iPad development

[jcaswell]

I am an IT professional, and one time analyst and programmer, and would like to try my hand at creating apps for the iPad. Can anyone suggest sites to go to for more information and training

 

[dune]

I am an IT professional, and one time analyst and programmer, and would like to try my hand at creating apps for the iPad. Can anyone suggest sites to go to for more information and training

I share your interest. Here are several sources I've found:

- Checkout the developer.apple.com web site. That includes lots of materials describing iOS 7 features, documentation for iOS and its Xcode IDE toolset, etc. Also, look at the World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) videos available on that site.

- Load the iTunes U app from the iPad AppStore. (This app is free.) Look for Stanford course CS193P, whose course materials provide videos which introduce app programming, with examples in the video and homework too. (This course is also free.) Prerequisites are some knowledge of object-oriented programming (C++, Java, Objective-C, etc). Most iOS apps are written in Objective-C or C++. This course focuses on Objective-C, doing a good job of describing this language in detail and showing best usage practices in creating new apps. The course materials include 19 videos, plus home work and other data.

- Look for the companion iPad and iPhone App Development book in the iBooks library. This books can be read without viewing the full course, to get an introduction to iOS programming without actually doing any.

To do actually programming, you will need a Mac running Mac OS Lion or Mountain Lion (10.7 or 10.8). Download the Xcode 4.6 application from the MacAppStore (it's free). Then you can follow instructions in the Stanford course (iTunesU or iBook version), and do some programming yourself. Your apps would be testing via the iOS simulator which comes as part of Xcode package.

Hope this is adequate info to get you started. I got hooked, just be watching the WWDC videos (especially the keynote presentations).

 

[dune]

I share your interest. Here are several sources I've found:

- Checkout the developer.apple.com web site. That includes lots of materials describing iOS 7 features, documentation for iOS and its Xcode IDE toolset, etc. Also, look at the World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) videos available on that site.

- Load the iTunes U app from the iPad AppStore. (This app is free.) Look for Stanford course CS193P, whose course materials provide videos which introduce app programming, with examples in the video and homework too. (This course is also free.) Prerequisites are some knowledge of object-oriented programming (C++, Java, Objective-C, etc). Most iOS apps are written in Objective-C or C++. This course focuses on Objective-C, doing a good job of describing this language in detail and showing best usage practices in creating new apps. The course materials include 19 videos, plus home work and other data.

- Look for the companion iPad and iPhone App Development book in the iBooks library. This books can be read without viewing the full course, to get an introduction to iOS programming without actually doing any.

To do actually programming, you will need a Mac running Mac OS Lion or Mountain Lion (10.7 or 10.8). Download the Xcode 4.6 application from the MacAppStore (it's free). Then you can follow instructions in the Stanford course (iTunesU or iBook version), and do some programming yourself. Your apps would be testing via the iOS simulator which comes as part of Xcode package.

Hope this is adequate info to get you started. I got hooked, just be watching the WWDC videos (especially the keynote presentations).

Note: in iTunesU app catalog, the latest version of the Stanford course does not show up via a search for CS193P. The iOS 6 version of this code is called:
Coding Together: Developing Apps for iPhone and iPad (Winter 2013)

Be sure to get latest versions, because the underlying Objective-C technology is simplifying (via Automatic Reference Counting or ARC); and new app libraries (for iCloud, etc) are being added.

 

[jcaswell]

Dune - thanks for your insight - I will follow up on it

 

[skimonkey]

I just read this article that is similar to what Dune has mentioned.

This was written by Jacob Schiftan:

From beginner to selling my app in the app store in 2 months

This was very interesting as it went from week to week of what this gentleman did to learn how to make an app.

 

[New2TheGame]

You can also try search for the guys at geekylemon, Lots of great, easy to follow, tutorials.

 

[R.White]

I'd add to try the Ray Wenderlich site (goolgle it to find the site). I've found it great for learning specifics. Each tutorial comes with source code so you can compile and step through the code to find out what is going on.