If you’re an application developer, Apple’s Swift technology is for you

Apple has come up with an incentive for both young and less experienced app developers to be a part of developing Apple’s apps. They are calling this platform Swift.

Previously there was the Objective-C, a platform where app developers have been sharing their developments and sample apps from the 90s, but now with the introduction of Swift their sharing capabilities are even much easier.

Does this mean they will totally trash the previous platform? Not just yet. It will be a gradual progression before they finally do away with it.

What will this new developers’ platform, Swift, come with?

First of all it will come with bug fixes that are able to detect programming code errors quicker than Objective-C could, to avoid having to re-do the coding once entered.

Secondly, it will be easier for beginners. Objective-C was known to be a difficult platform to develop apps on but Swift will now be easier for beginner developers because coding will be made easier. Not that any Jim or Jack can now program. You have to know how to code! Experts will also find it easier for them to code too.

Thirdly, there is a preview option called ‘Playgrounds’ so you can see how your app is coming along even if it’s incomplete. This will help you to determine what the final product will come out looking like.

Lastly, Swift will be faster, by up to over 70%, compared to Objective-C platform when developing apps. Thus we expect more exciting and rich apps to be developed for iOS.

Question is, does the world need another programming language, especially here in Zambia where not many Apple device owners are into programming?  The most common iDevices in Zambia are iPhones, iPads and Mac books, which are not really great for intense programming purposes.

Swift is just another product that Apple will have total control of without giving chance to other programmers who are not on the Apple platform to try out.

Will it be popular? Maybe only among Apple iOS developers because it is far much better than Objective-C. We’ll just have to wait and see how this goes.

Image Credits: Dar Gadgetz, Konstant Info,