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Further reading: Read more about the keyboard shortcuts in my previous blog post.
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Have you used Powerpoint, Pages, Keynote or Word?
Each of these apps helps you create media rich content, and that’s exactly what Xcode does. It’s an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that organizes all your code, interface files, and image resources.
Xcode is the tool that you will use to create your iPhone and iPad apps. Along with Xcode you will use the iOS Simulator to test your first iPhone app on your Mac computer.
Learning how to use Xcode is your first goal. You don’t need to know how to do everything, but you should become familiar with the interface and the common buttons and panels.
After downloading Xcode following the previous Swift 1 - Download Xcode and start your first iPhone app tutorial, you are ready to open up Xcode.
You will use Xcode to organize, create, and debug your iPhone apps. It provides a staging ground for you to design and test your code and resource files.
You can open Xcode by clicking on it in your Applications folder, or by searching with Spotlight (Command + Spacebar) in the top right corner.
Xcode 6 has a new look for the icon
You can create a new Xcode project from the Welcome to Xcode screen by clicking on the Create a new Xcode project button.
Start your first iPhone app from the Xcode welcome screen.
In the menu bar click on File > New > Project…
The menu bar is the easiest place to create a new file or Xcode project
The easiest place to start is with the existing project templates that Apple provides in Xcode. Your first app will be a single screen. To get started on the top left corner of the dialog select iOS > Applications > Single View Application
Create a Single View Application
When you create a new Xcode project you’ll have to pick a few settings. If this is your first iPhone app, these settings aren’t super important. You can change any of these settings later on, or on your next Xcode project.
During the learning process, you’re going to create a lot of Xcode projects. Think of each project as a separate learning experience, start a new one when ever you want to try something out.
Note: Core Data is important if your app is going to maintain a lot of local data about users or information. However, simple calculator style apps probably won’t need it.
Setup your Xcode project options
The last step is to save your project folder on your Mac. I recommend that you create a Projects folder on your Desktop.
Navigate to your Desktop > Click New Folder > Type Projects > Create
You’ll create a lot of small Xcode project folders. Keeping them in one place will help you organize your work.
Create Git repository: If this is your first Xcode project, leave option unchecked. This option is for version control (git) and it’s used to keep different versions of your code. It’s an important part of software development. To learn more, visit GitHub.com
You can see my code on Github at http://github.com/PaulSolt
Save your Xcode project in a folder on your Desktop
When you first open Xcode you will see a lot of panels and the project settings in the center. The area on the left will show code, image, and user interface files.
In the center of Xcode you’ll find the project settings. There is a button in the top left corner which shows and hides an inner panel, and there are tabs along the top.
The project settings contains information like the supported orientations (i.e. portrait or landscape or both). There are also build settings, which you can ignore for now.
The first screen of a new Xcode project
The buttons on the top right corner of show and hide the various panels in Xcode. Here’s what Xcode looks like with all of the panels open.
Along the top of each panel there are additional tab bar items, which will change the contents of a panel.
You will need to hide panels on a small monitor, like on the Macbook Air. If you want to keep everything open, get an external monitor or an iMac.
I love my 27” Thunderbolt Display
There are 4 main panels in Xcode
You can run your first iPhone app right out of the box. Press the play button in the top left corner of the Xcode toolbar.
The Play and Stop buttons look like music playback buttons
When you run the app it should work and you’ll see a message in the center of Xcode. It should say Build Succeeded. If you didn’t do something correct it might say Build Failed.
Success
Something's wrong
You will become much more proficient with Xcode if you learn some of the Keyboard shortcuts. Try to incorporate one or two of the top 14 keyboard shortcuts for Xcode into your workflow.
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“Absolutely fantastic. It’s about time there was a high quality class available online to learn about iPhone app development. Definitely would recommend!”
Along with Apple’s September 9th announcement for the iPhone 6 and Apple Watch, they announced the Xcode 6 GM Seed.
This is the last beta version of Xcode 6, before the public release.
Download Xcode 6 today and you can create an app that you can submit to the App Store using Swift!
The new Swift programming language is also in it’s 1.0 GM state. It’s not final yet, and you’ll see some changes when Yosemite is launched this fall.
“You’ll notice we’re using the word “GM”, not “final”. That’s because Swift will continue to advance with new features, improved performance, and refined syntax. In fact, you can expect a few improvements to come in Xcode 6.1 in time for the Yosemite launch. Because your apps today embed a version of the Swift GM runtime, they will continue to run well into the future.”
Learn about what makes Apple tick, the new iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and the all new Watch. The Apple Watch is going to be a game changer. It's the first product that Apple's designed to help you track and live a better and more active life.
Paul: I've ordered the iPhone 6 Plus Space Gray 64GB and I plan on getting the Watch Sport.
Making apps for both iPhones and the Apple Watch is going to be fun! Learn more in my upcoming course on Kickstarter.
From the launch of Apple Watch to the arrival of iPhone 6 to a live performance from U2, this is an event not to be missed. http://www.apple.com/live/2014-sept-event/
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