7 Programming Concepts Every iOS Developer Should Know

1. Xcode

Xcode is the most versatile IDE the iOS app development community has ever seen. As the Integrated Development Environment comes from Apple it comes with zero cost and is the backbone of iOS app development. Whether you want to code a program from scratch or want to use an Apple Developers code, Xcode is a great solution.

Xcode comes with editors, compilers, and other tools to make sure you can complete the coding, compiling, loading, testing, and deployment of the iOS apps from a single point. 

2. Cocoa Touch

Cocoa Touch is an excellent UI framework again from Apple, that allows developers to write code to design the UI for mobile apps. Cocoa Touch is written in Objective-C is backed by the Model View Controller architecture. As the interface is high-level, it allows for the development of refined UIs that include animation and networking without the need for too much coding from scratch. It allows for the integration of audio, core animation (like the timing of animation frames), seamless transition of multiple visual elements, and more.

3. Table Views

As the crucial layout element of iOS development, table views get more complex as the complexity of the app increases. The screens of an iOS app, like the ones that show App settings or item lists, are generally table views. As these screens are part of almost every iOS App, knowing in detail about table views is not only important but indispensable.

The controls, the display type, and switching – all this needs to be smooth for the app and that is why the iOS App developer must know how to create effective table views. The concepts like subclassing and delegation become important with table views.

4. View Controllers

The iOS app’s internal structure is defined by the view controllers. The number of view controllers may vary from one to several per app. Each view controller is dedicated to a part of the app's UI. It connects the interface of an app to the data in the database. A customized view controller also facilitates data transition between user interfaces on different parts of the app.

The two types of view controllers are:

• Content view controllers: the main controllers of your iOS App.

• Container view controllers: the child controllers that connect information from multiple content view controllers.

5. Storyboards

The visual representation of the UI is called a storyboard. It shows the content screens and shows the workflow of the screens. The view controller develops the scenes and then these are connected using segue objects. The entire storyboard can be designed using Xcode where the buttons, text views and table views can be laid out in a more functional way.

It is a perfect way to design the layout of UI in a more optimized manner.

6. Auto Layout

The auto layout element was introduced with Xcode 6. Auto layout facilitates the development of an interface that is adaptive and saves developers a lot of trouble when fixing screen size bugs.

If you use Xcode 6, you must learn to use auto layout so that multiple screen support works as promised.

Auto layout works well as it defines the element level relationship and helps build powerful and adaptive UIs. The developer who learns auto layout has better control over user interface development.

7. Key Value Coding

The performance of an iOS app depends on how well the elements communicate. The primary means of communication are Key-value observing and Notifications. The objects allow access to properties using key-value coding.