DEV Community

Raúl Ferrer
Raúl Ferrer

Posted on

From Learning iOS Development at 40 to publish an iOS Book

10 years ago, I was a Chemistry PhD just over 40 years that was ready for a change. I had spent years working at the University, conducting research and publishing scientific articles, and then as a textbook editor, but I was looking for something different.

Discovering iOS Development

It was then that I discovered the development of iOS, and I knew that this was the new career I wanted to continue.

At that time, the iPad had just been released, and it was clear that this was going to change the way of seeing educational contents in schools. I knew that if I wanted to succeed as an iOS developer, I needed to learn everything I could about this platform and be aware of the latest trends and developments.

So I introduced myself into the world of iOS development, studying Objective-C first and then Swift, learning Xcode ins and outs. I spent countless hours playing with code, reading documentation and seeing tutorials, always looking to learn more and improve my skills.

Despite having scientific background, the fact of always working with computers and other programming languages allowed, not without certain difficulties, to advance rapidly. In addition, I have always liked the challenge of solving problems and building applications that could make a real difference in people’s lives.

Starting to write

After a few years, I began to realize that I had accumulated certain knowledge and experience in the development of iOS. The fact of having faced different problems and having solved them, led me to think about sharing these experiences with the rest of the developers in case they could be useful.

That was when I started writing. I created a blog where I could share my thoughts, ideas and experiences with other developers who just started their own iOS development trip.

Over the years, I wrote dozens of publications, which cover everything, from basic concepts of IOS development to advanced techniques and best practices. I shared my personal experiences, ideas and advice, and I was delighted to see that people were reading my publications and finding value in them.

The challenge of writing a book on programming

Then, about a year ago, something incredible happened. A Senior Editor from Apress contacted me, saying that he had read my publications in Medium and that he was caught with my writing. He proposed to write a book about iOS development, and after several options, we agreed that of iOS Architecture Patterns, which was an issue on which I had written extensively in my blog.

I was excited about the opportunity to write a book and share my knowledge with an even broader audience. In the following months, I worked tirelessly on the book, pouring all my experience, passion and energy into it.

Finally, after months of hard work, the book has been published. Titled “IOS architecture patterns: MVC, MVP, MVVM, VIPER, and VIP on Swift”, is a complete guide of the most popular architecture patterns used in the development of iOS today (and which are the most demanded in the job offers of LinkedIn).

I am proud of the book, and I know that you have the potential to help countless developers to improve their skills and build better, more efficient and more maintainable iOS applications.

Image description
Amazon Link

Looking back

Now, while I look back on this trip from Chemistry PhD to an author published and developer of iOS, I feel a feeling of achievement.

Conclusion

If there is a advice that could give to other developers who are considering a career change, it would be this: follow your passion, even if that means starting again in a new field. With dedication, perseverance and willingness to learn and grow, you can achieve great things and have a real impact on the world of mobile development.

Top comments (0)