Best iOS App Development Programming Languages 2024

What is iOS Programming Language?

iOS programming languages are tools developers use to build applications for Apple's iOS platform. These languages must work within the Apple ecosystem, ensuring apps are compatible with iOS devices like iPhones and iPads.
Selecting the appropriate programming language is crucial for developing successful iOS apps. It affects everything from the app's performance and security to how smoothly it can be updated or maintained. 

Best 4 Programming Languages to Master for iOS Development

Swift

Swift is a modern programming language created by Apple, specifically designed for developing iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS applications. With an easy-to-read and write syntax, Swift has rapidly gained popularity among developers for building a wide range of applications. It offers safety features and powerful tools to create fast and efficient software.

Key Features:

• Safety: Swift's syntax encourages writing clean and consistent code which inherently minimizes mistakes.
• Speed: Swift was designed to outperform its predecessor, Objective-C, in terms of execution speed.
• Interoperability: It seamlessly works alongside existing Objective-C code, allowing for easy adoption in legacy projects.
• Open Source: Swift's open-source nature encourages community involvement, leading to rapid enhancements and updates.

Use Cases:

Due to its speed and safety features, Swift is ideal for developing high-performance iOS applications, from simple utility apps to complex games and system-level software.

Pros & Cons:

Pros:

• Swift's clean syntax makes code easier to read and write.
• Offers high performance close to that of C++ for iOS app development.
• Strong support from Apple and a growing community.
• Regular updates and improvements due to its open-source nature.

Cons:

• Swift's can lead to compatibility issues with older codebases.
• Smaller talent pool compared to more established languages like Java and C#.
• Limited use outside Apple's ecosystem might restrict cross-platform development opportunities.

C#

C# (pronounced "C sharp") is a modern, object-oriented programming language developed by Microsoft. It runs on the .NET framework and is known for its simplicity and power. C# enables developers to build a wide range of applications, from desktop to web to mobile, with a particular advantage in creating Windows applications. It's a popular choice for iOS app development, thanks to tools like Xamarin, which allow C# codes to create apps for Android and iOS platforms.

Key Features:

• Cross-Platform Development: With Xamarin, C# can be used to create apps for iOS, Android, and Windows, making app development more streamlined.
• Rich Library Support: It boasts extensive libraries that simplify tasks like GUI design and database connection, speeding up the development process.
• Strong Typing: This reduces errors by enforcing stricter rules at compile time, ensuring more secure and stable code.
• Automatic Memory Management: C# uses garbage collection to manage memory efficiently, reducing memory leaks and enhancing app performance.
• LINQ (Language Integrated Query): Enables developers to query various data sources directly from C# without needing complex SQL queries.

Use Cases:

C# is ideal for developing high-performance iOS apps. It's especially useful for game development with Unity, enterprise applications requiring .NET compatibility, and cross-platform applications targeting multiple mobile platforms.

Pros:

• Simplifies complex coding tasks, making development faster.
• Strong community support and extensive documentation.
• Compatible with Microsoft technologies, ideal for .NET framework applications.
• Streamlined cross-platform development process.

Cons:

Larger app size compared to native languages.
Sometimes slower performance for graphics-intensive applications.
Requires learning Xamarin for iOS development, adding to the learning curve.
Dependency on Microsoft's development tools and frameworks.

React Native

React Native is an open-source framework created by Facebook for building mobile applications using JavaScript. This tool allows developers to craft both iOS and Android apps with a single codebase.. React Native combines the best parts of native development with React, a best-in-class JavaScript library for building user interfaces.

Key Features

• Hot Reloading - Changes in the code are immediately visible during development without losing the current state of the app.
• Cross-Platform Development - Write once and deploy on both iOS and Android platforms, saving time and resources.
• Rich Ecosystem - Access to a wide range of libraries, tools, and frameworks to enhance app functionality.
• Community Support - A large and active community contributes to its vast library of components and documentation.
• Performance - Close to native performance thanks to the possibility of incorporating native code in your app.

Use Cases

React Native is ideal for developing mobile applications that require a single codebase for iOS and Android, offering a consistent user experience across platforms. It's particularly useful for projects with tight budgets and deadlines.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Saves time and resources by using one codebase for both platforms.
• Hot reloading and a wide range of available components speed up development.
• Easy to find solutions and get help due to the large developer community.

Cons:

For highly complex and graphic-intensive apps, native development might still outperform React Native.
Some features still require native code, which can complicate team development without native development skills.

Read More on the Conversion of Native Android and iOS apps to React Native – How to do it

Flutter

Flutter is an open-source UI software development kit created by Google. It's designed to craft natively compiled mobile, web, and desktop applications from a single codebase. This toolkit provides a new way for developers to build beautiful, fast apps for iOS and Android platforms without writing separate code for each.

Key Features

• Single Codebase: Write once and deploy your application on iOS and Android, simplifying the development process.
• Rich Widget Library: Offers a comprehensive range of widgets that help in creating customizable and attractive UIs.
• Dart Language: Uses Dart, a concise and effective language designed to scale from simple scripts to full-featured apps.

Use Cases

Flutter is ideal for developing high-performance iOS and Android apps with beautiful user interfaces. It's particularly useful for startups and businesses looking to build apps quickly without compromising on performance and design.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Rapid development with Hot Reload.
• High performance on both iOS and Android.
• Strong community support and rich libraries.
• Easy to learn for developers with prior programming experience.

Cons

• Larger app size compared to native apps.
• Limited set of third-party libraries for very specific needs.
• Dart is less known, which might initially be a learning curve for new developers.

Checkout Which cross platform framework to choose React Native vs. Flutter

Objective-C

Objective-C is a programming language primarily used for iOS and OS X development, blending the syntax of C with the flexibility of Smalltalk-style messaging. It was once the main language for Apple's iOS and macOS development before Swift's introduction. Objective-C allows for creating applications that run seamlessly on Apple's platforms, providing a rich set of libraries and frameworks such as Cocoa and Cocoa Touch.

Key Features

• Dynamic Typing: It allows objects to be treated as any type until specified otherwise, enhancing flexibility in coding.
• Message Passing: Similar to Smalltalk, objects communicate using messages, making the code more readable and maintainable.
• Objective-C Runtime: Provides dynamic class creation and object inspection capabilities, supporting sophisticated development needs.
• Memory Management: With Automatic Reference Counting (ARC), memory management is simplified by automatically handling object lifecycles.
• Categories and Protocols: Enables adding methods to existing classes and defining blueprints for classes without altering the original source code.

Use Cases

Objective-C is best suited for developing iOS and macOS applications, especially those requiring direct access to hardware or complex, performance-intensive tasks. It remains a go-to for maintaining and updating legacy applications on Apple platforms.

Checkout the importance of Native iOS Mobile App Architecture

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Direct access to C and C++ libraries makes it powerful for certain applications.
• Mature ecosystem with extensive libraries and frameworks.
• Strong support for older iOS and macOS versions, ensuring backward compatibility.

Cons:

• Steeper learning curve compared to Swift, especially for beginners.
• Less syntactic sugar than in Swift, which can lead to more verbose code.
• Gradually being overshadowed by Swift for new projects, with a decreasing community and fewer updates.

Looking to develop an iOS app? SayOne can help. Our team specializes in the programming languages needed for iOS app development, ensuring your project is handled efficiently from start to finish. Whether it’s a Finance app, a business tool, or a health app, we’re ready to work with you to make your app successful on the Apple App Store. Reach out to SayOne today to get started on your iOS app project.