Becoming an iOS App developer is a great step to success in your tech career pursuit. With the consistent upgrade on iOS by Apple, there is always a new learning curve to update on. This makes your workflow more dynamic than boring.
iOS tech has proven to be a quickly developing field over the years. The U.S. Department of Labour projects an estimated figure of 302,500 job creation by 2026, going beyond the 24% average growth rate in the tech space.
Who is an iOS App Developer?
iOS developers are experts who design applications for mobile devices that make use of Apple’s iOS software programming. They are expected to be knowledgeable in major areas relating to the iOS operating software
iOS developers are also expected to have an apt understanding of how iOS applications function on a variety of Apple gadgets, which include iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Apple Watch. They also need to keep track of the codes to guarantee quality application designs, and application updates and to fix application bugs when necessary.
How to Become an iOS App Developer
Here are quick steps to becoming an expert iOS App Developer:
1. Get acquainted with iOS fundamentals
To become an iOS App developer, you will need to understudy the fundamentals of iOS development. Getting yourself acquainted with its programming language, framework, and its ecosystem.
2. Register for an iOS developer course
The next most important step is to enroll in an iOS developer course. The course will expose you to challenging areas you might be faced with when designing iOS Apps, and proffer possible solutions. It also enlightens you on how best to build a user-friendly iOS App and launch them on the Apple store.
3. Take up personal iOS development projects
You would also need to take up personal projects to test what you have been learning. You might need to follow a step-by-step guide to building your first app, but as you progress you will need to build one from scratch. This will get you familiar with market research, the UI and UX, the API, and so on.
4. Create your iOS developer portfolio
As soon as you begin to complete projects, you can go ahead to build your iOS App developer portfolio. This helps to showcase your skill which gets updated as you gain more experience and complete appealing projects. This also comes in handy when applying for a job.
Functions of an iOS App Developer
An iOS App developer is expected to take up the following duties:
- Guarantee efficient functioning of the designed applications
- Ensure robustness through unit-test code
- Ensure updates of applications
- Design applications for Apple iOS platforms.
- Work with other team members to build and transport App features.
- Detecting and eradicating application bugs.
- Be alert to likely mishap and risks involved
- Launch applications on the App store.
Qualification & Skills of iOS Developer
Well-experienced iOS developers mix their qualifications and technical expertise with a variety of soft skills. Here are some of them:
Educational Qualifications
iOS developers who possess college degrees in line with the field, usually get Master’s or Bachelor’s degrees in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics amongst others. To further expand their knowledge, they enroll in iOS development courses.
Technical Qualifications
Over to the technical skills which is the actual knowledge applied to get useful results in the iOS operating system. Here are some of the most relevant skills needed:
- Knowledge of the Apple design and human interface guidelines
- Expertise in iOS Frameworks like Core Graphics, Core Animation, and Core Data.
- Experience with C-based libraries.
- Experience in Xcode, Objective-C, Swift, and Cocoa Touch.
- Expertise in iOS back-end services.
- Knowledge of code version tools, like Git.
- Knowledge of APIs, push notifications, and cloud messaging.
- Knowledge of general mobile landscape, trends, Software architecture, concurrency, reactive programming, deploying animation, and User testing.
- Familiarity with continuous integration.
- Experience with mobile development life cycle.
Personality Qualifications
Beyond the technical and educational skills, an expert iOS developer should:
- possess good interpersonal skills
- be meticulous and organized
- be patient
- be dynamic and flexible in thinking
- possess good communication skills
- Self-motivated
- be able to manage pressure
Conclusion
Having above 2.22 million accessible applications for iOS in the early months of 2021, iOS proves itself to be a reliable software development platform. As an iOS developer, you stand a chance to work with top companies like Apple, IBM, Walmart, and the like. With an average annual salary of $108,980 sourced from Glassdoor, there is a motivating drive to become an iOS App developer.
