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iOS Code/swift or MS visual studio Mac for non coder

M

MrMister111

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Original poster
Jan 28, 2009
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Complete newbie to coding. Wouldn't mind messing about, I have an idea for an app, more iPhone app though.

I have an iMac and iPhone/iPad etc, but also have access to Windows 10 etc to.

So should I start with Xcode/swift or use the new MS visual studio for Mac?

This is for a complete novice to coding, NJ o idea how/what to do on any languages etc either.

Thanks
 
MrMister111 said:
So should I start with Xcode/swift or use the new MS visual studio for Mac?

This is for a complete novice to coding, NJ o idea how/what to do on any languages etc either.

Thanks
Click to expand...
If you're a newbie, don't start with Xcode or Swift. Unless you're dedicated the prospect of becoming a coder. These aren't snap-together drag-and-drop oriented tools.

I'm having trouble installing VS. This is sounding like the usual MS hiccup.
 
I believe that VS for Mac is a rebranded Xamarin Studio. That would mean learning C#.

I would recommend starting with Xcode and doing some tutorials or get a book.
 
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Yeah, I'm seeing no evidence of Visual Basic for the Mac version. Basic + drag and drop objects is what you would want to start off with, at least for a few weeks. You might want to poke around the internet for some simple beginner's programming languages, like Scratch: you can click on project, run it, and inspect the lego-like click-together syntax, etc.
 
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Seems so difficult to start from nothing now.

Some say Xcode/Swift others not. Agreeably better to start from scratch suppose but just thought I'd try and jump in and learn.

I have limited time as well, would prefer a classroom environment suppose as there's almost too much info/books/YouTube/Udemy etc...
 
MrMister111 said:
Seems so difficult to start from nothing now.

Some say Xcode/Swift others not. Agreeably better to start from scratch suppose but just thought I'd try and jump in and learn.

I have limited time as well, would prefer a classroom environment suppose as there's almost too much info/books/YouTube/Udemy etc...
Click to expand...

Depends on personality and goals. The Scratch website would be a good start if you have no firm commitment to being a programmer, and just want to see what coding is all about. Although it's not a serious application language, it has the core elements of what goes into programming in a visually easy-to-digest framework of lego-like blocks of coding elements. Everything is there: variables, conditionals, looping, etc.

On the other hand, if you really know you want to start and finish, you can start with Xcode and Swift and just learn a little bit at a time, if your time is limited. I recall there are some vids out there for Xcode that really do assume no programming basics at all. Edit: try this:

Xcode Beginners Tutorial (No Coding Required) How To Make A Simple App

Your Download Xcode will likely be more recent and not exactly the same. You will need an Apple ID to download it.
 
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Get a course online, there are tons of good courses on places like Lynda and Udemy.

Be prepared to spend an enormous amount of time and effort on it though. It took me three years to finally start writing software that wasn't complete garbage. Just don't expect to create Instagram in your first few weeks ;)

If you do start learning though, keep at it. It just gets funner and funner as you go.
 
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What is the iPad playground app? Is this any use in starting from scratch? Or just jump and try Xcode?

Thanks
 
There is no real way to "drag and drop" an iOS application without doing some coding.

Even MS VB will require knowing some version of code to get a decent working program.

You want to make apps then learn to code.

Now there are some basic code generators for Web Pages that are drag and drop. For OSX there's "Sparkle," which works pretty good for basic web page stuff.
 
Most coders just start learning. We are typically tinkerers - want to know how things work, configure our systems till they break then start over. I've been doing it professionally for 21 years. Until recently I'd say get a book read it, you wont understand it, then go back and do all the coding as they go through a tutorial, no matter how mundane it is.

These days there I've seen some good courses on Udemy. I don't typically like them because You'd have to start and stop the video alot to catch up.

If you get completely frustrated then almost get a high when you figure something out, you will become a good programer. If you get frustrated continually without any sense of satisfaction from making something work, give up now.

Swift is fairly easy to get started with as it is a bit more logical. Careers can be built learning just CSS, HTML and JavaScript however, which get you started in troubleshooting and putting code together and thinking about solving problems logically.
 
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