iOS Development Tools

The Ultimate iOS Development Toolkit .

Posted in: Blog
Are you looking for iOS development tools? Keep on reading!

Do you consider yourself an iOS expert coder? Or is the world of iOS unknown to you and you’re looking to take the dive? Regardless of what stage you’re in your coding phase, there are few iOS development tools that you need to be in your arsenal.

iOS is a mobile operating system that has a major chunk of the software development market. In fact, the percentage of iOS users currently stands at 45.4% by the end of 2020. Furthermore, the projected user growth is only suspected to grow in the coming years. This scenario presents an opportunity for developers to tap into the market with limitless possibilities. The high-end platform of iOS allows developers to write a good quality code that has all the elements of creating a highly innovative product.

Languages Used?

In essence, iOS was developed for smaller devices with small screens and nearly all applications were built on C and C++ programming languages. However, the newer releases of iOS give wider options as apps can be built using Swift and Objective-C. Swift has seen unprecedented popularity these days and its usage is preferred by developers.

Let’s take a look at some of the major iOS development tools.

Documentation – Jazzy:

Documentation is one of the major aspects of mobile application development, especially in its initial phases. For iOS, there are plenty of documentation tools however Jazzy stands out in our list of the essential iOS development tools.

Jazzy is a command-line utility that produces documentation for iOS. As mentioned before, Jazzy provides documentation for both languages including Objective-C & Swift. Jazzy uses SourceKit and Clang AST of your code for generating the right results. The best part is that Jazzy creates an independent website that uses your code and documentation.

Debugger – Hyperion:

A debugger’s role in application development is vital be it iOS or Android. The application you develop for iOS will have errors and glitches. Identification of bugs hence is important and it isn’t a one time process and must be carried out efficiently. It’s not just about finding the error, rather it’s about identifying the reason for the bug.

Hyperion comes into play here as it’s the best debugger out there in iOS development tools. Hyperion is a discreet tool that supervises your development process and can be used for inspection.

  • In Hyperion, there are three further tool extensions that can be used to carry out important actions. The first tool is called the View Inspector which is used to check the properties of a view.
  • The second tool is used for measurement between the distance of two views.
  • Last but not least is the Slow Animation plugin which is used for decreasing animation speed in-app.

Backend Services – Firebase:

Backend services are used by developers to add extra functionality within their iOS apps. Extra functions can include aspects such as sending push notifications or if data is to be shared within a server. These extra functionalities can be achieved with the help of a tool that provides backend services. Firebase is one of the most popular iOS development tools that is used by developers when it comes to adding additional features.

Firebase is categorized as a BaaS (Backend as a Service) which is used as a server for data storing and API, all at the same time. Firebase provides a strong solution for Backend development services as it allows the complete build of applications. Firebase allows a fully managed backend infrastructure that is efficient in carrying out all kinds of backend services.

Revision Control – GitKraken:

A mobile application development process isn’t simple. At times, there can be multiple revisions and if you’re working within teams then tracking the revision or controlling them can be a tough task. Management of these changes effectively is termed as Revision Control in software development. Any kinds of changes such as source code or project assets, all these changes are taken into account.

GitKraken is a legend not just in iOS development but android as well. It is a cross-platform Git client that runs natively on all platforms including iOS. It has features of Visual Commit History & Drag and Drop which allows effective tracking and controlling of all the revisions. GitKraken stands tall in iOS app development tools when it comes to revision control.

Design Tools – Dribbble:

It’s no harm to keep a design tool on your side and dribbble can be your best resource. Just make a single search over dribbble regarding iOS and you can find plenty of tools that can make the difference for you. Dribbble isn’t exactly an iOS tool but using this platform you can get a lot of inspiration in terms of designs. Elements such as icons or even full-screen designs can be discovered using Dribbble.

In a Nutshell:

Selecting Developer tools for iOS is a process that you need to undertake with all your tools in your arsenal. The above five tools can give you the arsenal you need to carry out the perfect coding experience.

If you’re looking for hands-on iOS developers then don’t hesitate to give us a call! We can be the difference in your aspirations!