How to Become an iOS Developer
- May 23, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 21
How To Become An iOS Developer
One of the most common pieces of advice given to aspiring iOS developers is also one of the least helpful:
"Build some apps."
While that advice is technically correct, it does very little to explain how somebody actually gets from knowing nothing about Swift to becoming employable as an iOS developer. The journey is much easier when broken into clear stages because each stage builds upon the one before it.
The good news is that the path has never been more accessible. Apple provides excellent documentation, the Swift community has created thousands of tutorials, and there are enough free resources available online to take somebody from complete beginner to professional developer.
The challenge is not finding information.
The challenge is studying the right things in the right order.
Step 1: Learn The Swift Programming Language
Before building iPhone applications, learn the language that powers them.
Many beginners immediately jump into SwiftUI because they want to see buttons, navigation views, animations, and user interfaces appearing on screen. While this can be motivating, it often creates confusion later because SwiftUI relies heavily upon language features such as structures, protocols, closures, generics, property wrappers, optionals, and concurrency.
Developers who understand Swift generally find it easier to learn SwiftUI than developers who attempt to learn both simultaneously.
Start with Apple's official Swift book:
Apple also provides:
Apple Books edition:
Spend time understanding variables, constants, collections, functions, structures, classes, enumerations, protocols, optionals, and error handling before worrying too much about application development.
Step 2: Install Xcode And Start Writing Code
The fastest way to learn Swift is to write Swift.
Install Xcode:
Every concept you study should be accompanied by experimentation. Read an example, type it into Xcode, modify it, break it, fix it, and observe what happens. Programming is a practical discipline and understanding develops through interaction rather than passive observation.
This is also why Xcode playgrounds are so valuable. They provide a lightweight environment for experimenting with Swift without needing to build a complete application.
Step 3: Learn SwiftUI
Once the language begins to feel comfortable, start learning how modern Apple applications are constructed.
Apple's SwiftUI tutorials provide an excellent introduction:
You should also become familiar with Apple's documentation:
SwiftUI allows developers to build user interfaces for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Vision Pro using a modern declarative approach. Understanding state management, navigation, data flow, and view composition will become increasingly important as your applications grow.
The goal at this stage is not producing beautiful applications. The goal is understanding how Swift code becomes a functioning user experience.
Step 4: Follow A Structured Learning Path
One reason beginners become overwhelmed is that they attempt to create their own curriculum.
Fortunately, several excellent learning paths already exist.
Hacking with Swift:
100 Days of SwiftUI:
CodeWithChris:
Kodeco:
Stanford CS193p:
Angela Yu's iOS Development Bootcamp:
Each of these resources has helped thousands of developers enter the industry. The specific choice matters less than consistently working through one of them from beginning to end.
Step 5: Build Real Projects
At some point, tutorials stop being enough.
You need projects.
A calculator.
A habit tracker.
A notes application.
A weather application.
A workout tracker.
A budgeting tool.
The specific project is not important. What matters is that you build something without being guided through every step. Real projects expose gaps in understanding and force you to make decisions independently. This is where much of your growth as a developer occurs.
Most employers care far more about your ability to solve problems than your ability to follow tutorials.
Step 6: Learn The Topics That Interviews Focus On
This is the stage many developers discover too late.
Building apps is important.
Understanding Swift is equally important.
Many iOS interviews spend significant time discussing:
Protocols
Closures
ARC
Generics
Value Semantics
Reference Semantics
Concurrency
Actors
Property Wrappers
Error Handling
Access Control
Architecture
Dependency Injection
These topics appear repeatedly because they reveal how deeply a candidate understands software development. A developer who can explain these concepts clearly often performs much better during technical interviews than somebody who has only focused on building user interfaces.
Step 7: Study Swift Like A Professional
There is a difference between learning Swift and studying Swift.
Learning happens when concepts are new.
Studying happens when concepts need strengthening, revisiting, and refining.
This is where many experienced developers begin using resources such as 3DaysOfSwift.
Rather than teaching Swift from the beginning, the platform focuses heavily on revisiting language features through executable Xcode playgrounds. Developers can experiment with protocols, closures, generics, ARC, concurrency, actors, property wrappers, and many other interview-focused topics directly inside Xcode.
The platform currently provides more than 40 downloadable Xcode playgrounds covering 29 Swift language features and concepts discussed throughout Apple's Swift Programming Language book.
The Swift Programming Language Playground Edition
One of the more unique resources available on 3DaysOfSwift is the free Playground Edition of Apple's Swift book.
Apple originally published The Swift Programming Language alongside playground resources designed to encourage experimentation. Building upon that idea, 3DaysOfSwift created a dedicated Playground Edition designed for studying Swift directly inside Xcode.
The free download includes:
The Swift Programming Language EPUB edition
Apple's original playground resources
The 3DaysOfSwift Playground Edition conversion
An executable Swift learning experience inside Xcode
You can download it here:
How Long Does It Take?
This is perhaps the most common question of all.
The honest answer is that it depends.
Some developers build their first applications within a few weeks. Others spend several months learning the fundamentals before feeling confident. Becoming employable typically requires more than simply learning syntax. It requires building projects, understanding software design, becoming comfortable with debugging, and developing the ability to discuss technical concepts clearly.
The developers who progress fastest are rarely the ones searching endlessly for better tutorials. They are usually the ones spending the most time writing code, building projects, and strengthening their understanding of the language.
Final Thoughts
Becoming an iOS developer is not about finding a secret course, a magic tutorial, or a shortcut that avoids effort. The path is surprisingly straightforward. Learn Swift. Learn SwiftUI. Build projects. Understand software fundamentals. Prepare for interviews. Continue refining your understanding as your career progresses.
The resources already exist. The opportunity already exists. The next step is simply opening Xcode and starting.
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