

Ask HN: Good iOS Tutorials? - snihalani

I have started learning iOS app development from Apple's developer resources but those look like to be designed for a bit more smart audience. I googled for good iOS tutorials but most of them seem outdated and in no way match the current XCode UI. 
How do you learn iOS application development? 
What tutorials did you use?
======
ninthfrank07
I personally had tremendous fun following Matthijs Hollemans' tutorials
(<http://www.raywenderlich.com/store/ios-apprentice>).

You can get the first tutorial for free if you sign up for the
raywenderlich.com newsletter. It assumes no prior knowledge of iOS or
Objective-C and runs you through building a simple game. Then for 54$ you can
get the three other tutorials.

The second tutorial shows you step by step how to build a checklist app (using
Storyboards).

The third tutorial is about doing a simpler version of Foursquare (using Core
Location, Map Kit, the camera and photo library, Core Data and Core
Animation).

And in the fourth tutorial you'll learn how to make a clone of the default
iTunes app by using the iTunes Store Search API
([http://www.apple.com/itunes/affiliates/resources/documentati...](http://www.apple.com/itunes/affiliates/resources/documentation/itunes-
store-web-service-search-api.html)) as well as AFNetworking.

------
murz
Stanford has a free series of iOS lectures that you can get on iTunesU:
[http://itunes.apple.com/itunes-u/ipad-iphone-application-
dev...](http://itunes.apple.com/itunes-u/ipad-iphone-application-
development/id473757255?mt=10)

I highly recommend them.

~~~
rev087
This is my recommendation as well. From the basics of Objective-C (for people
already familliar with object oriented programming) to best practices, design
patterns and individual components. No other single resource has given me a
stronger grasp of all the important concepts of the platform, and I'm still
amazed that it's available for free.

~~~
tagabek
Starting Tuesday, (when my first Macbook arrives!) I will be going through
this course and posting my daily results and thoughts on my blog, which I will
also set up on Tuesday.

I currently am slightly comfortable with Python, I have gone through some C
tutorials, and I will keep going through OOP tutorials until Tuesday.

I plan on spending 10+ hours a day on this until I finish the course and feel
comfortable enough to create my first app, which will be the next step.

~~~
c_t_montgomery
Post a link when you get it all set up!

------
sayemm
The best tutorials I've come across: <http://www.raywenderlich.com/tutorials>

Open source iOS apps: [http://maniacdev.com/2010/06/35-open-source-iphone-app-
store...](http://maniacdev.com/2010/06/35-open-source-iphone-app-store-apps-
updated-with-10-new-apps/)

[http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/navigation/#section=R...](http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/navigation/#section=Resource%20Types&topic=Sample%20Code)

<http://www.appsamuck.com>

------
aaronbrethorst
I have a super-simple tutorial on UITableViews here:
[http://www.cocoacontrols.com/posts/2012/08/01/ios-basics-
uit...](http://www.cocoacontrols.com/posts/2012/08/01/ios-basics-
uitableviewcontroller), and I'm planning on spending a good amount of the next
couple weeks developing similar content. What are you looking to learn,
exactly, and how familiar are you with software development in general?

~~~
snihalani
I am good with software development. I know java, C and python. I am not
looking for way simple tutorials. I fall in the audience where people know how
to program but need a good tutorial to show where things are and how they are
connected.

~~~
aaronbrethorst
Ah, got it. You're probably better off looking at
<http://www.raywenderlich.com> for now. Or, just downloading the source for
Cheddar and running the app through a debugger.

------
GuiA
I'm a big fan of books.

I found this one very useful to get started: [http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-
iOS-Development-Exploring-SD...](http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-iOS-
Development-Exploring-SDK/dp/1430236051/)

------
pkaler
Sounds like you're a new developer. You need to be able to see the big picture
and gain a sense of progress. Apple lays out a learning roadmap for you here:
[http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#referencelibrary/Get...](http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#referencelibrary/GettingStarted/RoadMapiOS/chapters/Introduction.html)

After that, go with the tutorials that everyone else is recommending.
<http://www.raywenderlich.com/tutorials>

------
jarcoal
Lynda: [http://www.lynda.com/iOS-tutorials/iOS-SDK-Essential-
Trainin...](http://www.lynda.com/iOS-tutorials/iOS-SDK-Essential-
Training/92179-2.html)

------
shawnwall
I just wanted to throw this out there:

you should first read the objective-c primer.

[https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#referencelibrary/Ge...](https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#referencelibrary/GettingStarted/Learning_Objective-
C_A_Primer/_index.html)

You mentioned the apple docs feel complex to you but I'd honestly recommend
truly taking your time and working through them as they really are the best.

------
mv
This is as good as it gets: <http://www.stanford.edu/class/cs193p/cgi-
bin/drupal/>

------
ruggeri
I recommend:

    
    
        * Stanford's videos and homeworks
        * Ray Wenderlich's site
        * Big Nerd Ranch's iOS and Obj-C books
    

If you want to learn Cocos2D for game development, also check out Learning
Cocos2D.

To shamelessly plug, we also run a full-time, in-person iOS course
(<http://hashmaplabs.com>).

------
josephlord
<http://www.raywenderlich.com/tutorials/> is pretty useful in places.

Stackoverflow or Google when you have specific questions.

When you say the Apple Developer resources are designed for a bit more smart
audience I assume you mean already informed and knowledgeable about the basic
APIs.

------
EwanG
Stuff at MakeGamesWithUs (<http://makegameswith.us/tutorials/getting-
started/2#_=_>) isn't too bad since it will help you get up to speed, and you
can always turn to them to do the marketing if you decide you're more
interested in developing than selling.

------
plasma
Around 9 months ago I wrote about my iOS development at
<http://cherrypopapp.com/blog#iPhone_Development>

Take-away is; I started with the stanford tutorials (great!), but then just
decided to dive in and learn along the way.

------
schoash
It worked well for me using <http://diveintoios.com/>

------
thatusertwo
If you checkout <http://ioscodesamples.com> they have tons of code samples,
although there aren't tutorials there is a lot of working code that does
various things, it might help you figure out what you need to do.

------
arsen4
This isn't out yet, but it looks like it's going to be awesome:
[http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/eallam/try-ios-iphone-
ap...](http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/eallam/try-ios-iphone-app-
development-course?ref=live)

~~~
kevbam
Signed up as well can't wait!!!

------
kawaguchi
I've been digging the apprentice trailmaps from thoughtbot, they have one for
iOS too: [https://github.com/thoughtbot/trail-
map/blob/master/trails/i...](https://github.com/thoughtbot/trail-
map/blob/master/trails/ios.md)

------
huffman
It's not really online reading, but we have an iOS "trail map" at thoughtbot:
[https://github.com/thoughtbot/trail-
map/blob/master/trails/i...](https://github.com/thoughtbot/trail-
map/blob/master/trails/ios.md)

------
DesaiAshu
If you're interested in building games and have done some programming before
you should check out MakeGamesWithUs (www.makegameswith.us). The tutorials
take you through building a clone of Angry Birds and are tailored to
beginners.

------
AlexBlom
I found the SEE (free Stanford) courses to be best:
<http://see.stanford.edu/see/courses.aspx>

------
snihalani
Just wanted to share my other findings here:

<http://thenewboston.org> tutsplus.com

