Anyone develop an app?

[tropic]

I have an idea for an iPhone/iPod touch app. I have never written code and I am somewhat above average in computer literacy. How complicated is it to learn how to write an app? How much coding knowledge should i have? If anyone has accomplished this before than any insight would be greatly appreciated.


Thank you,

 

[Raz0rEdge]

Depending on the complexity of the app you are trying to write/design, it can be quite an involved task. In addition to learning the iPhone/iPod framework called Cocoa Touch, you also need to learn Objective-C.

If you have previous programming experience with C or Java then picking up Obj-C is within grasp. For a non-programmer (of any language) it can take a bit longer.

If you are motivated to program multiple apps, then by all means devote the time and you can get going..

There is a Beginning iPhone Development book that is pretty good at getting you started with iPhone/iPod development and has a crash course in learning Obj-C, but that isn't extensive by any regard..

Regards

 

[todd51]

Nope, I have never written an app, although I always wanted to learn how, just never had a good idea for one. I know the only way I will stay motivated to learn the language is if I had a great iPhone/iPod application.

 

[GK27V6]

I have an idea for an iPhone/iPod touch app. I have never written code and I am somewhat above average in computer literacy. How complicated is it to learn how to write an app? How much coding knowledge should i have? If anyone has accomplished this before than any insight would be greatly appreciated.


Thank you,

I'm in the same boat as you are. I have never wrote any sort of program but do have the confidence that I would some day be able to write an application for the iPhone as a hobby. I too would like to learn how to write an app, I may have a few good ideas.

 

[tropic]

Thanks for the info Raz. At least I know where to start and what programming language is needed.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

Forgot to mention this in my earlier post, but Stanford did a iPhone Programming class and made it available through iTunes in a series of 18 or so 1 hour videos.

These videos are good at showing you what's involved in doing App development. It just scratches the surface of Obj-C, and Apple has a quick and dirty document that explains how the language works.

If you have the time, take a look at the video podcast and that might shape how you want to proceed..

Regards

 

[Konan]

Cocoa based apps are not really for the beginner. If you are serious about learning to develop Mac based apps, the usual syllabus is as follows.

The C language, then...
Objective-C, then finally...
Cocoa

Each builds on the other. But, starting off as a beginner with Cocoa is like trying to learn how to fly in a 747 rather than a Cessna 150. That would be very tough.

Almost all current languages (except for some old ones like Fortran, Basic and Pascal) derive from C. If you get some C experience, you can move up to the others just by buying a book. Java, Perl, Python, Ruby, etc are all C centric.

All you need to start with, is a good beginners C book. The compiler is already on your Mac. There are lots of C tutorials on the 'Net, but I have always liked a real book that I can sit down with in a quiet place and get off the keyboard for a while.

Go for it. I started almost 35 years ago with interpreted basic (all that was available in 1975) and a 2mhz machine with 24k of ram. Programming has been my hobby ever since.

Konan