Preface

Before we begin our journey, let me welcome you to iOS 18 development!

Looking back at 2008 and trying to recall how the iOS SDK was then, I’m amazed at how it has developed and evolved over the years. Back then, all we had to know as iOS developers was how to create a UITableView, add some buttons, and be an expert in a fantastic design pattern called MVC. That was enough to make a standard app and even get hired as an iOS developer.

But we are not in 2008, and things have changed a bit—well, maybe more than just a bit. What has changed? Everything! The programming language, the UI framework, the design patterns, and even the IDE. But it’s not only what has changed but also what was added.

In 2008, the iOS SDK (previously known as the iPhone SDK) contained less than 25 frameworks. Now, we have over 200 frameworks—that’s nearly ten times more!

We have frameworks for animation, gaming, testing, machine learning and AI, security, data, and many more. These days, being an iOS developer is much more than adding a list and a button—it is understanding the capabilities of the iOS SDK and choosing the right approach and technology.

And that’s precisely the book’s goal. It is not a reference or documentation of Apple’s technology – you can get that online, and it’s probably more up to date. This book is a window into what the iOS SDK is capable of so you can improve your development skills even further.

This book’s information was carefully selected to cover the most exciting and valuable parts of modern iOS development, including a persistent store, testing, advanced SwiftUI concepts, networking, macros, architectures, and even machine learning and AI. It is impossible to cover everything, and that’s not the intention.

However, understanding the topics in this book will help you get the most out of the iOS SDK.