iOS Is it possible for me (a 14 year old) to learn the iPhone SDK? any advise?

[MacBook MH]

Hi everyone!
Im am a 14 year old guy from Slovakia, turning 15 in March. In 2012 I'll be having to make a "Personal project" for school. I would really much like to do an iPhone app. In basic, I have only little programming experience (I did a very simple AppleScript app [link in signature], and in school we learned easy programming, so I pretty basically know about variables etc.) I would say I'm a professional in Photoshop and in Illustrator, which I also learned practically from books alone, although I don't think this is a great advantage for a programmer to know how to use graphical programs...

My first aim is to start with learning Objective-C, and then progressing to the iPhone SDK. I already found some literature. I'm willing to give the learning 1-2 hours a day. So my question is, IS IT POSSIBLE TO LEARN THE iPhone SDK in one and a half year? I think, the biggest problem for me is that there is no programming school in Slovakia, and so far only some people here ever heard of iPhone programming.

Also, could you suggest anything that could be helpful for me? any tips?
And I'm sorry for my bad english

 

[jvaneat]

You most certainly can learn the iPhone SDK. There are many great resources out there.

My suggestion, look at a lot of sample code. Try modifying it. Read some articles. Write more code.

I believe you can learn it much faster than one and one half years. I'm currently working on a project that will allow beginner programmers to easily create games for iPhone and Mac OS X. I can let you know when that is ready (in about a month).

 

[MacBook MH]

Thank you! I also thought about starting modifying some code. But the first step sure is to check out some books and other resources...

 

[Willis]

sure you can... Once you understand Objective-C, you will be flying seeing as you already have an understanding of programming.

I know some Objective-C from reading books and also integrating it into Cocoa. I did that within a month from no knowledge at all. So yes, you should be fine.

 

[MacBook MH]

Did you then use your knowledge to make an iphone app? if yes could you post a link or name so I can check it out? im interested in what is possible to learn in one month...

 

[dejo]

Also, don't forget to check out the Guides and Stickies at the top of this very forum.

P.S. I created the basic version of [app]a.k.a.[/app] in less than a month.

 

[MacBook MH]

Yup, already checked them out at the very beginning of this project. I'm also thinking about making a blog so I can record my progress (this is also required for the project), so i will also post it here.

 

[chown33]

At some point, you will need an actual Apple Developer ID in order to run any code on any devices. You will pay your fee and agree to a contract. That's where you may run into problems, since you're almost certainly below the legal age at which you can enter into contracts (the age varies by jurisdiction). So you'll need someone of legal age (a parent or guardian) to enter into the contract for you, and that person, not you (a minor), will be legally responsible for the terms of the contract.

So you might want to ask someone who is familiar with your jurisdiction about entering into legally binding contracts. If you can't arrange something for that, then it doesn't matter what your technical skills are: you won't be able to get an Apple ID or code-signing key. Your recourse at that point will be jailbreaking (which may carry its own legal consequences that vary by jurisdiction).

I'm not a lawyer, but I've done a lot of contract work over the years, so the best advice I can offer is to get competent legal advice for your jurisdiction. There may be law school students or paralegals who can help guide you, or something like that. It may not be necessary to hire an actual legal counsel (again, depends on jurisdiction).

 

[MacBook MH]

I know that there will be a problem that im not 18. But i'll solve that when I actually program the app. For now Im ok with the iphone simulator.

 

[cnstoll]

That's great that you're interested in learning how to program for the iPhone. I've had a lot of fun with it, and it will be a great experience for you. The tutorials on Apple's website are a great way to start, so it sounds like you're moving in the right direction.

As a bit of motivation for you, I wanted to mention that my younger brother got an app published on the app store when he was 12 (a year ago). He taught himself completely, with almost zero coding help from my parents, and zero from me. So it's definitely possible to learn, and I'm sure you can make a great app if you spend some time with it.

Good luck.

 

[MacBook MH]

Thanks! that was what I wanted to hear ...

 

[xStep]

I just found a YouTube channel that was relevant to this thread. The voice in the videos is clearly a kid. Check out XcodMod's channel for iPhone tutorials. He is very comfortable with the subject matter.

 

[endroits1]

Hi, I just recently started learning Objective-C I have found a lot of helpful books but I suggest if you are new to the language going through the ebook at http://www.cocoalab.com/?q=node/6. It's basic at the beginning but each chapter adds a bit more. Hope that helps

 

[bdormer]

You can do it

First, learn C - you don't need to be a guru - but you need to understand enough that you can put together a 1000 line program and have it work. The envronment you use (Windows, Linux, Mac) really doesn't matter. Java is a sutable substitute. Don't worry too much about GUI's and stuff like that - concentrate on the language.

Then, you need to know some Object Oriented Programming - find some books or on-line videos. When you can use words like "Polymorphism" and truly understand what that is - you're ready.

Go to iTunes U and take the CS193P iPhone Application Development course from Stanford University. You will have to work HARD - it's a class designed for high GPA college students.

If you "have the knack" for programming - you can probably do that in less than a year.