Top 7 iOS App Development Programming Languages

Mobile users spend more than 88% of their time on mobile apps. Almost every other enterprise and business organization has its dedicated applications. With such a massive user base for smartphone apps, it is a great idea to learn how to create one!

As per Exploding Topics, the iPhone has a relatively higher market share of 57.93% than Android, which has a 41.64% market share. In fact, the total app revenue reached a whopping $201 billion in 2023. Because of the increased popularity, many individuals are compelled to iOS app development. If you’re one of them, this guide is for you.

We have discussed top-notch iOS app development programming languages that you can use to create an iOS app by yourself.

What Is iOS App Development?

When developers create apps for any device of the Apple ecosystem such as iPhone, iMac, iPad, MacBook, or Apple Watch, such an app is dedicated to the iOS operating system, Apple’s propriety OS. iOS app development refers to coding, designing, testing, and launching an app for iOS devices.

If you’re a beginner in iOS app development, you must be aware of the most used programming languages to get started. 

Best Programming Languages for iOS App Development

Check out the list of the best programming languages for iOS app development. The following languages are beginner-friendly and easy to use.

Swift

Whenever someone talks about iOS app development, Swift is one of the most used programming languages. In fact, it is acknowledged globally as the best programming language as it is used by giant tech companies such as Hubspot, Lyft, LinkedIn, and many more. The language’s modern approach, easy-to-understand nature, and concise nature contribute to its highlighted reputation.

Swift is a general-purpose language that was introduced in 2014 and is officially used for creating apps for Apple devices such as iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, etc. 

Why Should You Choose Swift?

• The code in Swift is quite robust, efficient, and easy to use and read.
• The learning curve of Swift is simple as compared to other programming languages.
• It automatically deletes redundant programming instances by using Automatic Reference Counting (ARC).
• It can be used on the server as well. 
• Swift is one of the most secure programming languages.

Disadvantages

•  The language is limited to the Apple ecosystem.
• It is not suitable for cross-platform app development.
• Developers can’t commit to long-term projects since the language version keeps on getting updated.

Flutter

Flutter is an open-source, cross-platform app development programming language created by Google in 2015 that has transcended the barriers of native app development. It is based on the language Dart and helps developers create integrated apps for Windows, iOS, MacOS, Android, Linux, and Google Fuchsia.

However, the programming language was released in 2017 for public use. The language also offers complete customization capabilities to build advanced cross-platform app solutions.

Why Should You Choose Flutter?

• Flutter is great for creating both iOS and Android apps by using a single codebase.
• Takes no time in code compilation.
• It manages low-level memory.
• It is time and cost-effective.
• It has a strong community of developers.

Disadvantages

• The apps developed in Flutter have a large file size.
• It does not provide third-party libraries.
• Since Flutter was created by Google, it has some shortcomings when developing an iOS app.

Objective-C

Objective-C is one of the oldest programming languages used for building iOS and MacOS apps. It is a general-purpose and object-oriented programming language developed in the 1980s. It was one of the most preferred languages for iOS app development when Swift was not discovered. It is a dynamically typed, stable, and mature programming language.

Why Should You Choose Objective-C?

•  It has a massive and active developer community.
• It has a powerful runtime system.
• It has a faster compilation time than Swift.
• It is a stable and reliable programming language with less volatile updates.
• You can use the C frameworks and libraries.

Disadvantages

• It is not suitable for cross-platform app development.
• It lacks modern features and has a complex syntax.
• The learning curve is difficult.
• It counts for memory management, which is less efficient.

React Native

React Native is an open-source programming language created by Meta Platforms, Inc. It is used to create iOS applications as well as apps for Android platforms. React Native is also used by numerous app developers across the globe because of its simplicity and easy-to-use nature.

Why Should You Choose React Native?

• You can reuse the same codebase for iOS and Android applications.
• It provides many third-party plugins, including native modules and JavaScript modules.
• React Native has a large community support of 50,000 active contributors.
• Since it is a UI-intensive framework, you can create fast and responsive app interfaces.

Disadvantages

• It does not have a great memory management.
• It is quite difficult to upgrade to the latest version of the programming language.
• Debugging the code is comparatively difficult.
• If you’re new to development, React Native is difficult to learn.

C++

C++ is one of the most popular open-source programming languages with vast applications across various industries. Created in the year 2000 by Microsoft, C++ is the most adaptable programming language that can be used for creating apps for iOS, Windows, Android, and Web APIs. Therefore, it enables cross-platform app development.

 Why Should You Choose C++?

• It offers massive support for app development to developers through its large pool of libraries.
• It is able to manage low-level memory.
• It performs automatic garbage collection.
• It is scalable in nature.
• If you want to build an advanced iOS app, C++ is one of the best choice of programming languages.

Disadvantages

• If you’re a beginner in object-oriented programming, C++ is a difficult language to learn.
• It is an inefficient language for program prototyping.
• It has a very strict index. A little error can ruin the complete code execution.

HTML5

HTML5 is an underrated programming language for building iOS applications. Expanded as Hyper-Text and Markup Language, HTML5 is used by 85.5% of websites, according to Web Technology Surveys. It is mainly used for designing web pages by leveraging markup languages, and thus, this programming language is also heavily used for designing social apps. 

This programming language is mostly used for creating apps that can be accessed offline as well.  A pro tip is to use HTML5 along with CSS and JavaScript for creating apps.

 Why Should You Choose HTML5?

• You can create offline iOS apps by using HTML5.
• If you’re looking for a cost-effective solution for building an iOS app, HTML5 is a great option.
• It is also a wonderful programming language for creating websites and web app solutions.
• It uses JavaScript as an interpreter.

Disadvantages

• It oftentimes incurs compatibility issues with many browsers.
• HTML5 causes performance issues.
• It needs to be used with other programming languages for creating apps.

Conclusion

iOS app development is a lucrative field for budding developers, considering the humongous user base. If you’re a newbie, you must build a strong foundation of the basic concepts before plunging into the deeper concepts of programming languages. We suggest you pick a language and start working on it!