Apple Updates Swift Playgrounds With New 'What's Next' Feature

[MacRumors]

Apple today updated its Swift Playgrounds app to version 2.1, introducing new features to the iPad coding app designed to teach children and adults to code through several interactive "Learn to Code" lessons.

The updated app includes a new "What's Next" feature that offers up other playground suggestions to try based on current progress in the Swift Playgrounds app, providing users with a clearer path for learning new coding skills.

Today's update also introduces support for macOS content caching in order to speed up downloads in networks that have multiple Swift Playgrounds users.

Swift Playgrounds 2.1 comes three months after Apple introduced version 2.0 of Swift Playgrounds, an update that added support for subscribing to playgrounds from third-party creators and browsing and downloading third-party content.

The 2.0 update also brought support for robots like IBM's TJbBot and Mekamon, and a new gallery view was added to make it easier to see all available playgrounds you're subscribed to.

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

Article Link: Apple Updates Swift Playgrounds With New 'What's Next' Feature

 

[fawntugboat]

Does anybody use swift playground s that isn't already an iOS developer?

 

[nwcs]

Does anybody use swift playground s that isn't already an iOS developer?

Interesting question. I’ve done c# and c++ for most of my career and I’ve thought about dabbling in swift for fun. I’m wondering if it is even worthwhile or would it be too basic for someone who has been around the coding block quite a few times.

 

[Hastings101]

Does anybody use swift playground s that isn't already an iOS developer?

I used it for a bit, but as an adult I'm probably not the target audience. I don't know much about code beyond some lua and Javascript for modding games, definitely couldn't manually make an app or website, and just kept wondering how this would ever have any real world application/when I could use it.

For kids it's probably fun and educational, but for myself I need something more hands on and applicable I guess.

 

[Keane16]

Does anybody use swift playground s that isn't already an iOS developer?

I wouldn't call myself a dev and I enjoyed it. It's free so worth a download an play. The early bits are very easy. But it slowly increases in difficulty. It teaches basics and good practice.

Interesting question. I’ve done c# and c++ for most of my career and I’ve thought about dabbling in swift for fun. I’m wondering if it is even worthwhile or would it be too basic for someone who has been around the coding block quite a few times.

Possibly, but IMO it's worth an hour of your time if you're serious about learning, to figure out whether it's worth going through or you can just start with an Xcode tutorial.

The good thing was the code is transferable to from SP to Xcode. So if you start something and realise the SP app is too basic, you can shuffle over to the big boy league and start dabbling in Xcode itself on a Mac.

 

[GeekishlyGreek]

I wouldn't call myself a dev and I enjoyed it. It's free so worth a download an play. The early bits are very easy. But it slowly increases in difficulty. It teaches basics and good practice.



Possibly, but IMO it's worth an hour of your time if you're serious about learning, to figure out whether it's worth going through or you can just start with an Xcode tutorial.

The good thing was the code is transferable to from SP to Xcode. So if you start something and realise the SP app is too basic, you can shuffle over to the big boy league and start dabbling in Xcode itself on a Mac.

I was actually thinking of getting the swift Playgrounds app myself for similar reasons, but is it only available for iPad though? Can it be used on an iPhone for example? (or would the screen be just too small?)

 

[Keane16]

I was actually thinking of getting the swift Playgrounds app myself for similar reasons, but is it only available for iPad though? Can it be used on an iPhone for example? (or would the screen be just too small?)

iPad only. Just not enough room on an iPhone with the way the app is currently. You can code on one side and see the results on the other.

 

[brushlee]

I've got my 12 y.o. Son through ~80% of it in one weekend and then he got bored....
I have few decades of coding behind my back - I like it very much.....

 

[GeekishlyGreek]

iPad only. Just not enough room on an iPhone with the way the app is currently. You can code on one side and see the results on the other.

Yeah, I suspected that was the case. Does it let you create independent apps on it though, or are they just programs that you can only access afterwards from within the playgrounds app itself?