Where to start with iOS Development

Now that the iOS and OS X platforms are fully mature there has been a huge influx of developers migrating to them in hopes of getting in with the “gold rush”. iOS is a terrific platform with a moderate learning curve but still remaining within grasp to most budding developers. In the heat of wanting to develop for the app store a developer must go through Apple’s notorious vetting process for application acceptance into said ecosystem. This includes an array of quality control measures and validation. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the vast resources available when developing for this platform. Not only is the iOS SDK free and available to anyone with the OS X operating system, but all the reference materials to proper design aesthetics and theory that Apple expects one to uncover are there for the grab too. But what to read and where to start? – typical questions that are asked with the highest frequency. The first recommended read from Apple is known as the “H.I.G.” (Human Interface Guidelines). The HIG is a beautifully compiled resource that covers everything dealing with proper application design and development etiquette. Some of the topics covered include:

• Platform Characteristics
• Human Interface Principles
• App Design Strategies
• Case Studies: Transitioning to iOS
• User Experience Guidelines
• iOS Technology Usage Guidelines
• Custom Icon and Image Creation Guidelines
• Platform Characteristics
• iOS Technology Usage Guidelines
• iOS UI Element Usage Guidelines

This is a highly recommended read, pretty much essential at this point. It’s a light read weighing in at a mere 150 pages (a nights worth). And best of all it’s free in the Apple Developer Connection which you can find here: Apple Developer