Objective-C vs Swift: what to choose?

Objective-C vs Swift: what to choose?

There is an ongoing debate about choosing Objective C or Swift for new project when creating an iOS application. Many professional developers are engaged in this Objective-C vs Swift debate. Some of them prove that Objective-С is the best programming language ever. Meanwhile, the camp of Swift supporters grows every day.

While the two camps are arguing, startups still doubt should they build new iOS projects in Objective-C or Swift. From a business perspective, new applications should be written fast, without delay, bring profit and be a long-term success. If you are one of the business owners, you start wondering what will work for you.

Surely, you may have heard from the IT old-timers that Objective-C is the best option for all times. At least, you could hear the following:

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Development of iOS-applications is all about working with its basic framework, Cocoa Touch. Majority of developers are familiar with this framework. So, you can be sure that the flow development of application wouldn’t be interrupted.

 

  • Objective-C is a use-proven language. Thousands of applications written in it can be found in App Store. Its reliability encourages most developers to stick to it.

  • Objective-C is rich in resources. There are many books, videos and online courses dedicated to this programming language, so you can always turn to them to clear some details.

 

Related: Key components of a successful mobile product

 

Besides, the supporters of Objective-C are quick to point ot the weaknesses of Swift such as:

  • Many additional libraries are written in Objective-C and you may have difficulties when using them in Swift.
  • Swift is a new language and so it has many gaps still to fulfill. This is the reason Apple releases new updates so often.
  • Due to new releases, the code written in the previous version needs rewriting. It takes time you could have spent on other things.

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While compare Objective C versus Swift, consider the following. The truth is Computer Science is all about technology changes and innovations. You have to keep up with the fast pace of the technological progress. Otherwise, you will lose. From this perspective, Swift is the best choice you can make.

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It is clear that Apple now invests heavily in Swift development. Meanwhile, Objective-C has been remaining with no changes for a long time.

Therefore, using Swift gives you one more advantage before your competitors who still suggest you using Objective-C. Apart from that, there are three more reasons for using Swift.

 

First, Swift is easier to read and to understand. You will probably agree that ability to understand the code developed inside the organization is crucial to the project’s success. Swift has a rather simple and readable syntax. It makes the language approachable to many developers regardless of their background.

 

Related: Mobile Application Development: Freelance vs. Development Company

 

Second, Swift is more engaging to learn than Objective-C is. Those who created Swift wanted it to be fun. Therefore, there are many interactive playgrounds appealing to the programmers. With it, you can be sure that your stuff is really involved in the process of creating an application.  

Third, Swift is “an offspring” of Objective-C so you can translate any application from one language into another. You can be surprised how much better code you will get as a result of such a translation. The code in Swift is easier to write and read than in Objective-C.

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All the strengths of Swift indicate that you should try it. Since Swift is understandable, easy to learn and based on Objective-C you minimize your risks using it for developing quality product. You will see that building and maintaining code in Swift is quicker and cheaper. So, don’t hesitate, try it out!