Do you want to develop an iOS application? If yes, then you must know the significance of iOS application development tools. Online businesses have become a trend these days as people are preferring online shopping over physical. As most people do shopping on their mobile phones, having a mobile-friendly application has become critical for a business to move forward. Due to this, iOS app developers have got a high demand in the market. To develop an iOS application, you need certain tools. These tools help in making the application designs, functions, and features better. The best iOS application development tools are:

Programming language

To develop an iOS application, you need to choose a programming language you can code on. Basically, there are two programming languages for iOS app development. Swift and Objective C are well-known iOS application development languages. You can use any of these apps to build your iOS application. Let us give you an overview of both of these programming languages.

Objective-C

Objective-C is a programming language used for developing iOS apps. Steve Jobs approved this language when he founded NeXT PCs in the 1980s. It depends upon C language as much as C++ or C#. 

Swift

Swift is the newer version of Objective-C. It is a platform on which developers can build all-inclusive and feature-rich iOS applications. Even heavyweights such as WordPress and Firefox iOS apps.

Editors & IDE

An IDE (Integrated development environment) is software for the development of applications that merge specific developer tools into a single graphical user interface. Basically, it consists of a Source code editore, local build automation, and a debugger. Some of the best IDEs are:

Xcode

Xcode is the oldest IDE of Apple. You can create interoperable programs with iOS, macOS, iPad, watchOS, and tvOS on Xcode. When you code on Xcode, it checks for error and suggests the best fixes for it. As it has an autocomplete feature and real-time fixtures, you will have to spend less time on it. The main features of Xcode are; version editor, asset catalog, simulator included, graphical debugger, and XCTest framework.

Code Runner

Being a powerful iOS application development tool, Code Runner comes with strong compilation capabilities. Being feature-rich, it allows the developer to create an iOS app code easily. The most popular programming languages are supported by Code Runner. Some of the main features of Code Runner are Multi-language support, Advance code compilation, Built-in console, live errors, first-class text editor, customized key binding. 

UI/UX design

From all iOS application development tools, the UI/UX design and structuring is the most crucial step. A developer always wants to make his application appealing and alluring. For that reason, they require the best iPhone application development tools for UI/UX. Some of the best UI/UX design tools are:

Figma

Figma is supported by some browsers such as Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox. You have to buy its subscription or you can even try it out for free. As it is a browser-based tool, you do not have to face any issues making it compatible with your systems. The main features of Figma are prototyping, livesharee, multiplayer collaboration, and version control.

Hyperion

Hyperion is considered one of the best iPhone app development tools. It has three default modules; Moderate activity module, Measure module, and View Investigator. Its main features are view inspector, first party plugin, and slow animations. 

Libraries

The first two resources move you towards hundreds of libraries. Some of the best libraries for iPhone app development are:

SDWebimage

If you want to download obsolete pictures, then use the SDWebimage library. It holds the store support. JPEG, GIFs, PNG, it supports them all. Other picture positions such as SVG, BGP, HFIF, and ANPG use this library. The main features of this tool are customizable and multiple cache and loader systems, extendable image coder, thumbnail image decoding, and image loading indicators.

Cocoapods

You can install Cocoapds via RubyGem. Being one of the most all-inclusive Objective-C and Swift Cocoa-dependent resources, Cocoapods lets you choose from 59000 libraries. You can find even more iOS programming stuff if you use them. The main Cocoapods features are dynamic screen launch arguments, multiple Swift and Pod projects, and incremental installation.  

Plugins

You can choose from over a hundred free and paid plugins in the iPhone dev kit. The best plugins are:

Injection

Being the best plugin for Xcode, Injection lets developers to change the execution of Objective-C classes. You do not have to restart for the implementation of this module with the application. It means that whatever it performs, it does not affect the project at all. 

GitDiff

GitDiff lets you add visual data to make the code alter in Xcode smooth. Whenever you make a change in your git repository, it tracks all the necessary changes. If you want to identify and modify code lines, then GitDiff is a great option. IT has a menubar app with various color preferences. 

Debugging

Debugging your iOS application is crucial for its good functionality. Finding bugs can be a hefty task but you should detect all bugs as quickly as possible to a responsive application. In addition to iPad app development tools, debugging is a crucial process for the development of error-free and functional code. Some of the best debugging iPad app development tools are:

Parse

Parse is an open-source iOS application development and analysis tool. It has a great inquiry streamlining agent, auto-scaling, and automated reinforcements.  

Raygun

Raygun is a premium iOS application development tool for debugging errors, crashes, and execution.

Backend services

To make your application unique and elegant, you need to add new features to your iOS application. Good backend services mean a fine-working iOS application. Some of the best backend tools are:

Firebase

You can use the Firebase tool for data storing and API. You do not need any backend code with Firebase. Instead, you will be able to store and sync information completely on the progress of the client.

Helios

Helios is an open-source framework for iOS mobile app development. It provides a collection of critical back-end services and helps you in the implementation of advanced features like data syncing, in-app purchases, and analytics in your iOS application. 

Testing

iOS applications offer amazing performance. But to get to that point, a developer needs to test his application with the necessary tools to ensure it’s properly working. Some of the best iOS application development tools for testing are:

XCTest and XCUITest

XCTest and XCUI test are integral automation frameworks that are shipped with XCode to test iOS applications. The XCUITest tool can also create a test case in Swift and Objective-C. Some of the best features of these tools are that they have amazing reliability, can operate directly on the Object level, have a better framework architecture and quicker execution, and are suitable for developers. 

EarlGrey

Being an open-source native test framework, EarlGrey automates user interface testing. Google created these tools for the testing of native apps like Google Translate, YouTube, and others. You can enable QA access for reliable UI testing’s increased synchronization abilities. Some of the best features of this tool are that it is an open-source framework, has an in-built synchronization, and can perform test action only on UI elements.

Analytics 

When you develop an iOS application, the next and most crucial step is its optimization. Analytics tools are used to measure, collect, and examine many data points. The basic purpose of these tools is to make the performance through data insights better. Some of the best analytics tools that can help you achieve your potential goals are:

Apple App Analytics

If you want to analyze your iOS application, then there is no better option than Apple App Analytics. You might find it in Apple Store Connect. You do not need a technical setup for this as it comes as a part of Apple’s developer program. It can be used for determining payment reports, usage analytics, app store data, and sales. 

Flurry

The first iOS and Android development tool was launched by Yahoo in 2008 and it was named Flurry. With Flurry, you can track installs, sessions, and run an on-demand analysis for funnels. It has a free trial and you can run it on both Android and iOS platforms. The best features of this tool are cohorts, funnels, segments, free app analytics, and events.  

Payment gateway

A good business always makes sure to look for the easiest and efficient ways of sending and receiving money. Payment with mobile phones has not been a very good experience for many. You need a convenient payment method. Some of the best payment methods are:

Venmo

Venmo is a payment app that allows you to make purchases on both Android and iOS phones. It is a very reliable and convenient way of sending and receiving money. Its best features are that its fund transfer speed is spectacular (1 to 3 working days), supports Android and iOS devices, and is compatible with American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa. 

Paypal

Paypal is a popular tool used for money transfers. It has strong security measures. Its best features are that it is compatible with American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa, has an amazing 30-minute fund transfer speed, and supports, Android, iPhone, and iPad devices.

Documentation

Documentation plays a significant role in the iOS app development process. It requires strong and well-featured software. 

Dash

Dash is a popular OS X documentation viewer. With Dash documentation viewer, you can import documents that are created with iTunes. 

Revision control

When you develop an iOS application, you must work on revision control. 

Source

The source is a code editor that is used for iOS devices. You can perform syntax highlighting with Source for more than a hundred languages. The best feature of this tool is that it offers an integrated coding keyboard with programming characters that are familiar and can be used instead of third-party tools in iOS.

Conclusion

iOS app development is not a process you can compromise on. If you want the best iOS app for your business, then you must have the best iOS app development tools for it. We have listed the most important iOS application development tools in this blog post. One can easily find the best tools using it. But it is a time and effort-taking process, so we recommend you to use the help of an iOS app development company. Number9 is a top-notch iOS application development company that has earned its name by giving the best services to its customers. If you want enterprise-level iOS development, then you can count on us.