Why iOS and OS X Developers Are Choosing Swift

Swift has become a major buzzword throughout the app development industry. If you scroll through the internet, tons of articles, blogs, and videos are available that will tell you that Swift development has advanced since its launch, and is the most in-demand language for developers, while language processing commands the top spot as the most desirable technology. 

Many mobile app developers and trend forecasters say that iOS and OS X developers ought to learn this powerful and intuitive programming language sooner rather than later if they don't want to be left behind. 

Naturally, the question is “Why?” Why the growing demand for Swift programming language among iOS and OS X developers? Why has Swift become the most sought-after programming language?

Let’s find out.

The following facts from Towards Data Science help paint a full picture:

• Swift is among the top 10 in-demand programming languages to learn in 2020.
• Swift has a unique language design with simpler, concise, and cleaner syntax.
• Swift offers features of modern program languages, provides syntactic sugar to avoid the "Pyramid of Doom."
• As a compiled language, Swift is as fast as C++.
• Swift propelled to the top 10 lists of the most popular programming languages in the TIOBE index.
• PYPL (popular ranking site) ranked Swift as the 9th most popular programming language.
• StackOverflow developer survey 2020 ranked Swift as the 9th most loved programming language.
• Google trends also show a sharp rise in the popularity of Swift.

Still don’t see what all the fuss is about? Let’s dive in a little deeper.

Top 10 Reasons Why iOS and OS X Developers Are Choosing Swift

Ease of Learning

While some other programming languages can take over a year to learn; however, one of the great appeals of Swift is its ability to be mastered in just a few months. With a complete and free Swift guide available in the iBook store, developers have embraced Swift’s ease of learning.

Syntax Simplicity

Apple wanted to create a simple and intuitive programming language, and Swift was the result. One of Swift’s biggest advantages is its immaculate syntax, which makes it easier and more enjoyable for developers to build apps for iOS, watchOS, macOS, tvOS, and Linux. 

Smoother and Faster Development

Swift was designed to promote an easier and faster development cycle of apps, and in that pursuit, it has very much succeeded. Apple claims that Swift is 2.6 times faster than Objective-C and 8.4 than Python 2.7, making iOS app development much smoother, faster, and reliable.

Linux Development

Swift offers full capability for creating cross-platform applications based on iOS, OS X, and Linux. Among the most significant features is the ability to use this development language in Linux environments where Objective-C is not available. 

Safer and More Efficient

A secure application isn’t a perk, it’s a necessity. Fortunately Swift is quite focused on security, helping developers create a safer and more secure code. Additionally, the programming language works more efficiently in terms of security, bug identification, fixation, and speed than Objective-C.

High-Speed Performance

Providing a tremendous speed advantage over Objective-C, Swift is powerful and packed with modern language features that enable developers to write advanced code, making the app work significantly faster. 

Undemanding Code Maintenance

Unlike Objective-C, Swift has no dependencies on any language, so it is easier to maintain. Swift eliminates tedious dual-code tradition by combining the Objective-C header (.h) along with implementation files (.m) into an integrated code file (.swift). Swift programmers can dedicate more time to create app logins and improvising the quality code, comments, and features supported by its libraries.

Free and Open-Source

A year after Swift debuted in 2014, Apple took the step to make Swift open-source. Apple's decision accelerated the adoption and development of the language, making it incredibly developer-friendly.

Ever-Growing and High in Demand

Given what we now know about Swift, it’s no surprise that its demand as a career language is skyrocketing, and developers are embracing this robust language with open arms. Swift owes its rankings of #3 in average salary and #8 in job postings to its dominance in the mobile market.

Apple’s Future

Apple is pushing full speed ahead with Swift. It has grown tremendously since its launch and there's no looking back at all. Constantly working on new technologies and devices, Swift will soon take over Objective-C entirely, and could very well live up to Apple CEO Tim Cook’s 2014 hope that iOS developers will be exclusively using Swift in the next 20 years.

Key Takeaways - It's high time for developers to adopt the more approachable, full-featured Swift language for optimized iOS and OS X app development.

Have anything in mind related to Swift? Feel free to share your thoughts with us!