I am attempting to get into beginner’s mind as I dive into learning iOS programming.
This post includes some of the resources that I’ve found useful so far.
Books
- iOS Programming — start here. This is the book to get you going with iOS programming. The remaining resources aren’t helpful without understanding the fundamentals.
- Test-Driven iOS Development — my next book to read.
- The Core iOS 6 Developer’s Cookbook. — yet to read, with code samples online.
- The Advanced iOS 6 Developer’s Cookbook — yet to read, with code samples online.
I’m now fully sold on tech books on Kindle, as I can read on multiple devices and have available on my Mac for searching when needed.
Blogs
- objc.io — advanced topics, in magazine/RSS format.
- NSHipster — deep dives on a range of topics.
- Cocoa with Love — lots of great content in the archives.
- NSScreencasts — some free and some subscription screencasts.
Podcasts
- iPhreaks — great introductary podcast. Their first episode includes lots of things to get going.
- NSBrief — in depth on a range of topics with guests. A mix of iOS & Mac themes.
- Identical Cousins — general chat on a range of topics.
- Edge Cases — two iOS experts chatting. What’s not to like.
Other tactics
I am making a point of trying to read as much iOS code as I can. I find this helpful in seeing how other programmers have solved problems. I’m using a mix of production and example code, as well as examining particular commits that look interesting.
I am attempting to fill my Twitter feed with useful iOS content, and randomly following people relating to iOS programming. (eg. @mattt, @drance, @chockenberry, @mattjgalloway, @rwenderlich, & @secboffin)
The other thing I’m doing is to have a hobby iOS project. This gives me specific challenges to try and solve in a real app. So far, I have this deployable through TestFlight to try out on a few phones around the house.
Still so much to dig into and learn. I’m not yet comfortable with unit testing for iOS, and this is the next big thing on my list. Things like CocoaPods, AFNetworking, mogenerator, and Kiwi are likely to follow.