Before you can get going with iOS development there are a couple of hardware requirements that you will need to satisfy. In this post, we’ll take a look at those requirements, discuss the various options for satisfying them and focus on the cheapest way to get started for those who want to develop iOS apps.
Minimum Requirements
Green App Machine. ( Best App Development Software. “The Mac Mini can be a great entry level solution but add a Thunderbolt Display and the costs start mounting.” Development Hardware Options. So what does this mean if you haven’t already got a Mac and want to get started? Well, you have a few options. The first is the Mac Mini. At around £399 / $499 at the time of writing, this is a. May 27, 2020 Microsoft Remote Desktop 10 is a godsend for network admins and IT professionals, and is easily one of the best Mac apps you can download right now. Microsoft Office 365. Microsoft Office has.
I’m not going to beat around the bush. Bottom line is that if you want to get started with iOS application development you’re going to need (or at least have access to) a Mac and at it ideally will be running latest version of OS X.
If you’re a PC owner, you’re out of luck I’m afraid. The Xcode development tools are only available on OS X and there isn’t really a viable PC alternative at present. Sart uo apps mac. I guess it’s a marketing choice on Apples behalf but for now if you want to join the world of iOS developers it’s a really a Mac or nothing.
“The Mac Mini can be a great entry level solution but add a Thunderbolt Display and the costs start mounting.”
Development Hardware Options
So what does this mean if you haven’t already got a Mac and want to get started? Well, you have a few options.
The first is the Mac Mini. At around £399 / $499 at the time of writing, this is a pretty good option if you want to get started and already have a display kicking around that you can hook it up to. The down-side though is that if you haven’t, and you start adding the cost of one of Apple’s Thunderbolt Displays into the mix, you’re looking at another £899 / $999 at the time of writing and the costs are mounting pretty rapidly.
The next option then is the iMac. A 21.5-inch iMac is available from £899 / $1099 and is a pretty good alternative to the Mac Mini / Thunderbolt Display combo and is around £300 / $300 cheaper. It definitely gets around the problem of having to buy a separate screen and if you’re looking for a desktop solution this is probably your best bet.
https://renewget643.weebly.com/mac-os-best-notes-app.html. For those looking for a more mobile alternative though (such as for coding in front of the TV – yes I admit I do that sometimes), you’ve really got a choice between the Macbook, MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro. The entry level MacBook is $1299 / £1049, an 11-inch Macbook Air is available from around £749 / $899 and a 13-inch MacBook Pro is a little more expensive at £999 / $1299. My preference out of these would be the 13-inch MacBook Pro though. All of them are viable alternatives but the one thing I have learnt is that Xcode loves screen real-estate so where possible I’d go for the biggest screen you can afford.
“The iMac is perfect for those who don’t mind being bound to the desktop.”
iOS Device Options
Top Mac App Store Apps
In terms of the iOS Device side of things, the picture is a little more rosy.
When it comes to iOS devices, you can start developing for iOS without owning an iOS device at all.
The Xcode development tools come with an iOS Simulator that allows you to simulate an iOS device right-there on your desktop. This is great option for both novices and professionals alike but it does have it’s limitations and experience has proven that it is simply no substitute for being able to run your applications on a real iOS device.
With this in mind I’d recommend that you try to get your hands on an iPhone or iPad as soon as you can. In my opinion it’s really an essential purchase in the long-term, especially if you are going to develop applications for the App Store. Depending on your needs though, you might not need the latest and greatest piece of Apple hardware and if your just getting started, my tip would be to keep an eye out on on eBay or Craigslist, especially when Apple releases a new revision of their iOS hardware. You’ll often find people selling off their devices as they upgrade and it can be a great way of picking up an inexpensive iOS Device to use for development.
![Top Mac Development Apps Top Mac Development Apps](/uploads/1/3/4/0/134043795/622217378.jpg)
Worst case though, if your budget really can’t stretch to an iOS device at the moment (especially if you’re having to splash out for a new Mac), don’t worry too much and please don’t be put off. As I’ve mentioned previously, you can still get started with Swift and iOS Development with an Intel-based Mac and the iOS Simulator. The important thing, as with many things, is overcoming inertia and getting started.
“For a more mobile development platform, the Macbook Pro is probably your best bet but try to go for as much screen real-estate as you can afford.”
You probably won’t need an iOS device immediately anyway, especially if you’re new to the platform, so my approach would be to start learning Swift (this blog will help you with that) and in the mean time save up and buy an iOS device when your finances allow. Trust me, you’ll want one once you start writing apps of your own. There’s nothing quite like pulling out your iOS device and showing your friends your latest creation!
Summary
In this post we looked at the minimum hardware requirement for getting started with iOS development – an Intel-based Mac ideally running the latest version of OS X. We looked at the options available for meeting this requirement and also took a look at the need to have an iOS Device upon which to run and test your software. For many, the hardware entry barrier can seem high, but if you can stretch to it, you will have all the hardware you need to develop and distribute an app to millions of potential customers around the world. Now isn’t that a price worth paying?
When it comes to smartphones and laptops, the entire tech world is divided into two groups: either you support Android or iOS and Windows or Mac. There is no middle ground for any common user or an expert.
This leaves users with a moot question: which operating system is better? A user, with his/her limited knowledge and experience about technology, is always in the doldrums. To find the right answer – once and for all – we sought advice from experts. We asked five developers a simple question: Mac or Windows?
These developers unanimously register their opinions. Note that the developers, who responded to our question, have used both platforms to develop software and apps.
This gave them a clear understanding of merits and demerits of both the systems. Based on their experiences, developers voted for Mac. Windows, in its early stage, enjoyed a status of the sole player in the market. But when Apple entered in the business, competition between the two became fierce.
Apple seems to have the edge over Windows with its secure ecosystem, smarter operating system, and powerful hardware. Developers were quick to switch to Mac from Windows, as they could recognize a remarkable difference between the two platforms. Let’s check out their views!
Why Mac is the First Choice of Developers: Five Reasons
#1. Lish – Developer, WonderShare
I switched from Windows to Mac development and have laid out a series of PDF products for Mac, such as Wondershare PDF Converter for Mac and PDF editor for Mac.
After nearly eight years of development on Mac, I believe that the development environment of the Mac is excellent, and it is user-friendlier in configuring various programs, and there is no need to load too many things manually. Many of the tools that developers use come from Unix and the power of UNIX is very comfortable to use.
Secondly, the Mac is very cool; it can bring the Apple development software industry a sense of honor. The third is to virtualize Windows on OS X, which is very simple. A simple user interface makes the work smoother. On Mac OS X, window management is great, and it’s important when you use many different tools as a developer.
#2. Akash Padhiyar – Founder, Akash Technolabs
I have been using Mac for the last eight years. If you ask me why I use Mac for such a long time, I would reply you with a question: why I am breathing. Yes, it as simple as that to understand the importance of Mac.
Its seamless integration gives a user-friendly, clean, easy and refined environment to me. As we all know about its security and data integrity feature, it gives me relaxation while I am using it. Each component in Mac is optimized for the best performance to ensure that it takes less power to execute your work.
Mac gives more power to me in developing my identity with an awesome user interface. Mac is always there to provide satisfaction to customers with new technology, quick response, and stability of version.
Many times I heard that Mac is very expensive, but I think when you get a qualitative and secure environment with new updates and highly optimized performance, then you have to go for Mac.
#3. Jared Collett – Founder, BetterHabitsApp
I actually used to work for Apple. Using their software as a platform for my creativity is simply second nature. I originally started using a Mac to avoid crashes, reboots, and, heaven forfends, a full reinstall.
Twelve years later and not a lot has changed. During the creative process, I can’t be bothered with an operating system that won’t function. From running a recording studio to editing photos professionally to producing documentary films, it’s all been done on a Mac.
Now as an iOS developer, I am forced to use a Mac, but honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. When you’re dealing with thousands of lines of code, debugging and solving complex problems, you need to trust your machine. More than that, you need to trust the system you are operating in.
I’ve always felt that Apple forces you to do it right the first time. While this may be a bit frustrating, you are grateful for it in the end. From learning Objective-C to now Swift, Apple has a way of extending its elegance and pristine quality into the coding experience itself. I shudder to think what it would be like coding for a Windows device on a Windows PC, no thanks!
All in all, I’m honored to be still able to contribute to Apple’s legacy and mission, many years after formally working for them. Apple is a great company with thousands of exceptional people fuelling it with the mission of enriching people’s lives. That’s something I can always get behind.
#4. Pablo Diaz-Gutierrez – CTO, Appfluence
As one of the creators of Priority Matrix, I spend my day writing and reviewing code for mobile, web, server-side, and desktop software, so I need an environment that’s flexible and powerful enough to handle that.
A MacBook offers the perfect combination that allows me to do wildly different kinds of work one minute and the next, without having to connect to external systems or to load a plethora of virtual machines for each situation.
At its core, macOS is a Unix system that is also easy to use and “just works.” Unlike more traditional Unix systems (Linux being the most well-known variant), macOS lets me get to work with minimal fiddling and setup time.
There is a ton of developer software that works right off the box, and because it’s a Unix system, it comes with myriad tools that can be combined to accomplish complex tasks. Getting a new machine in the morning and knowing that I can have everything I need up and running in a few minutes is huge for me. https://renewget643.weebly.com/blog/mac-hide-current-app.
Finally, since I work from home, I would go stir-crazy if I didn’t move. I drive a bike and carry my laptop with me to coffee shops all the time. So I need a computer that’s lightweight and easy to carry in my backpack. I first fell in love with the MacBook Air, and haven’t looked back since.
#5. Views from 5KPlayer
Suppose two teams are working to develop a single software piece – DearMob iPhone Manager. One team uses Windows platform and another uses Mac. Both teams would agree that Mac is simpler and easier to use to develop an iOS related program.
If the above comparison is not enough to impress anyone, let’s take one more example. There is only one team to build 5KPlayer on both Windows PC & Mac. From their ideas, Mac computer is much convenient for programming, particularly for the third lib (library). There are quite a lot of built-in source codes in Mac computer. Therefore, any developer can complete the task quicker on Mac than on Windows PC.
Although more and more programming language can be used cross-platform, we still need to create Windows software on Windows and Mac application on Mac computer. Mac is the greatest legacy of Steve Jobs.
That’s all friends!
What is your choice?
After reading some intelligent arguments made by experts, many would come to know why developers prefer Mac. Our attempt was to create awareness about the two popular computing platforms, and which one you should use. Our idea is not to devalue Windows against Mac. You be the judge and take a final call.
Mac Development Tools
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Which computing platform are you using? Are you satisfied with the current operating system installed on your computer? Share your feedback with us in comment section.
The founder of iGeeksBlog, Dhvanesh, is an Apple aficionado, who cannot stand even a slight innuendo about Apple products. He dons the cap of editor-in-chief to make sure that articles match the quality standard before they are published.
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