Introduction to Swift
In this section, we will discuss all the dependencies that our readers must know to understand Swift in a better way. Let’s discuss some key definitions –
- General Purpose – It means no constraints (limited to one specific domain) to the language and also which is acceptable to a wide variety of application domains.
- Multi-paradigm – It is a way to describe languages based on their complexity level. Like if we say Visual Basic is not that complex to handle complex application features compared to Java or.Net.
- Compiled – Swift target the compilers and not the interpreters.
- Programming language – Like humans even machines understand certain language, so PL means a language that is understood by machines.
What is Swift?
Swift is a programming language suitable for iOS, MacOS, Linux, z/OS platforms capable of handling a multi-paradigm approach and also the one suitable to a wide variety of domains.
Understanding
Designed by – Apple Inc. The first release in 2004. Stable release in 2019
It is designed to suit most of your development need either it is a mobile application, desktop or even cloud. It gives an easier approach for the developers in achieving their business goals and benefits for the organizations. Let’s see how –
- Safe – The best way to Code is safety. The safety can have multiple implications in terms of safety products to the customers and safety for the development team (means the error must be rectified sooner than the later stage of production). This ultimately gives clarity in its working approach.
- Fast – It is said that Swift is a replacement for certain languages like C, C++ and Objective C. Swift aims to be faster in approach without compromising on consistency and predictability.
- Expressive – Backed by a decade of advancement, Swift offers its users and joy of using it with modern enhancements.
How does Swift work so easy?
It is a complex structure in all if you see. In certain manners, it shows similarities to Haskell, Scala, OCalm in so many ways. Swift as a PL has different levels associated with it. Let us see these differences in levels –
- Initially, a novice can start by just bindings IB outlets and IBActions in quick time.
- Now you have to get deeper in Queue understanding, grand dispatch functionality. When you try to code using Swift you have to refresh the UI once you receive asynchronous responses from the frameworks. The scenarios become more complex as the Apple libraries are humongous, a user will take sufficient to get a better understanding of these libraries and their usability.
- Taking the complexity level even higher we would like to say our readers is that you must have a good understanding of OOPS patters; if not most of the apple documentation will look mystery to you. All you need to have the understanding is what we are saying.
These are tuff to handle for any newbie who struggles with basic data flows and data types understanding.
What can you do with Swift?
It is not a functional programing language rather a compiled language. It can do all the development work related to iOS and MacOS systems. But there are some crucial things to note about the behavior of Swift.
- It provided Tuple with multiple return values.
- Gives faster and concise iteration capabilities helpful to work over a range of collection.
- Some special keywords are helpful, like do, guard, defer and repeat.
Advantages of Swift
Below are the advantages:
- It is a premiere language preferred to build iOS applications
- Swift developers are huge in demand and this is an everlasting criterion
- It has a Rapid development process
- Easier to scale the teams’ productivity using Swift
- Since we know that how secure Apple products are, the reasons behind them is the presence of languages like Swift and Objective C.
- Automatic memory management capability.
- It has a huge community support
Required skills
You need to be a programming freak, someone who loves coding. Let us see some relevant skills needed to excel as a Swift programmer.
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- Basic syntax, control flows, error handling techniques are something we suggest our readers practice before they plan to make their career in Swift.
- One must be comfortable to think and have 3D; this behavior will help in making relations between objects. Consider you are creating an application for iPhone, Apple watch or Apple TV you must visualize the future application interaction.
- Have a good practice over design guidelines
- A good understanding of Networking
- Git and GitHub understanding is must to have
Scope
Apple’s Tim Cook referred to Swift as ‘the next big PL’. They claim it as a developer-friendly language. It is easy to maintain Xcode (IDE) in swift. Also being it’s a free and open source language has given a major benefit to it. Now lets us see the scope of this language I terms of career and salary –
Average iOS developer salary – 3.9lack INR
US Stats says that the iOS developer salary is $123,067 per year whereas the average Swift developer salary is from $108,145 to $123,067 per year.
Why do we need Swift?
- First thing first it’s a compiled programming language
- Since it is created by Apple, one of the most influential tech giant and also Swift is dominating the world market with its great functionalities.
- Open source is also one unmatched advantage in the favor of Swift, it has a lot of supportive community and third-party tools in abundance
- It’s safe and fast. Swift is 2.6x times faster than Objective C and 8.4x times faster than Python.
- It is in demand. Refer to the TIOBE index for 2019.
Who is the right audience for learning Swift?
Someone who loves iOS, Mac OS platform and also one who feels this is the right platform are the perfect individuals to go for it. Since we have portrait all the industry details from technology to salary and feel that the details are sufficient for the newcomers to think wisely before they make any career move.
Conclusion
This language is somewhat new to the market with only a decade of presence, but the impacts it has on the world market is well known. It already has some prominent and great success story so far. Companies like LinkedIn, Coursera, Pandora, Vimeo and Twitter have preferred to use Swift.
With these details, we feel that Swift is going to stay long and its adoption will continue to grow more.
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