How to Develop Apps for Apple Platforms with Xcode on Mac High Sierra
Download Xcode for Mac High Sierra
If you are a developer who wants to create apps for Apple platforms, such as iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, you will need a powerful tool to help you with that. One of the most popular and widely used tools is Xcode, an integrated development environment (IDE) created by Apple. In this article, we will explain what Xcode is, why you need it, how to download and install it on your Mac running High Sierra, how to use it for app development, and what are some of the best alternatives to Xcode.
Download Xcode For Mac High Sierra
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What is Xcode and why do you need it?
Xcode is a complete developer toolset that provides you with everything you need to design, code, test, debug, and submit your apps to the App Store. It supports a wide range of programming languages, such as Swift, Objective-C, C, C++, Java, Python, Ruby, and more. It also supports various programming models, such as Cocoa, Cocoa Touch, SwiftUI, UIKit, and more.
Xcode features and benefits
Some of the key features and benefits of using Xcode are:
Integrated Development Environment (IDE): Xcode provides you with a unified workflow that integrates user interface design, coding, testing, debugging, and submitting to the App Store. You can use the Assistant Editor to view related files side by side, the Version Editor to compare different versions of your code or track changes from other developers, the Interface Builder to create beautiful and dynamic user interfaces with drag-and-drop elements or SwiftUI code, the Simulator to run and test your app on various devices and configurations without leaving your Mac, the Debugger to find and fix errors in your code with breakpoints, watchpoints, expressions, variables, console output, and more.
Powerful Code Editor: Xcode's Source Editor lets you write code using a professional editor with advanced features such as syntax highlighting, code completion, code folding, refactoring, live issues, quick fixes, snippets, documentation comments, and more. You can also use the Live Preview feature to see how your SwiftUI code affects your user interface in real time.
Continuous Integration: Xcode Cloud is a new service that automates the integration process by building every committed code change and notifying your team if any issues arise. It also runs tests on multiple devices in parallel to ensure compatibility and quality. You can also distribute beta versions of your app to testers or customers using TestFlight.
Documentation and Resources: Xcode provides you with access to comprehensive documentation and resources that help you learn about the latest features and capabilities of Xcode and Apple platforms. You can browse the API reference, sample code, articles, videos, forums, support pages, tutorials, and more.
Xcode requirements and supported SDKs
To use Xcode on your Mac running High Sierra (10.13), you will need at least 7 GB of free disk space and an Apple ID. The latest version of Xcode that supports High Sierra is Xcode 10.1, which includes Swift 4.2.1 and SDKs for iOS 12.1, macOS Mojave 10.14.1[^4^ ], watchOS 5.1, and tvOS 12.1. If you want to use the latest version of Xcode (13.2.1), you will need to upgrade your Mac to macOS Monterey (12.0) or later.
How to download and install Xcode for Mac High Sierra
There are two ways to download Xcode for Mac High Sierra: from the Mac App Store or from the Apple Developer website. Both methods are free and easy to follow.
Download Xcode from the Mac App Store
The simplest way to download Xcode is from the Mac App Store. Here are the steps to do so:
Open the Mac App Store on your Mac and sign in with your Apple ID.
Search for "Xcode" in the search bar and click on the Xcode icon that appears in the results.
Click on the "Get" button and then on the "Install" button to start downloading Xcode.
Wait for the download to finish and then click on the "Open" button to launch Xcode.
Download Xcode from the Apple Developer website
If you prefer to download Xcode from the Apple Developer website, you will need to have a free or paid developer account. Here are the steps to do so:
Go to the Apple Developer website and sign in with your developer account.
Click on the "Downloads" tab and scroll down to find the version of Xcode that you want to download. For High Sierra, you will need Xcode 10.1 or earlier.
Click on the "Download" button next to the Xcode version that you want and save the file to your Mac.
Double-click on the downloaded file (Xcode_10.1.xip) and wait for it to extract.
Drag and drop the extracted Xcode.app file to your Applications folder.
Double-click on the Xcode.app file to launch Xcode.
Install Xcode on your Mac
After you download Xcode, you will need to install some additional components before you can use it for app development. Here are the steps to do so:
Launch Xcode and agree to the license agreement.
Xcode will prompt you to install additional required components, such as command line tools, simulators, documentation, etc. Click on the "Install" button and enter your administrator password if asked.
Wait for the installation to complete and then click on the "Done" button.
Xcode is now ready for use.
How to use Xcode for app development
Xcode is a powerful and versatile tool that can help you create amazing apps for Apple platforms. In this section, we will give you a brief overview of how to use Xcode for app development. We will cover how to create a new project, design your user interface, write your code, test and debug your app, and more.
Create a new project in Xcode
To start a new app project in Xcode, follow these steps:
Launch Xcode and click on the "Create a new Xcode project" option on the welcome screen. Alternatively, you can go to File > New > Project from the menu bar.
Select a template for your app based on the platform and type of app that you want to create. For example, if you want to create an iOS app using SwiftUI, select iOS > App and check the "Use SwiftUI" option.
Click on the "Next" button and enter some basic information about your app, such as product name, organization name, organization identifier, bundle identifier, language, user interface, etc.
Click on the "Next" button again and choose a location for your project folder. You can also check the "Create Git repository" option if you want to use version control for your project.
Click on the "Create" button and Xcode will create your project and open it in the main window.
Design your user interface with Interface Builder
Xcode provides you with two ways to design your user interface: using Interface Builder or using SwiftUI code. Interface Builder is a graphical tool that lets you drag and drop elements onto a canvas and configure their properties and constraints. SwiftUI is a declarative framework that lets you write code that describes your user interface and behavior. You can choose either method or combine them according to your preference and needs.
To use Interface Builder, follow these steps:
In the project navigator, select the file that contains your user interface. For example, if you are using the App template, select ContentView.swift.
In the editor area, click on the "Show the canvas" button to display the canvas where you can see a preview of your user interface.
In the library pane, click on the "Show the library" button to display the library where you can find various elements that you can use in your user interface, such as buttons, labels, text fields, images, etc.
Drag and drop the elements that you want from the library to the canvas and arrange them as you like. You can also resize, rotate, align, and distribute them using the handles and guides.
To configure the properties and constraints of each element, select it and use the inspector pane. You can change its appearance, behavior, layout, accessibility, and more.
To connect your user interface elements to your code, use the connections inspector. You can create outlets to reference your elements in your code, actions to handle user interactions with your elements, and bindings to link your elements to your data model.
Write your code with the Source Editor
To use SwiftUI code, follow these steps:
In the project navigator, select the file that contains your user interface. For example, if you are using the App template, select ContentView.swift.
In the editor area, click on the "Show the editor" button to display the source editor where you can write your code.
In the source editor, write SwiftUI code that describes your user interface and behavior. You can use various components, such as views, modifiers, state variables, bindings, animations, transitions, etc. For example, to create a button with a text label and an action that prints a message to the console, you can write:
Button("Tap me") print("Hello world!")
To see how your SwiftUI code affects your user interface in real time, use the Live Preview feature. In the canvas area, click on the "Resume" button to display a live preview of your user interface. You can also interact with it and see how it responds to your inputs.
To connect your SwiftUI code to your data model, use the data flow features of SwiftUI. You can use various types of data sources, such as constants, variables, properties, environment objects, observed objects, etc. You can also use various types of data updates, such as state changes, bindings, publishers, etc. For example, to create a text view that displays a counter value that increases every time you tap a button, you can write:
struct ContentView: View @State var counter = 0 var body: some View VStack Text("Counter: \(counter)") Button("Increase") counter += 1
Test and debug your app with the Simulator and the Debugger
To test and debug your app with Xcode, follow these steps:
In the toolbar area, select a scheme and a destination for your app. A scheme defines how to build and run your app. A destination defines where to run your app. For example, you can choose iPhone 13 Pro Max as your destination to run your app on a simulated iPhone device.
Click on the "Run" button to build and run your app on the selected destination. Xcode will launch the Simulator app and run your app on it. You can interact with your app as if it were running on a real device.
To stop running your app, click on the "Stop" button.
To debug your app while running it on the Simulator or a real device connected to your Mac via USB or Wi-Fi, click on the "Debug" button instead of the "Run" button. Xcode will launch the Debugger pane where you can see various information about your app's state and performance.
To find and fix errors in your code using the Debugger pane , follow these steps:
To set a breakpoint in your code, click on the gutter next to the line of code where you want to pause the execution of your app. A blue marker will appear to indicate the breakpoint. You can also right-click on the gutter and choose "Add Breakpoint" from the menu.
To run your app with breakpoints enabled, click on the "Debug" button. Xcode will launch the Simulator app and run your app on it. When your app reaches a breakpoint, it will pause and show you the current state of your app in the Debugger pane.
To inspect the values of variables, expressions, and registers in your app, use the variables view and the console view in the Debugger pane. You can also hover over a variable or expression in your code to see its value in a popover.
To modify the values of variables or expressions in your app, double-click on them in the variables view or the console view and enter a new value. You can also use the "po" command in the console view to print out the value of an expression.
To resume, step over, step into, step out, or continue the execution of your app, use the debug controls in the toolbar area or the keyboard shortcuts.
To remove a breakpoint, click on the blue marker in the gutter and drag it out of the editor area. You can also right-click on the breakpoint and choose "Delete Breakpoint" from the menu.
Xcode alternatives for Mac High Sierra
Xcode is not the only option for app development on Mac High Sierra. There are some other tools that you can use as alternatives to Xcode. Here are some of them:
Visual Studio
Visual Studio is a cross-platform IDE developed by Microsoft that supports various languages and platforms, such as C#, VB.NET, F#, C++, Python, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML, CSS, ASP.NET, Xamarin, Unity, .NET Core, .NET Framework, Azure, and more. It has many features and benefits, such as:
Code Editor: Visual Studio has a powerful code editor with features such as IntelliSense, code completion, refactoring, debugging, testing, version control, live share, etc.
Visual Designer: Visual Studio has a visual designer that lets you create user interfaces for various platforms and frameworks, such as Windows Forms, WPF, UWP, Xamarin.Forms, ASP.NET Core MVC, etc.
Extensions: Visual Studio has a rich ecosystem of extensions that add functionality and features to the IDE. You can find and install extensions from the Visual Studio Marketplace.
Community: Visual Studio has a large and active community of developers who use and support the IDE. You can find help and resources from various channels, such as documentation, forums, blogs, videos, podcasts, etc.
To use Visual Studio on Mac High Sierra , you will need to download and install Visual Studio for Mac, which is a different product from Visual Studio for Windows. The latest version of Visual Studio for Mac that supports High Sierra is Visual Studio 2019 for Mac version 8.10. You can also use Visual Studio Code, which is a lightweight and open-source code editor that runs on any platform and supports many languages and extensions.
AppCode
AppCode is a cross-platform IDE developed by JetBrains that supports Swift, Objective-C, C, C++, and other languages. It is designed for app development for iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS. It has many features and benefits, such as:
Code Editor: AppCode has a smart code editor with features such as code completion, code generation, refactoring, navigation, analysis, inspections, quick fixes, etc.
Visual Designer: AppCode has a visual designer that lets you create user interfaces using Interface Builder or SwiftUI. You can also preview your user interface on various devices and orientations.
Testing and Debugging: AppCode has a powerful testing and debugging tool that lets you run and test your app on the Simulator or a real device, set breakpoints, watch variables, evaluate expressions, etc.
Integration: AppCode integrates with various tools and services that enhance your app development workflow, such as Xcode, CocoaPods, Carthage, Git, GitHub, Bitbucket, Firebase, etc.
To use AppCode on Mac High Sierra , you will need to download and install AppCode from the JetBrains website. The latest version of AppCode that supports High Sierra is AppCode 2021.1. You can also use CLion, which is another IDE from JetBrains that supports C and C++ development.
Sublime Text
Sublime Text is a cross-platform text editor that supports many languages and features. It is popular among developers who prefer a minimalist and customizable editor. It has many features and benefits, such as:
Code Editor: Sublime Text has a fast and smooth code editor with features such as syntax highlighting, multiple selections, auto-completion, code folding, snippets, macros, etc.
Package Control: Sublime Text has a package manager that lets you install and manage various plugins that add functionality and features to the editor. You can find and install plugins from the Package Control website.
Themes and Customization: Sublime Text has a variety of themes and color schemes that you can choose from or create your own. You can also customize the editor's appearance and behavior using settings files.
Command Palette: Sublime Text has a command palette that lets you access various commands and features of the editor using keyboard shortcuts. You can also create your own commands using Python scripts.
To use Sublime Text on Mac High Sierra, you will need to download and install Sublime Text from the Sublime Text website. The latest version of Sublime Text that supports High Sierra is Sublime Text 4. You can also use Atom, which is another cross-platform text editor that supports many languages and features.
Conclusion
In this article, we have explained what Xcode is, why you need it, how to download and install it on your Mac running High Sierra, how to use it for app development, and what are some of the best alternatives to Xcode. We hope that this article has helped you learn more about Xcode and app development for Apple platforms. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
FAQs
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about Xcode and app development for Mac High Sierra:
Q: How do I update Xcode on Mac High Sierra?
A: To update Xcode on Mac High Sierra, you can either use the Mac App Store or the Apple Developer website. If you downloaded Xcode from the Mac App Store, you can check for updates in the Updates tab of the Mac App Store. If you downloaded Xcode from the Apple Developer website, you can check for updates in the Downloads tab of the Apple Developer website.
Q: How do I uninstall Xcode on Mac High Sierra?
A: To uninstall Xcode on Mac High Sierra, you can either use the Finder or the Terminal. If you want to use the Finder, you can simply drag and drop the Xcode.app file from your Applications folder to the Trash. If you want to use the Terminal, you can run the following command:
sudo /Developer/Library/uninstall-devtools --mode=all
This command will remove all the components of Xcode from your Mac.
Q: How do I submit my app to the App Store using Xcode?
A: To submit your app to the App Store using Xcode, follow these steps:
Create an app record in App Store Connect using your developer account.
In Xcode, select your project in the project navigator and go to the Signing & Capabilities tab. Make sure that your app has a valid bundle identifier, team, signing certificate, provisioning profile, etc.
In Xcode, go to Product > Archive from the menu bar to create an archive of your app.
In Xcode, go to Window > Organizer from the menu bar to open the Organizer window. Select your app archive and click on the "Distribute App" button.
Select "App Store Connect" as your distribution method and follow the instructions to upload your app archi