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Ok... Before you strangle me for making this topic, I really did search through the archives.

I want to develop iOS apps. My background is in web development, so my comfort zone is PHP, SQL, HTML/CSS, and JavaScript.

I picked up "Objective C Programming: The Big Nerd Ranch Guide" and have been plowing through it. It's a great book and I really feel like I'm starting to get a cursory understanding of Objective C.

I want to move on to a book on coding in iOS, but here's the problem... Most of what's out there right now covers older versions of Xcode. There's been some major changes and a lot of what these books mention either has been moved or doesn't exist anymore.

The BNR iOS book comes out with a new edition in April, but I don't want to wait that long. Is there anything else that's well written and up-to-date that I could look at now? (Other than Apple's documentation?)

I was thinking about Sams Teach Yourself iOS 5 Application Development in 24 Hours, 3/e, but there aren't a lot of reviews on it.

It looks like the Stanford podcasts were last updated Fall 2011 and stuff's changed since then.


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5 Answers 5

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I've always been a fan of the range of iOS books published by Apress, so I'd recommend checking out the following book if you're just getting started:

Beginning iOS 5 Development - Exploring the iOS SDK

It seems to be getting positive reviews on Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beginning-iPhone-Development-Exploring-iOS/dp/1430236051/.

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Stay away from big name publishers and "teach yourself X stuff in Y time" formats, go with known writers/speakers involved the Objective-C programming scene like Aaron Hillegass http://www.bignerdranch.com/book/ios_programming_the_big_nerd_ranch_guide_nd_edition_ , Matt Drance http://pragprog.com/book/cdirec/ios-recipes , that is where you will find the good stuff.

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A couple of books I am working through right now are:

Beginning iOS 5 Development: Exploring the iOS SDK - Apress - ISBN 9781430236054

The iOS 5 Developer's Cookbook: Core Concepts and Essential Recipes for iOS Programmers (3rd ed) - Addison Wesley - ISBN 978-0321832078

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I read the 1st edition of the BNR iOS programming book and it set me up very well. I know there is a 2nd edition which uses Xcode 4, but I don't believe it includes the addition of ARC. Do you have the 2nd edition of the book?

Buying books in iOS development is tough, most are outdated in a few months. But honestly, I don't think much has changed since the BNR 2nd edition, with the exception of ARC, which is pretty simple to pick up, and there are some good online tutorials that will get you aquatinted with it.

Another book may help you, but I think from personal experience that you should just start working on an app, and ask questions once you get to them. I started working on an app for my school, and as I went I had questions, and I found most answers on Stack or by using Google.

If you buy a new book now, you may not really learn anything new or anything you need. I would suggest just start working on stuff if you feel comfortable enough, then in April grab the new edition if needed.

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I can highly recommend iOS 5 Programming Pushing the Limits. It covers a lot of topics in much greater depth than a lot of the introductory books. This is a great second book. Read it after Beginning iOS Development mentioned above.

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