As indicated by last year’s stats, the iPhone is still at the top of the best-selling mobile phones today and is revered as the one that sets the standard on Smartphones. Undeniably, Apple hasn’t lost its touch, and the iPhone fever just gets bigger and bigger every day. With the continuous rise in popularity of the iPhone comes the obvious demand of app development. Developing for iPhone applications have truly become a very viable field because of the vast popularity of this Apple device. Professional programmers certainly see the huge advantage of developing applications for the iPhone 5.
One should keep in mind that iPhone application development requires the right tools and software. Any programmer can’t start developing apps without the basic and essential tools. In this post, we will discuss about the Xcode 4, the latest developer tool offered by Apple. Programmers can download the Xcode 4 developer tool set for free on Apple’s website.
The Xcode 4- What does it do?
The Xcode 4 is the latest version of the Xcode, which is Apple’s integrated development environment for creating apps for its various devices such as the Mac, iPhone and iPad (OS X and iOS). This tool seamlessly integrates code editing, debugging and UI design. According to the Apple Developer’s website, the Xcode 4 is said to have been redesigned to make it faster, easier to use and more helpful. It also has a new user interface that’s more convenient for developers.
What to expect in Xcode 4?
Xcode 4 users can expect the following features and added functionalities in this latest version. You can check out the complete list of features on Apple’s official website.
Single Window
The Xcode 4 has consolidated the many windows used for development tasks in the previous Xcode versions in a single window. This makes the Xcode 4 easier to use and less cluttered for developers.
Navigator
There is a collection of navigators on the left side which includes the list of files in your project, sorted symbols, debugging data and a whole lot more necessary information.
Built-in Interface Builder
The Interface Builder is now completely integrated within the Xcode IDE, hence eliminating the use of a separate application. Developers will now also be able to drag connections directly from the UI design to the source code. The split editor layout makes it easy for developers to wire up actions and outlets simply by dragging a connection to the existing code.
Apple LLVM Compiler
The Apple LLVM Compiler is integrated into the whole development experience. This is an essential tool in building your app in all the Apple devices.
New Debugger
LLDB, the new debugging engine, is a great complement for the Xcode 4 debugging interface. The navigator enables you to expand or compress to show or hide stack frames when debugging.
The Xcode 4 is undoubtedly a great tool for developers who want to take a plunge in the iPhone development industry. This toolset is also a great upgrade from the previous versions used by iOS and OS X developers. The Xcode 4 can be downloaded free of charge at Mac App Store.