iOS Starting with iOS development and ultimately looking for a job?

[techguy15]

I'm entirely new to iOS development and was hoping some experienced developers could help. I want to improve my career and get a better job by learning to code and it seems to me like the way to go is with Swift/objective c or JavaScript.
I'm willing to learn and take classes at my local community college or even for free at code academy whichever is more beneficial. My main questions are:
1) if I devote enough time, say 30+ hours a week to learning coding, about how long would it take for me to pick up the basics enough to get an entry level job?
2) is coding as difficult as people claim it to be? I've read a ton of people who gave up on coding
3) I know the app market is more strict than Google Play Store. Should I take this into consideration when choosing a programming language?

I thank you in advance for your help and advice! I'm open to any advice!

 

[Zazoh]

Software Engineers make pretty decent money because it is a fairly complex job. I've been a developer for about 15 years. Before you get too far, determine if you are cut out for it.

There is a time when you will be stuck on a project and spend hours trying to resolve the simplest of problems. It is during this time when you can figure out if coding is for you. If you continue to get frustrated during these times and just want to bail-out or give up, then coding probably isn't for you. Instead, if you take it as a challenge and throw your hands in the air and cheer when you eventually break through, you are a coder. I ask questions around this during interviews to see if folks truly want to get into it.

If your intent is to go out on our own and make a sexy app and make big bucks ... you may be in for a surprise. It is incredibly difficult to go that route. It is possible and has been done, but it is analogous to a kid who is good at basketball making it to the NBA on his own.

Now, as far as learning programing, one can get VERY far being self taught and doing what you said. if you dedicate that amount of time and really learn to program and learn problem solving, you will go far.

As far as languages, when you really really learn one well, the others come more easily. As there are only a few concepts to programing that are just done differently in each language. Loops, If Thens, Arrays, etc.

Java is the number one language needed in the industry -- still.

For iOS, check out: iOS 10 & Swift 3: From Beginner to Paid Professional
On udemy.com

Challenge yourself with various projects, and don't lapse if you are making progress. Try to program a bit every day. Read different sources, there are tons of free information on the Internet. If you get stuck with the explanation of one site, go to another.

This tutorial is meant for someone who already knows a bit about the language. But, it is a good example of how to interact with Xcode. And, you finish the project with a template that can be customized to make other apps -- there is a lot of functionality in it.

https://developer.apple.com/library/content/referencelibrary/GettingStarted/DevelopiOSAppsSwift/

 

[techguy15]

Hey thank you again. I know you took time to answer on my other question about actually purchasing a Mac. Truthfully it's a lot to consider for me. I'm at the point where I'd like to make more money but I understand that I may not make millions creating the next clash of clans or angry birds etc. and I'm okay with that
I tried out other professions like sales but they seem to fall flat or dry up and I end up making barely minimum wage. Kind of tired of that. So that's why coding interested me. I play games on my phone but when I play them I'm actually thinking in my head "how was this certain thing implemented into this game?"
I also admit i tend to get frustrated but also at the same time with computers or cell phone problems I usually have the desire to solve the issue and have to do so many times on my own or just my Googling it
But I thank you very much for your help. you've given me some major points to think about

 

[Dookieman]

Like Zazoh said coding can be difficult but is also a lot of fun. Also, simply liking to play games on your phone and thinking that some how will help out with programming is not the same. At all. Same goes for fixing general computer problems. The initial learning curve to programming is quite high, but once you get over it, it all starts to "click". It's definitely not for everyone. You will know it's for you if you get addicted. Once you get over the hump, it's all you will want to do for a long while.

 

[techguy15]

Like Zazoh said coding can be difficult but is also a lot of fun. Also, simply liking to play games on your phone and thinking that some how will help out with programming is not the same. At all. Same goes for fixing general computer problems. The initial learning curve to programming is quite high, but once you get over it, it all starts to "click". It's definitely not for everyone. You will know it's for you if you get addicted. Once you get over the hump, it's all you will want to do for a long while.

I appreciate your input and I thank you

 

[firewood]

It depends. There are people who learn to code on their own fairly fast. There are people who flunk out of university CS/IT/SE programs. The are people who have done a year or more of college level software coursework who couldn't pass a good software job interview to save their lives.

If you want a entry level job, you should at least learn enough to develop and put a few iOS apps in the App store that work and look as good as some of the more successful non-trivial apps.