Learning Swift - Second Edition

Key Features

Write expressive, understandable, and maintainable Swift 2 code with this hands-on tutorial
Unveil the complex underpinnings of Swift to turn your app ideas into reality
This book is packed with real-life examples to help you implement concepts as you learn
Book Description

Swift is Apple's new programming language and the future of iOS and OS X app development. It is a high-performance language that feels like a modern scripting language. On the surface, Swift is easy to jump into, but it has complex underpinnings that are critical to becoming proficient at turning an idea into reality.

This book is an approachable, step-by-step introduction into programming with Swift for everyone. It begins by giving you an overview of the key features through practical examples and progresses to more advanced topics that help differentiate the proficient developers from the mediocre ones. It covers important concepts such as Variables, Optionals, Closures, Generics, and Memory Management. Mixed in with those concepts, it also helps you learn the art of programming such as maintainability, useful design patterns, and resources to further your knowledge. This all culminates in writing a basic iOS app that will get you well on your way to turning your own app ideas into reality.

What you will learn

Form a solid understanding of the Swift 2 language
Get to know the practical aspects of how a computer program actually works
Understand the paradigms used by Apple's frameworks so you are not intimidated by them
Utilize the vast resources written in Objective-C to better inform your Swift programming
Develop a basic portfolio of Swift code by learning the critical concepts
Experience both object-oriented and functional programming
Get to know the new coding techniques made available by Swift 2
Discover resources to ensure you never stop becoming a better developer
About the Author

Andrew J Wagner is a software developer who concentrates on iOS development and backend web services. He has a degree in computer engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York. Currently, he works for a development shop named Chronos Interactive based in Denver, CO. He has experience of working with and for large-scale and small-scale companies, as well as running his own contracting and app companies. He is passionate about using computers as a creative outlet and writing software that is beautiful in implementation, functionality, and experience.

When he isn't working or spending time with friends and family, he writes for his blog at http://drewag.me.

Table of Contents

Introducing Swift
Building Blocks – Variables, Collections, and Flow Control
One Piece at a Time – Types, Scopes, and Projects
To Be or Not To Be – Optionals
A Modern Paradigm – Closures and Functional Programming
Make Swift Work For You – Protocols and Generics
Everything Is Connected – Memory Management
Paths Less Traveled – Error Handling
Writing Code the Swift Way – Design Patterns and Techniques
Harnessing the Past – Understanding and Translating Objective-C
A Whole New World – Developing an App
What's Next? – Resources, Advice, and the Next Steps