If you want to develop the perfect iOS app, you need to decide the language you will be using for the project. Basically, there are two options available for native iOS app development: you can decide to use the ancient Objective-C or the modern Swift. And that’s why we have made a comparison of the difference between the two programming languages.

What is an Objective-C?

This is a multifunctional programming language that can be used for different activities. Although it is not specific to any platform, it can go a long way in developing various structures. Objective-C programming extends the C programming language to include messaging capabilities.

Objective-C is one of those programming languages ​​that Apple uses for the iOS system and can be used for developing mobile applications for this particular platform. As an appendix to the C programming language, developers can guide themselves in more detail and support other objects and languages.

What is Swift

Swift is an open-source programming language, commonly referred to as "Objective-C, that has no C." In addition, the company recommends that developers use it when building apps for its different platforms, whether it's iOS, macOS, or iPadOS. This is yet another development of the Objective-C language. Apple has been using it ever since co-founder Steve Jobs licensed it when establishing NeXT some decades ago and is created as a simplified and highly scalable version of Objective-C.

Besides Objective-C, Swift also includes functions for Python, Rust, Ruby, and other languages. Many of its features are focused on making Swift easy to use. For example, these measures include improved cable support, option types, and measures to prevent programming errors (such as null point dereferencing or integer overflow).

Originally, the Swift programming language was created to develop programs for iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS platforms. Before the previous years, it was limited to Apple operating systems, except Linux and IBM z/OS. This is because Swift is designed to leverage Apple's hardware and operating systems, and you know they are very distinct from its competitors.

Swift is fundamental to Apple because it cannot really replace the functionality level of this particular programming language, especially for application development.

Security & Safety

Swift is a safe language for memory and a language type that improves language security. There is also a clear and easy-to-understand code. Therefore, compared with Objective-C, developers can easily locate and fix errors.

Speed of Coding

Coding speed affects the total cost of building an application and reduces the time to market. Although Objective-C and Swift are native languages ​​of iOS, they are not the same. Swift is a more modern language. It is also easy to use due to its simple syntax. This means it is also easier to learn.

A similar app is written in Swift only contains 30% of those lines of code written in Objective-C. Lyft is a popular example that converts Objective-C to Swift and loses more than 60% of the code. Reducing the amount of code not only speeds up the development process but also reduces errors and allows faster and cost-effective testing.

Performance

The more appropriate the technology you choose, the better the performance will become. With improved performance, you get a better user experience, easier redesign, and maintenance, etc.

According to Apple, Swift is 2.6 times faster than Objective-C. The fact may be that Swift was created as a new language in order to be “Swift.”

Even though Apple has provided a garbage collector for Objective-C, it is not as effective as the Swift code. Simpler syntax and compilation type checking help Swift overcome Objective-C. For memory management optimization, Swift uses ARC (Automatic Reference Count). In addition, Swift supports dynamic libraries, which can also improve application performance. Therefore, when it comes to Performance, Swift has the upper hand over Objective-C.

Stability

Objective-C has been around for more than three decades. The latest version was 2.0 and has been here since 2016. It couldn't be more stable. If there are errors, we already know how to fix them.

Swift is only seven years old now, and Swift 5 was launched two years ago in March 2019. Presently we can use version 5.3.3. This shows that Swift is not as stable as Objective-C, but it results from continuous improvements and developments.

Developer Usage

Because Swift is a new language and it is at its development stage, people have been learning and adopting the programming language. In addition, there are some complications with the language, such as maturity, less expertise which has made some developers prefer Objective-C.

Documentation

You cannot overestimate the essentiality of documentation. The more you understand the language and its tools, the easier for you to avoid errors.

The two languages ​​have detailed documentation. Objective-C has so much documentations because it has been around for over three decades. The document can be found in the Apple archives. However, the Swift documentation receives updates constantly. You can always get recent information for swift. Also, remember that it is open-source, so you can find more information from third parties. You can begin your search with the Apple Developer Service and committed Swift website. In addition, swift has a GitHub repository.

Classes and Structures

Contrary to Objective-C, you do not need separate interfaces and implementation files to create custom classes and structures in Swift. While you learn Swift, you learn how to define a class or structure in one file, and the external interface of the class or structure is automatically made accessible for other codes.

Interoperability

Swift language and Objective-C works perfectly with each other. Comparing Swift and Objective-C has a whole lot of advantages. There can be an interchange between them in a single project. This is specifically best for large projects that are being updated or expanded. You can add other Swift features, even while using Objective-C. This allows you to take full advantage of the original Objective-C code. That way, you wouldn't have any problems with the transfer.

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