoed it I thought it was the exact opposite of "revolutionary."

It appears to do nothing to change Swift whatsoever; rather it uses cute little game-oriented graphics to illustrate the exact same concepts coders have been learning for decades.

Unless I misunderstand it, this nothing but a scary admission that (they believe) the average kid is incapable of conceptualizing anything on his own any more. Which is something I disagree with - I certainly, desperately hope it isn't true!!!

I do think kids can still be smart. What bothers me is that this is even news to a roomful of professional developers. That shows a level ignorance from Apple that is simply unbelievable.