iOS development refers to the process of creating mobile applications specifically designed to run on Apple's iOS operating system, which powers devices such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. iOS development offers a unique set of opportunities and challenges for developers, given the platform's popularity, stringent guidelines, and unique features.
At the heart of iOS development is the use of Apple's proprietary programming language, Swift, although Objective-C is also still used in some legacy projects. Swift is known for its simplicity, safety, and performance, making it an ideal choice for building robust and reliable iOS applications. Developers use Swift to write code that defines the functionality and user interface of their apps, leveraging Apple's extensive set of frameworks and APIs to access device features such as the camera, GPS, and accelerometer.
At Columbus Technology Solutions (CTS), we believe access to relevant, hands-on technical training, career guidance, mentors, and community—created by engineers, for engineers—can help give tomorrow’s technology leaders the edge they need to launch successful, life-changing careers. As a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, we strive to increase diversity in tech by making successful, meaningful careers in software engineering accessible to all, and by transforming college Computer Science education to make students career-ready.
One of the things that distinguish mobile app development from most other software is that, because apps are designed to run on mobile devices with more limited power, they rely on a network connection to take advantage of remote computing resources. To give one example: there are translation programs you can load onto a desktop computer and run locally, including their massive databases.
By contrast, in a translation program written for iOS or another mobile platform, the installable software bundle—the app that lives on our phone—exists primarily to create a touchpoint for the user to interface with; the app sends a query to a remote platform that performs the actual translation, and the result is relayed back to the app for the user to read.