Swift Development with Cocoa is a comprehensive programming guide designed for experienced developers looking to create applications for iPhone, iPad, and Mac using the Swift language in conjunction with Cocoa and Cocoa Touch frameworks. Published by O'Reilly Media in January 2015, shortly after Swift's launch, this book provides a hands-on introduction to building real-world apps suitable for submission to the iOS App Store and Mac App Store.

In this guide, readers will learn how to develop applications using Swift, emphasizing practical development with Cocoa and Cocoa Touch frameworks. The authors, co-founders of Secret Lab, an independent game development studio, bring expertise from game design, mobile engineering, and research backgrounds to offer a structured introduction to Swift and Cocoa development. This book targets experienced programmers who are new to Apple developer tools and platforms, providing a hands-on introduction to building applications for iOS and OS X using the newly introduced Swift language.

Purpose and Scope

The primary educational goal of this guide is to teach Swift syntax and language features in direct conjunction with their application in Cocoa-based programming. The book focuses on enabling readers to create functional apps quickly, emphasizing practical development with Cocoa and Cocoa Touch frameworks rather than abstract theory. Readers will learn Swift fundamentals while working on concrete projects that demonstrate its use across a variety of common app requirements on both platforms.

Core Elements of Apple Platform Development

This guide covers core elements of Apple platform development, including:

  • Application lifecycle management on iOS and OS X
  • User interface construction with storyboards and adaptive layouts
  • Graphics handling via SpriteKit for 2D and SceneKit for 3D content
  • Media playback and recording with AVFoundation
  • Data persistence through local file systems and iCloud integration
  • Table and collection views
  • Document-based applications
  • Location awareness with Core Location and MapKit
  • Motion sensing via Core Motion
  • Concurrency patterns
  • Bezier paths
  • Basic networking

All coverage is constrained to the features and APIs available in the initial Swift 1.x releases and Xcode 6, aligning with the iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite era.

Authors

The authors of this guide are Jonathon Manning, a game designer and programmer at Secret Lab; Paris Buttfield-Addison, a producer, mobile engineer, and game designer; and Tim Nugent, a mobile developer with a focus on Apple platforms.