Roadmap to becoming an iOS app developer

The notion of taking an idea from the drawing board to the App Store can sometime be very daunting, therefore we have decide to create a small road map that will guide you through the most important steps of App Development.

Perhaps one of the biggest reasons why people don’t make their dreams of creating their own App a reality is that they simply don’t know where to start, or how to get the ball rolling. Let’s be honest even the most seasoned developer can sometimes get a little overwhelmed with everything there is to know about iOS Development.

We have divided this article into four parts:

1. Register as a developer with Apple and download Xcode

2. Getting familiar with the language

3. Patience lots of patience

4. Creating a developer account

Register as a developer with Apple and download Xcode

If you are serious about becoming an App Developer the first thing you should do is register as a developer with Apple. Not only is it totally free but it also gives you access to a plethora of resources. Furthermore you will get access to Apple’s developer kit.

Another good reason for registering is that Apple has uploaded a whole library of sample codes that you can use in your apps.

All you have to do is head over to developer.apple.com/ios and then click the Register button in the top-right hand corner. They will now ask you if you want to connect it with an iTunes account, after that there is a survey to get you started.

The next thing you will want to do is download Xcode, you can do this by opening the Mac App Store. If you can’t find it on the front page then just do a quick search for it.

Getting familiar with the language

Great now that you have registered with Apple and have installed Xcode you are that much closer to becoming a real developer. Now before you start coding your first app you might want to get to familiar with the language. The first thing you need to do is get an understanding of Objective-C, this is the language that most developers use to access the Cocoa Touch (API for building iOS device software) frameworks.

Stanford has some great courses on iTunes U to get you started, other great resources can be found on the iOS Dev Center by Apple.

Patience, lots of patience

You need to understand with as with everything else in life developing an app is not something you just do over night, it takes lots of practice before you can develop your own apps. This is also one of the biggest reasons why people give up on app development, they simply don’t have the time it takes to learn the language needed to create their apps.

Creating a Developer account

Great so now you have created your first application and are ready to test it on an actual device, or submit it to the App Store, well this is when you will need to create a paid developer account, don’t worry this isn’t going to be some expensive endeavor it only costs $99/year to join the program and trust me it will be the best money you have ever spent.

Not only can you submit apps to the App Store, but it also gives you access to iTunes Connect and furthermore you can download beta versions of iOS before they’re released to the public.

Conclusion

I hope this short guide has given you a better idea of how to get started as an iOS developer. I am not going to lie, getting from the beginning stages to creating an app from the App Store takes a lot of time and isn’t something that happens overnight. But remember, once you have created your first app or have submitted it to the App Store there is no greater feeling in the world. Good luck on your path to becoming an App Developer.