Chapter 1: Introducing Xcode 5
Xcode is Apple’s free suite of developer tools; it is used to create applications for iOS mobile devices and for Mac OS X. Xcode 5, shown in Figure 1.1, is the most recent version.
Developer tools are complex, and Xcode has always tried to hide much of that complexity from novice developers. You can use Xcode in a very simple click-to-build way, but this simplicity can be misleading. Many developers never explore Xcode’s more advanced features and never discover how they can use them to save time, solve problems, or extend their projects with original and creative features.
Xcode also includes an unexpectedly enormous selection of helper applications and developer tools. A complete guide to every element in Xcode would require a shelf of books. This book concentrates on beginner- and intermediate-level features, but it also includes hints and pointers for advanced developers.
Understanding the History of Mac Development Tools
Before OS X, Apple’s IDE (Integrated Development Environment) was MPW (Macintosh Programmer’s Workshop). MPW is no longer supported, but can still be found on the Internet Archive, as shown in Figure 1.2.
MPW competed with a commercial development system called CodeWarrior. Both were expensive, and many would-be developers were put off by the initial start-up costs.
Looking back at early IDEs
CodeWarrior ...
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