Best 6 Languages for iOS App Development in 2023

This article will help you get to grips with the basic building blocks of iOS App Development!

As you analyze and research about top programming languages for iOS development, you should consider what you wish to achieve – a better return on investment, an application with comprehensive features and high performance, or a combination of all these. Pick one of these options – Building separate native apps for each platform – that allows using features of the platform to the fullest (expensive), or use a single code base and a cross platform integrated development environment that allows building an app with frameworks like React Native, .Net MAUI and can be deployed to multiple platforms (cost-effective). Both approaches are viable and the right choice depends on your priorities. Let's now take a look at the top iOS programming languages and frameworks for each strategy.

While building an iOS app it is recommended to use an IDE and follow the development process:

1. Writing the code

2. Creating an app infrastructure

3. Design a user interface

4. Test and debug the app

5. Optimize app performance

6. Select a business model.

While using Xcode, the main languages to consider are Swift and Objective C. But it is also possible to develop an ios app with JavaScript, Dart, React Native, Flutter, C# with MAUI. Besides Xcode, iPhone developers can also use MacStadium cloud service. iOS offers easy-to-use tools that are responsible for offering high security and performance to iOS applications. Here is a quick introduction to the best languages for iOS app development:

Swift

iOS developers need to learn the basics of Swift, MapKit, Xcode, and Core ML to create strong, marketable iOS applications. They should be able to create user interfaces for iOS applications using SwiftUI and Interface Builder. Besides, the best iOS App Developers must stand by the test of time and showcase their core competencies in object-oriented programming. They must know how to use Swift classes, functions, modules, properties, features, and variables if they are using Swift. They should be able to examine proper user interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) design.

Swift is copiously abundant with Data types, data collections, Boolean logic, comparing data, flow control, and Xcode debugger and can be implemented to develop Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch apps. So if you know Object-oriented Programming (OOP) and Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines (HIG) using storyboards and the Model View Controller (MVC) pattern, you’re all set to create your own iPhone and Apple Watch apps.

Core Data and SQLite to store databases, working with Apple technologies and frameworks, Core Location and MapKit for GPS tracking, Camera and Photo Library for image storage, Core ML for machine learning, and implementing artificial intelligence solutions.

Flutter

Flutter’s ability to create natively compiled apps for multiple platforms from a single codebase makes it relevant and desirable. Its rapid development and appealing UI capabilities position it well in current times. Flutter developers must know how to design and build user interfaces with Flutter. They must be able to discover techniques for managing app state and handling data in Flutter. Flutter App Development Companies hire experts who know the basics of DART and understand native SDK and third-party libraries for building Android and iOS applications using Flutter. They should know how to use packages and deploy your Flutter apps to achieve native-like performance. Flutter provides better ways to develop Software Development Kits (SDKs). It features drag-and-drop elements onto an interface canvas and then uses an animation tool called "Flux" to animate them. With all this and more, Flutter offers a fluid user experience where the app feels like it is running on actual hardware instead of being built as an abstraction layer over and above existing software.

React Native

React Native’s JavaScript-based approach remains relevant due to its cross-platform compatibility and large developer community. Its agility in building mobile apps and the likelihood of continued community support ensure its potential growth ahead. The biggest reason why you should learn React Native in 2023 is because it is platform-independent. It is being used by Java developers for building Android applications and by Swift developers to build iOS applications. Many React Native UI component libraries are being used in RN App development. Such libraries include React Native Paper, React Native Elements, and Native Base providing a vast collection of pre-designed, customizable user interface elements. React Native 0.70 (Hermes) also features Expo (a powerful development toolchain) that helps streamline the development process. React Native continues to shine in the mobile app development space, and in 2023, it is undergoing exciting advancements that empower developers, to build high-quality, performant applications.

HTML

HTML5’s compatibility with modern browsers and rich multimedia support makes it suitable for web-based application development. Its relevance in 2023 lies in its role as a foundation for responsive and engaging web apps. HTML and CSS are the de-facto frontend programming languages for creating websites, mobile apps, web apps, connected appliances, IoT enabled devices. Elaborate documentation is available, and with a little practice and anyone can learn and implement it with proper use of syntax. It is a standard language for building web pages and organizing the content.

Java

Java’s cross-platform nature and wide adoption continue to make it relevant for Android App Development. While Kotlin has gained traction, Java’s established ecosystem ensures its ongoing importance, particularly for maintaining existing apps. Java is a general-purpose programming language that can be used for building both iPhone app development companies and Android applications. Java code does not require any recompilation to run on any operating system, which makes it an extremely incredible, fast, and reliable cross-platform programming language.

Python

Although Swift is 8.4 times faster than Python, these two languages are often a choice for developing iPhone apps. Python is easy to use and is the main fuel behind data science and machine learning applications. Python is primarily used for backend development. Besides empowering machine learning and Core AI based applications, it is also being used to create video games.

It features a high processing time in comparison to Swift, Java, and C++. Python can be used with frontend and backend programming languages, serving as a significant server side scripting language for back end development. It aids in URL routing, HTTP request and response, web security and database access.

Python is a general purpose and object oriented programming language that makes use of tools like Pycharm, Sentry, Django, Flask, CircleCL, and Datadog. It supports programming languages like Java Javascript, PHP, Anaconda, R, Scala, Ruby, and Perl. It features many libraries like TensorFlow, NumPy, SciPy, PyTorch, and Panda for data analytics and visualization. It has empowered major companies like DropBox, Google, Netflix, Facebook etc.

Also, it has an enormous library ecosystem, good visualization and an active community. It works well with GUI frameworks like Tkinter and promotes many cross-platform solutions like PyQT, wxPython that can be used for downloading third-party applications to make GUI more user friendly and responsive.

Conclusive

The relevance and scope of these languages can change based on industry trends and technological advancements. This article was a precise introduction to the various programming languages that are required in iOS app development, but will also acquaint you with some trending insights. More than 1 billion users make use of iPhones, which is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. Alsol, there will be a surge in AI-based applications for the enterprise market. Core ML, Edge computing, deep learning, and generative adversarial networks (GAN) frameworks by Apple will play a crucial role in this industry. Due to the presence of SDKs, it is now easy to build and implement the functionality without writing it from scratch. This saves time, offers high performance, and is very secure.