Software App Tools

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

App Software Tools

 

Mobile Software for iOS and Android

 

 

I. Apple Computer - Xcode  (Apple OS/X - iOS Swift Language App Compiler)

 

Software compiler for the iPhone, iPad, iWatch, and Apple TV

 

Apple Computer Background

 

Apple Computer is located in Silicon Valley, CupertinoSan Francisco, California and was one of the first to build a commercially available computer, even before the IBM Personal Computer.  Apple designs, develops, and sells computer hardware and software and has online services. The most notable products include iPhone, iPad tablet, and Mac personal computer, the iPod media player, and the Apple Watch smartwatch. Apple's software includes the OS X and iOS operating systems. Software products also include the iTunes media player, the Safari web browser, iLife and iWork productivity suites. Online services include the iTunes Store, the iOS App Store and Mac App Store, and iCloud. 

 

Founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne on April 1, 1976, to develop and sell personal computers. It was incorporated as Apple Computer, Inc. on January 3, 1977, and was renamed as Apple Inc. on January 9, 2007, to reflect its shifted focus toward consumer electronics. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) joined the Dow Jones Industrial Average on March 19, 2015. Apple is the world's largest information technology company by revenue, the world's largest technology company by total assets, and the world's second-largest mobile phone manufacturer.  

 

 

Apple Software, Xcode and Simulator

 

Xcode is an integrated development environment (IDE) containing a suite of software development tools developed by Apple for developing software for OS X Macintosh computers and iOS for iPhone, iPad, iWatch, and Apple TV. First released in 2003, the latest stable release is version 7.2.1 and is available via the Mac App Store free of charge for OS X Yosemite and OS X El Capitan users. Registered developers can download preview releases and previous versions of the suite through the Apple Developer website. The latest version of Xcode is 7.2 publicly available to those with Apple Developer accounts.

 

Xcode supports C, C++, Objective-C, Objective-C++, Java, AppleScript, Python, Ruby, Rez, and Swift source code with a variety of programming models, including but not limited to Cocoa, Carbon, and Java. Third parties have added support for GNU Pascal, Free Pascal, Ada, C#, Perl, and D. Using the iOS SDK, Xcode can also be used to compile and debug applications for iOS that run on the ARM processor.  App languages most used are Objective-C and Swift version 2.0.

 

When programming iOS and using Objective-C, a programmer utilizes .xib, pronounced nib files for the to represent software object within an app. Swift is the latest method for creating apps and utilizes a StoryBoard and the InterfaceBuilder for app creation. The software emulator, the Simulator equally displays apps as if displayed on the hardware devices for both Objective-C and Swift.

 

Part of Apple design tools are the simulator. It operates to emulate the hardware, work exactly as the hardware device would since the display sizes per each Apple device is known. Xamarin Studio described below also shares this software and equally a part of iOS development by Xamarin Studio.

 

 

Apple Developer Conference WWDC

 

The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), is a conference held annually in California by Apple Inc. The conference is used by Apple to showcase its new software and technologies for software developers.​​ WWDC 2016 is June 8-12, San Francisco. Apple's renowned developer community will come together at WWDC to learn about the future of iOS and OS X. WWDC features more than 100 technical sessions, over 1,000 Apple engineers, hands-on labs, and the Apple Design Awards.

 

Source:  Apple.com website

 

 

 

II. Xamarin - Mobile App Development Software 

(Microsoft C# Cross Platform Language App Compiler)

 

Software compiler with shared codebase for iOS, Andriod, and Windows, testing included for all available devices

 

Xamarin uses Microsoft C# for all tasks and test in producing Apps for both iOS and Andriod including Windows devices. This includes all of the two thousand devices the compiler creates software for, not just one phone, tablet, watch, and TV hardware device like Apple.  This compiler provides cross platform support for all handheld devices available today !

 

 

Xamarin Background

 

Xamarin is located in Silicon Valley, San Francisco, California and exclusively, a software based company. Xamarin was created in May 2011 by the engineers that created Mono, Mono for Android and MonoTouch that are cross-platform implementations of the Common Language Infrastructure (CLI) and Common Language Specifications (often called Microsoft .NET). Just recently, on February 24, 2016, Microsoft Corporation acquired Xamarin corporation.  

 

Xamarin uses the Microsoft C#.Net language for all of its code app production. With C# the codebase is shared, developers can use Xamarin tools to write native Android, iOS, and Windows apps with native user interfaces and share code across multiple platforms. Over 1 million developers use Xamarin's products in more than 120 countries around the world as of May 2015.

 

 

Xamarin Platform

 

This consists of compilers, development and in-service lifecycle testing and the Xamarin University.

 

Xamarin Studio, Xamarin Test Cloud, Xamarin Insights, and Xamarin University

 

Xamarin Studio

 

Xamarin.iOS                     Macintosh OS/X  and Windows versions, also requires an Apple computer

Xamarin.Andriod               Macintosh OS/X  and Windows versions

 

Four separate software titles, two Apple Macintosh computers and two for Windows computers.

 

Xamarin 2.0 was released in Febuary 2013. Xamarin.Android and Xamarin.iOS that make it possible to do native Android, iOS and Windows development in C#, with either Visual Studio or Xamarin Studio. Developers re-use their existing C# code, and share significant code across device platforms. The product was used to make apps for several well-known companies including 3M, AT&T, HP, and Target. Xamarin integrates with Visual Studio, Microsoft's IDE for the .NET Framework, extending Visual Studio for Android and iOS development. Xamarin also released a component store to integrate backend systems, 3rd party liaries, cloud services and UI controls directly into mobile apps.

 

 

Xamarin Test Cloud

 

Automatically test your app on hundreds of mobile devices.  

 

Xamarin Test Cloud makes it possible to test mobile apps written in any language on real, non-jailoken devices in the cloud.  Xamarin Test Cloud makes it possible to test mobile apps written in any language on real, non-jailoken devices in the cloud.

 

Test your app on over 2,000 devices.

 

Run your app on our huge (and growing) collection of real devices from around the world. Select devices based on form factor, manufacturer, operating system, or even popularity in your target market. We’re adding over 100 devices every month, and if there’s a specific device you need, we’re taking requests.

 

 

Xamarin Insights

 

Automatically test your app on hundreds of mobile devices.

 

Real-time monitoring to improve your apps.

 

Crash reports that tell the whole story.

 

 

Awareness

 

If an app crashes in the wild and you don’t hear about it, does it get fixed? Insights automatically reports even the most catastrophic native crashes, so no error goes unnoticed.

 

Context

 

Clean stack traces, device status info, user traits, events leading up to the error, and other diagnostics tell the whole story of the crash.

 

Intelligent Grouping

 

Insights intelligently groups similar crashes across users and devices, so you can identify trends and find the root cause fast.

 

 

 

Xamarin University

 

Unlimited, live mobile app development training from mobile experts.

 

 

Live, Online Classes

 

Learn how to build iOS, Android, and Windows Mobile apps with live lab‑based classes, offered in all timezones, delivered by Xamarin experts.

 

Office Hours

 

Get questions answered fast, by Xamarin Experts in 1:1 sessions. Review Architectures, remove technical roadblocks, get mobile strategy guidance, and more.

 

Class Videos and Labs

 

Revisit class content anytime to clarify concepts and exercise practical knowledge with labs.

 

70+ Classes

 

From beginning development classes to advanced enterprise security, Xamarin University has you covered, with over 70 classes across eight different learning tracks.

 

Guest Lectures

 

Exclusive access to industry luminaries via live sessions provide valuable instruction on topics beyond the Xamarin University curriculum. Check out upcoming and past guest lectures here.

 

Affordable Tuition

 

$1,995 per developer for the first year and $1,499 for each year thereafter for live, interactive online courses, unlimited annual access, and expert advice.

 

 

Xamarin Evolve

 

Xamarin Evolve is the largest cross-platform mobile event in the world, where over 1,500 developers, industry leaders, and Xamarin experts converge to advance the state of the art, discuss mobile strategy, and define the future of apps. Hyatt Regency Orlando, Florida, April 24 – 28, 2016.

 

 

Xamarin Evolve 2016

https://evolve.xamarin.com/

 

Source:  Xamarin.com website