iOS is one of the most promising platforms for developing mobile apps. For iOS app development, the two most popular programming languages are Swift and Objective-C.
Objective-C was the first language for building iOS apps, it was introduced in 2008. It is one of the difficult languages to learn and code, and also the syntax is not user-friendly. With the introduction of the Swift programming language in 2014, developers and companies have a better alternative to Objective-C to create iOS apps. It is also much more flexible than Objective-C.
What challenges were being faced by Objective-C Developers
- Difficult to learn: It is not very easy to learn since it is based on object-oriented programming principles and has a complex syntax.
- Fewer developers: As newer and simpler alternatives become available, many developers are no longer using the language, and newcomers are unwilling to learn an obsolete language.
- Limited features: It is outdated and does not have modern features which causes poor performance.
- Security: As an older language, it is more susceptible to hacking.
Why Swift was Introduced?
- Simple to use: Swift is extremely easy to use and learn, and doesn't take much time to develop. It's also clear and concise.
- Open-Source: It does not require any licensing fee and can be used by both commercial and non-commercial entities, making it a very versatile programming language.
- Modern features: Being a young language, Swift has several modern features such as optimized memory management, dynamic libraries, better app monetization, etc.
- Development: This language requires fewer codes, making it simpler to develop. This saves a great deal of time.
Also Read: iPhone Application Development Mistakes to Avoid
Comparison Between Swift and Objective-C
1. Readability
While Objective-C is based on C and uses C-style keywords, Swift does not require various symbols, unifying all keywords instead. In addition, Swift is also much closer to natural English than Objective-C, which makes it easy for other languages such as JavaScript or Python to adopt it.
2. Dynamic Libraries
As Swift libraries are flexible, apps can be updated to a newer version. These dynamic libraries load directly into memory, which helps to optimize the performance of the app.
3. Safety
As opposed to Objective-C, Swift’s syntax is free of common mistakes. When code is nil, Swift will automatically notify developers of the error. That makes Swift a more secure language and reduces the likelihood of bugs.
4. Coding
According to Ankit Panwar, iPhone app developer at Simpalm "Swift eliminates the need for cumbersome code. Its modern features streamline the process and lessen the need for lengthy code strings. In contrast, Objective-C requires text strings that need a lot of steps to join two pieces of information together."
5. Performance
Swift is faster than Objective-C in terms of execution speed. Unburdened by legacy conventions, it achieves faster code implementation as compared to Objective-C.
6. Maintenance
According to Emily Thompson, Consultant at Daeken "Objective-C suffers from a legacy issue. It is built on C, it cannot improve unless C improves. Like C, Objective-C also makes developers write code in separate files, which can be hard to maintain. Swift, however, doesn't need two different files since XCode and the LLVM compiler handle that automatically."
Conclusion
Swift and Objective-C are both great programming languages that offer great capabilities to iOS developers. The key difference between them is the level of abstraction and the lack of syntax conventions. Swift is more readable, but Objective-C has a wider range of features, including support for object oriented programming. Since the launch of Swift in 2014, all new apps have been developed in Swift. Programmers are also converting older apps written in Objective-C into Swift.
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