Requirements for developing for 'i' devices?

DaveOwl · 18 Jun 2010 at 13:31

I've had a browse through a few forums and read up a bit on Mac's as I've always been from a Windows background but since finding out you need to use a Mac to program for the iPhone and so forth I've stepped up some interest in getting a Macbook Pro initially.

Just wanting a bit of advice for the most optimal machine to do this and anything I may need that I'm not aware of. Obviously a machine and the SDK but is there really much else?

I've programmed in C and C++ and I have used Java, PHP and most of the other web languages - is there a big difference with this 'xcode' to the rest?

Anything suggested is welcome

I suppose as cheap as possible, not really too fussed about a Mac Mini, preferably a Macbook but also tempted by the iMac range to some extent.

SeraphX · 18 Jun 2010 at 13:41

a basic mac mini would suffice, even the ancient core solo models
not sure about the differences between c++ and xcode but there is loads of documentation available online to get you started

picnic · 18 Jun 2010 at 14:00

Seraph said:
a basic mac mini would suffice, even the ancient core solo models

Be careful with ancient, current dev tools all require Intel based Macs.

SeraphX · 18 Jun 2010 at 14:36

picnic said:
Be careful with ancient, current dev tools all require Intel based Macs.

the first intel mac mini was the core solo 1.5Ghz, basically a downclocked 1.66Ghz

Space Cowboy · 18 Jun 2010 at 14:46

Any Intel Mac will suffice, but you probably want 2GB RAM+. Then you need a £59/year developer account, and the SDK from developer.apple.com.

With a C/C++ background you should be fine. Objective-C is a superset of C, and a very fine one at that. Cocoa is a fantastic API - especially when you compare it other mobile OSs.

Sareth · 18 Jun 2010 at 14:47

DaveOwl said:
I've programmed in C and C++ and I have used Java, PHP and most of the other web languages - is there a big difference with this 'xcode' to the rest?

XCode is the IDE, Objective-C is the preferred language, it's effectively C with Smalltalk-ish Object Oriented extensions. It's very elegant but can get long winded !

NickK · 18 Jun 2010 at 18:13

Fee paying iOS developer here.. so..

You will require for the current SDKs:
1x Intel Mac - I have a '07 C2D MBP with 4GB and a '10 mini C2D with 4GB. It's worth the additional memory.
1x OSX 10.6.3+
1x Xcode + iPhoneSDK

Now to test on the device, to use the app on one or more devices 'adhoc' or submitting to the app store you will require:
1x Yearly fee developer account which provides you the ability to certificate & sign your apps (iOS etc requires code signed binaries).

There's a set of books I referenced in the OSX sticky in the apple software subforum.