On June 2, Apple unveiled several new software products as its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, but one of the most surprising announcements was that the company had created a new programming language. Previously, Apple apps were predominantly programmed in Objective-C, but now the company is rolling out Swift, a new language that is supposed to be easier to use and better at detecting catastrophic errors.
It makes sense that Apple would create its own language, as it is inline with the company's tendency to have complete control over the way that its devices and software are created and used. At the same time, some are wondering if they made a mistake in creating Swift.
It's important to note that most major programming languages are developed as part of a large, open source project in collaboration with thousands of users. Languages like Python, Javascript and C# have evolved over the years based on feedback from those who use them. With Swift, Apple took an entirely different approach that may not have been in the interest of developers.
"It's impressive that they've managed to develop a full-fledged modern replacement entirely in secret -- as well as a little concerning, given how difficult it can be to evolve a language design in isolation," Landon Fuller, chief technology officer at Practical Labs, told CNet recently.
Before you go out and try to learn Swift, you may want to start out with a more fully-formed and evolved language like C#. This is because you'll find a vast wealth of resources online that will guide you through the learning progress. If you're serious about learning how to program computers, you should check out the 12-week intensive courses that we offer at The Coder Foundry, which are designed to help you find a high paying IT job in a matter of months!