Selecting a suitable programming language for iOS app development is critical. An unfitting choice can lead to time-consuming and costly efforts or disastrous consequences. With the current abundance of languages available, there is likely to be one that suits the scope, industry, and project objectives. Thus, it is essential to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each option before making a decision. In this article, we have shared the top 6 programming languages used for ios app development. You can have a look at them.
Swift: Developed by Apple, Swift is a general-purpose, multi-paradigm programming language designed to be safer and more efficient than its predecessor, Objective-C while maintaining a highly modern syntax and easy-to-use framework. Built with modern programming concepts such as functional programming in mind, Swift offers a vast standard library that makes iOS app development quicker and more efficient. Its syntax is concise and legible. Swift has become an ideal choice for inexperienced iOS app developers.
Objective-C: Objective-C is a powerful object-oriented programming language that was the primary language for iOS app development before the emergence of Swift. It is built upon C language, with additional syntax and features for object-oriented programming. Although its usage has started to decrease due to the arrival of Swift, Objective-C is still very popular for legacy codebases. It is well-known for its dynamic runtime, which allows greater flexibility and extensibility during program execution.
C#: Introduced in 2000 by Microsoft as a rival to Java, C# is an object-oriented programming language integrated with the .Net framework. Over the years, its simple and high-level architecture has made it popular and earned it a global ranking of 5th. To help you decide if C# is suitable, here are some other factors that will help you: it became open-source in 2014, providing great flexibility; it is highly responsive, offering fast compilation times; and its extensive library of pre-defined functions makes coding faster.
JavaScript: JavaScript is a scripting language frequently employed in web and iOS app development. Javascript is prominent for hybrid mobile applications that are compatible with iOS and Android platforms. JavaScript usually works with frameworks like React Native and Ionic to develop cross-platform mobile applications based on web technologies. Its ease of learning and expansive developer community has made it a preferred option for mobile application development.
HTML5/CSS3: HTML5 and CSS3 are essential markup languages for web and iOS app development. HTML5 is used for structuring the application, while CSS3 is responsible for designing the user interface for a more aesthetically pleasing experience. Both are often employed in conjunction with frameworks, such as Cordova or PhoneGap, to create hybrid mobile applications that are built using web technologies and are generally faster to develop than native applications, having the flexibility to be deployed on multiple platforms.
Flutter: Flutter is an open-source, free framework for iOS app development using the Dart programming language. It has a quick development cycle with hot reload capability, allowing developers to observe code change in real time. Additionally, it provides customizable widgets for developing visually appealing and adaptive user interfaces. As a cross-platform development framework, apps created with Flutter can be used on iOS and Android with only minor modifications. Although not explicitly designed for mobile app development, Flutter has a steeper learning curve than other languages for iOS application development, thus not providing the same level of visual appeal as native iOS apps.
When you start developing iOS applications, there are various languages and environments to consider. C is a popular language, and knowing it will make mastering and implementing other languages easier. Objective-C is a veteran language, it has been around for a while, but Swift is quickly becoming a more popular choice among developers. Both languages are object-oriented and support the main paradigms of inheritance, polymorphism, encapsulation, and abstraction. If you are unsure which language to use, it is best to consult with an industry expert who can help you decide on the best language for your project.