iOS Xcode vs OS X Xcode

macnerd48 wrote:

I'm a Mac newbie. I'd like to give Xcode a try. I've searched the 'net, but all that I've found is example code for iOS.

All? iOS is certainly popular but if you haven't found any OS X examples then you haven't searched very much of the net.

Is Xcode for iOS identical to Xcode for OS X?

Identical? No. There is the whole simulator thing. Interface Builder is different obviously. Xcode itself does both so it is more or less identical.

Should I search the 'net for example code for Objective-C? Is Objective-C identical to Xcode? I'd like to get some books. Should I get beginner books for Objective-C or beginner books for Xcode or does it make any difference?

It doesn't make any difference. Example code is really only useful for people who could write it themselves but find it more efficient to start with a template. If you don't know, then you need to learn first. Otherwise, when the example code fails as it does 75% of the time, you're stuck.

Even Xcode pops up a lot of iOS stuff when searching its documentation - you probably just need to refine the search terms a little. Most search engines such as Google have various options for the search, so you might want to exclude iOS (and maybe iPhone as well) from the results, since those tend to be the first few pages just due to the volume of new(er) developers. You really won't find that many "demo" applications, but another place to explore might be github.com.

The various hard copy Xcode/Cocoa books are usually out of date by the time they get published; ebooks or PDFs may be more recent. Books on C and Objective-C tend to stay relevant, since the languages themselves don't change that fast.

You might also keep an eye on various programming sites such as stackoverflow or the Apple mailing lists - the topics don't normally include anything more than code snippets, but every once in a while a link gets posted to some good stuff.

Before you spend time reviewing 3rd-party information, exhaust the extensive resources in the Mac Developer Center. Lots of information is available with at the free registration level. Start with the Getting Started link in the left navigator. When you get to the point you need to review sample code, theSample Code link shows 382 results that are all OS X.

https://developer.apple.com/library/mac

Try Start Developing Mac Apps Today

If you are brand new to Objective-C I recommend Programming in Objective-C by Stephen G. Kochan

The book begins exclusively with Objective-C and doesn;t assume any prior C knowledge. The Apple Libraries and GUI are not touched on till later in the book. This will allow you to concentrate on the language without getting caught up in the trickier bits.