Have you ever wanted to make an app that people could download from the App Store? App development has quickly become an incredibly popular hobby and profession. Whether you are looking to create Apple apps for fun or are looking to make money off your development, it’s actually pretty easy to get started.

Things You Need to start Making Apple Apps

A Mac Computer

To be able to develop an app and submit one to Apple for review, a Mac is required. This is because development and code-signing for applications takes place in Xcode, Apple’s own software for developing apps.

The Xcode Application

As previously mentioned, Xcode will be needed for the development and code-signing of the apps you create. Code-signing can be looked at as a validation process to identify the developer's identity of the software being sent to Apple for review. Xcode is a free app on the Mac App Store and you can download it here.

An Apple Developer Account

To be able to publish apps on the App Store, all developers must have a developer account with Apple. This program costs $99 per year. To learn more about the developer account, see developer.apple.com. To register for your Apple Developer account, click here.

Getting Started with Coding

If you are new and looking into developing apps for the first time, the process of creating apps is done by writing code. The two most common languages used in development of apps for the Apple platform are Objective-C and Swift. Objective-C is a programming language that has been used in software development since the 1980's. Swift is another programming language used to develop applications that Apple released in 2014. Swift is based on the Objective-C language.

Learning how to code will be the biggest obstacle (or opportunity) for you on your quest to create apps. Luckily, there are tons of resources available for learning code. As a developer myself, I recommend using online resources to learn coding. While there are tons of books available on the subject, the ecosystem of technology and coding is constantly changing, so online resources do a better job at staying up-to-date. Here are some online resources I recommend checking out to get you familiar with coding.

Codecademy

A popular online platform for learning coding basics, Codecademy is a free resource that walks you through hands-on coding tutorials for a variety of programming languages. Check out Codecademy here.

Udemy

Udemy is an online learning platform that covers a variety of topics, but has especially good resources and lessons revolving around coding. Udemy offers both free and paid courses to help you get acquainted with coding, no matter what experience level you are at. Udemy includes a variety of learning mediums to accommodate your learning style - be it video lectures, quizzes, tests and hands-on coding tutorials. Check out Udemy here.

Code School

A similiar platform as Codecademy, Code School is a great resource for learning all sorts of programming languages, from Ruby to Python to Swift and more. Check out Code School here.

Apple Resources

Apple also offers sample code for developers. Those resources can be found here.

User Interface Design

When creating an app, you will need to have a user interface with graphics. These can be simple or more detailed. It is up to you, the developer of the app, to decide how you want your app to look. A well-done design is usually needed for an app to get noticed and gain popularity. There are multiple applications available for graphic design, but one of the most well known and well used professionally is Adobe Illustrator.

The App Review Process

Once you have an app for either iOS, OS X, watchOS or tvOS, you will submit the app to Apple. Once you submit it, your app goes into review with Apple to make sure your app is safe and does not contain malware. This process allows Apple to keep their platforms safe and secure for users. If your app gets accepted, it will be set to go live on the App Store.

This is obviously a very basic introduction to what it takes to get started with app development. The majority of developing an app is the coding and designing graphics for the user interface. Check out some of the resources listed above and best of luck in your app development quest! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.