Search icon CANCEL
Subscription
0
Cart icon
Your Cart (0 item)
Close icon
You have no products in your basket yet
Save more on your purchases! discount-offer-chevron-icon
Savings automatically calculated. No voucher code required.
Arrow left icon
Explore Products
Best Sellers
New Releases
Books
Videos
Audiobooks
Learning Hub
Newsletter Hub
Free Learning
Arrow right icon
timer SALE ENDS IN
0 Days
:
00 Hours
:
00 Minutes
:
00 Seconds
iOS 26 Programming for Beginners
iOS 26 Programming for Beginners

iOS 26 Programming for Beginners: A hands-on guide to kickstarting your iOS app development journey with Swift 6, UIKit, and Xcode 26 , Tenth Edition

Arrow left icon
Profile Icon Ahmad Sahar
Arrow right icon
€33.99
Paperback Nov 2025 634 pages 10th Edition
eBook
€24.29 €26.99
Paperback
€33.99
Subscription
Free Trial
Renews at $19.99p/m
Arrow left icon
Profile Icon Ahmad Sahar
Arrow right icon
€33.99
Paperback Nov 2025 634 pages 10th Edition
eBook
€24.29 €26.99
Paperback
€33.99
Subscription
Free Trial
Renews at $19.99p/m
eBook
€24.29 €26.99
Paperback
€33.99
Subscription
Free Trial
Renews at $19.99p/m

What do you get with Print?

Product feature icon Instant access to your digital copy whilst your Print order is Shipped
Product feature icon Paperback book shipped to your preferred address
Product feature icon Redeem a companion digital copy on all Print orders
Product feature icon Access this title in our online reader with advanced features
Product feature icon DRM FREE - Read whenever, wherever and however you want
OR
Modal Close icon
Payment Processing...
tick Completed

Shipping Address

Billing Address

Shipping Methods
Table of content icon View table of contents Preview book icon Preview Book

iOS 26 Programming for Beginners

Hello, Xcode

Welcome to iOS 26 Programming for Beginners. I hope this book serves as a useful introduction to creating and publishing iOS 26 apps on the App Store.

In this chapter, you’ll download and install Xcode on your Mac. Then, you’ll explore the Xcode user interface. After that, you’ll create your first iOS app and run it in Simulator. Finally, you’ll run your app on an iOS device.

By the end of this chapter, you will know how to create an iOS app, how to run it in Simulator, and how to run it on an iOS device.

The following topics will be covered in this chapter:

  • Downloading and installing Xcode from the App Store
  • Exploring the Xcode user interface
  • Running your app in Simulator
  • Running your app on an iOS device

Join our Community on Discord!

A qr code with a orange square AI-generated content may be incorrect.

https://packt.link/LdIDT/

Welcome to iOS 26 Programming for Beginners. I hope this book serves as a useful introduction to creating and publishing iOS 26 apps on the App Store.In this chapter, you’ll download and install Xcode on your Mac. Then, you’ll explore the Xcode user interface. After that, you’ll create your first iOS app and run it in Simulator. Finally, you’ll run your app on an iOS device.By the end of this chapter, you will know how to create an iOS app, how to run it in Simulator, and how to run it on an iOS device.The following topics will be covered in this chapter:

  • Downloading and installing Xcode from the App Store
  • Exploring the Xcode user interface
  • Running your app in Simulator
  • Running your app on an iOS device

Technical requirements

To do the exercises for this chapter, you will need the following:

  • An Apple Mac computer running macOS 15 Sequoia or macOS Tahoe 26
  • An Apple account (if you don’t have one, you will create one in this chapter)
  • Optionally, an iOS device running iOS 26

The Xcode project for this chapter is in the Chapter01 folder of the code bundle for this book, which can be downloaded here:https://github.com/PacktPublishing/-iOS-26-Programming-for-Beginners-10EYou’ll start by downloading Xcode, Apple’s integrated development environment (IDE) for developing iOS apps from the App Store, in the next section.

The total size of the download is very large (13 GB at the time of writing), so it may take a while to download. Ensure that you have enough disk space prior to downloading.

Downloading and installing Xcode from the App Store

Xcode is Apple’s IDE for developing macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS apps. You’ll need to download and install Xcode on your Mac prior to writing your first app. Follow these steps:

  1. On your Mac, choose App Store from the Apple menu.
  2. In the search field in the top-right corner, type xcode and press the Return key.
  3. You’ll see Xcode in the search results. Click Get and then click Install.
  4. If you have an Apple account, type it in the text field and enter your password when prompted. If you don’t have one, click Create Apple Account and follow the step-by-step instructions to create one:

    Figure 1.1: Apple account creation dialog box

    You can see more information on how to create an Apple account using this link: https://support.apple.com/en-us/108647#appstore.

  5. Once Xcode has been installed, launch it. You’ll see a license agreement screen. Click Agree:

    Figure 1.2: License agreement screen

Exploring the Xcode user interface

You’ve just created your first Xcode project! As you can see, the Xcode user interface is divided into several distinct parts, as shown here:

Figure 1.11: Xcode user interface

Let’s look at each part in more detail. The following descriptions correspond to the numbers shown in the preceding screenshot:

  • Toolbar (1): Used to build and run your apps and view the progress of running tasks.
  • Navigator area (2): Provides quick access to the various parts of your project. The Project navigator is displayed by default.
  • Editor area (3): Allows you to edit source code, user interfaces, and other resources.
  • Inspector area (4): Allows you to view and edit information about items selected in the Navigator or Editor areas.
  • Debug area (5): Contains the debug bar, the variables view, and the console. The Debug area is toggled by pressing Shift + Command + Y.

Next, let’s examine the toolbar more closely. The left side of the toolbar is shown here...

Running your app in Simulator

Simulator is downloaded and installed after you install Xcode. It provides a simulated iOS device so that you can see what your app looks like and how it behaves, without needing a physical iOS device. It can model all screen sizes and resolutions for both iPad and iPhone, so you can test your app on multiple devices easily.To run your app in Simulator, follow these steps:

  1. Click the Destination pop-up menu to view a list of simulated devices. Choose iPhone 16e from this menu:

    Figure 1.14: Xcode Destination pop-up menu with iPhone 16e selected

    In your own projects, you can choose any simulator you like. That said, if you want to match the screenshots in this book exactly, use the iPhone 16e simulator.

  2. Click the Run button to install and run your app on the currently selected simulator. You can also use the Command + R keyboard shortcut.
  3. Simulator will launch and show a representation of an iPhone 16e running your app. Your app will display a white screen...

Running your app on an iOS device

Although you’ll be able to go through most of the exercises in this book using Simulator, it is recommended to build and test your apps on an actual iOS device, as Simulator will not be able to simulate some hardware components and software APIs.

For a comprehensive look at all the differences between Simulator and an actual device, see this link: https://help.apple.com/simulator/mac/current/#/devb0244142d.

In addition to your device, you’ll need an Apple account (used to automatically create a free Apple developer account) or a paid Apple developer account to build and run your app on your device. You can use the same Apple account that you used to download Xcode from the App Store. To run your app on an iOS device, follow these steps:

  1. Use the cable that came with your iOS device to connect your device to your Mac, and make sure the iOS device is unlocked.
  2. Your Mac will display an Allow Accessory to Connect alert. Click Allow.
  3. Your iOS...

Summary

In this chapter, you learned how to download and install Xcode on your Mac. Then, you familiarized yourself with the different parts of the Xcode user interface. After that, you created your first iOS app, selected a simulated iOS device, and built and ran the app in Simulator. Finally, you learned how to connect an iOS device to Xcode via USB so that you can run your app on it.In the next chapter, we’ll start exploring the Swift language using Swift Playgrounds and learn how simple values and types are implemented in Swift.

Left arrow icon Right arrow icon
Download code icon Download Code

Key benefits

  • Have fun building your first iOS app and start your iOS programming career
  • Learn to integrate Apple Intelligence and the sleek new Liquid Glass UI for modern app experiences
  • Establish a solid foundation with UIKit, testing, and deployment best practices

Description

iOS 26 Programming for Beginners returns in its 10th edition, fully updated to reflect Apple’s latest innovations in app development. Perfect for complete newcomers as well as those transitioning from other platforms, this practical guide walks you through every step of building your first iOS app using Swift 6 and Xcode 26. Following a project-based approach, you’ll create a feature-rich journal app while mastering UIKit fundamentals, including storyboards, navigation, data persistence, media integration, and map-based features. Each chapter builds on the last with clear explanations, step-by-step instructions, and real-world examples that reinforce your learning. Along the way, you’ll enhance your app with Apple Intelligence, Apple’s on-device AI platform, to deliver smart, personalized user experiences. You’ll also leverage the elegant Liquid Glass UI design system introduced in iOS 26, to give your app a modern and immersive feel. By the end of this book, you’ll have built and deployed a complete iOS app and gained the essential skills to pursue a career in mobile development.

Who is this book for?

This iOS programming book is for beginners with minimal coding experience who want to enter the world of Swift programming and iOS app development. A basic understanding of programming concepts is all you need to get started.

What you will learn

  • Install and configure Xcode 26 for iOS development
  • Build intuitive user interfaces using UIKit and Auto Layout
  • Handle JSON data and persistent storage
  • Integrate Core Location and MapKit for GPS features
  • Enhance app features with Apple Intelligence
  • Apply the new Liquid Glass UI for visual polish
  • Submit and deploy your app to the App Store
Estimated delivery fee Deliver to United States

Economy delivery 10 - 13 business days

Free $6.95

Premium delivery 6 - 9 business days

$21.95
(Includes tracking information)

Product Details

Country selected
Publication date, Length, Edition, Language, ISBN-13
Publication date : Nov 27, 2025
Length: 634 pages
Edition : 10th
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781806023936
Category :
Languages :
Tools :

What do you get with Print?

Product feature icon Instant access to your digital copy whilst your Print order is Shipped
Product feature icon Paperback book shipped to your preferred address
Product feature icon Redeem a companion digital copy on all Print orders
Product feature icon Access this title in our online reader with advanced features
Product feature icon DRM FREE - Read whenever, wherever and however you want
OR
Modal Close icon
Payment Processing...
tick Completed

Shipping Address

Billing Address

Shipping Methods
Estimated delivery fee Deliver to United States

Economy delivery 10 - 13 business days

Free $6.95

Premium delivery 6 - 9 business days

$21.95
(Includes tracking information)

Product Details

Publication date : Nov 27, 2025
Length: 634 pages
Edition : 10th
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781806023936
Category :
Languages :
Tools :

Packt Subscriptions

See our plans and pricing
Modal Close icon
$19.99 billed monthly
Feature tick icon Unlimited access to Packt's library of 7,000+ practical books and videos
Feature tick icon Constantly refreshed with 50+ new titles a month
Feature tick icon Exclusive Early access to books as they're written
Feature tick icon Solve problems while you work with advanced search and reference features
Feature tick icon Offline reading on the mobile app
Feature tick icon Simple pricing, no contract
$199.99 billed annually
Feature tick icon Unlimited access to Packt's library of 7,000+ practical books and videos
Feature tick icon Constantly refreshed with 50+ new titles a month
Feature tick icon Exclusive Early access to books as they're written
Feature tick icon Solve problems while you work with advanced search and reference features
Feature tick icon Offline reading on the mobile app
Feature tick icon Choose a DRM-free eBook or Video every month to keep
Feature tick icon PLUS own as many other DRM-free eBooks or Videos as you like for just $5 each
Feature tick icon Exclusive print discounts
$279.99 billed in 18 months
Feature tick icon Unlimited access to Packt's library of 7,000+ practical books and videos
Feature tick icon Constantly refreshed with 50+ new titles a month
Feature tick icon Exclusive Early access to books as they're written
Feature tick icon Solve problems while you work with advanced search and reference features
Feature tick icon Offline reading on the mobile app
Feature tick icon Choose a DRM-free eBook or Video every month to keep
Feature tick icon PLUS own as many other DRM-free eBooks or Videos as you like for just $5 each
Feature tick icon Exclusive print discounts

Table of Contents

34 Chapters
Swift Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Hello, Xcode Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Simple Values and Types Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Conditionals and Optionals Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Range Operators and Loops Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Collection Types Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Functions and Closures Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Classes, Structures, and Enumerations Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Protocols, Extensions, and Error Handling Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Swift Concurrency Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Design Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Set Up the User Interface Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Build the User Interface Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Complete the User Interface Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Modify App Screens Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Code Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
MVC and Table Views Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Get Data into Table Views Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Pass Data Between View Controllers Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Core Location and MapKit Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
JSON Files Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Custom Views Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Camera and Photo Library Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Search Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Collection Views Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Features Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Adopt Liquid Glass Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Icon Composer Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Apple Intelligence Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Foundation Models Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Test and Submit Your App to the App Store Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Unlock Your Exclusive Benefits Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Other Books You May Enjoy Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Get free access to Packt library with over 7500+ books and video courses for 7 days!
Start Free Trial

FAQs

What is the digital copy I get with my Print order? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

When you buy any Print edition of our Books, you can redeem (for free) the eBook edition of the Print Book you’ve purchased. This gives you instant access to your book when you make an order via PDF, EPUB or our online Reader experience.

What is the delivery time and cost of print book? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Shipping Details

USA:

'

Economy: Delivery to most addresses in the US within 10-15 business days

Premium: Trackable Delivery to most addresses in the US within 3-8 business days

UK:

Economy: Delivery to most addresses in the U.K. within 7-9 business days.
Shipments are not trackable

Premium: Trackable delivery to most addresses in the U.K. within 3-4 business days!
Add one extra business day for deliveries to Northern Ireland and Scottish Highlands and islands

EU:

Premium: Trackable delivery to most EU destinations within 4-9 business days.

Australia:

Economy: Can deliver to P. O. Boxes and private residences.
Trackable service with delivery to addresses in Australia only.
Delivery time ranges from 7-9 business days for VIC and 8-10 business days for Interstate metro
Delivery time is up to 15 business days for remote areas of WA, NT & QLD.

Premium: Delivery to addresses in Australia only
Trackable delivery to most P. O. Boxes and private residences in Australia within 4-5 days based on the distance to a destination following dispatch.

India:

Premium: Delivery to most Indian addresses within 5-6 business days

Rest of the World:

Premium: Countries in the American continent: Trackable delivery to most countries within 4-7 business days

Asia:

Premium: Delivery to most Asian addresses within 5-9 business days

Disclaimer:
All orders received before 5 PM U.K time would start printing from the next business day. So the estimated delivery times start from the next day as well. Orders received after 5 PM U.K time (in our internal systems) on a business day or anytime on the weekend will begin printing the second to next business day. For example, an order placed at 11 AM today will begin printing tomorrow, whereas an order placed at 9 PM tonight will begin printing the day after tomorrow.


Unfortunately, due to several restrictions, we are unable to ship to the following countries:

  1. Afghanistan
  2. American Samoa
  3. Belarus
  4. Brunei Darussalam
  5. Central African Republic
  6. The Democratic Republic of Congo
  7. Eritrea
  8. Guinea-bissau
  9. Iran
  10. Lebanon
  11. Libiya Arab Jamahriya
  12. Somalia
  13. Sudan
  14. Russian Federation
  15. Syrian Arab Republic
  16. Ukraine
  17. Venezuela
What is custom duty/charge? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customs duty are charges levied on goods when they cross international borders. It is a tax that is imposed on imported goods. These duties are charged by special authorities and bodies created by local governments and are meant to protect local industries, economies, and businesses.

Do I have to pay customs charges for the print book order? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

The orders shipped to the countries that are listed under EU27 will not bear custom charges. They are paid by Packt as part of the order.

List of EU27 countries: www.gov.uk/eu-eea:

A custom duty or localized taxes may be applicable on the shipment and would be charged by the recipient country outside of the EU27 which should be paid by the customer and these duties are not included in the shipping charges been charged on the order.

How do I know my custom duty charges? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

The amount of duty payable varies greatly depending on the imported goods, the country of origin and several other factors like the total invoice amount or dimensions like weight, and other such criteria applicable in your country.

For example:

  • If you live in Mexico, and the declared value of your ordered items is over $ 50, for you to receive a package, you will have to pay additional import tax of 19% which will be $ 9.50 to the courier service.
  • Whereas if you live in Turkey, and the declared value of your ordered items is over € 22, for you to receive a package, you will have to pay additional import tax of 18% which will be € 3.96 to the courier service.
How can I cancel my order? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Cancellation Policy for Published Printed Books:

You can cancel any order within 1 hour of placing the order. Simply contact customercare@packt.com with your order details or payment transaction id. If your order has already started the shipment process, we will do our best to stop it. However, if it is already on the way to you then when you receive it, you can contact us at customercare@packt.com using the returns and refund process.

Please understand that Packt Publishing cannot provide refunds or cancel any order except for the cases described in our Return Policy (i.e. Packt Publishing agrees to replace your printed book because it arrives damaged or material defect in book), Packt Publishing will not accept returns.

What is your returns and refunds policy? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Return Policy:

We want you to be happy with your purchase from Packtpub.com. We will not hassle you with returning print books to us. If the print book you receive from us is incorrect, damaged, doesn't work or is unacceptably late, please contact Customer Relations Team on customercare@packt.com with the order number and issue details as explained below:

  1. If you ordered (eBook, Video or Print Book) incorrectly or accidentally, please contact Customer Relations Team on customercare@packt.com within one hour of placing the order and we will replace/refund you the item cost.
  2. Sadly, if your eBook or Video file is faulty or a fault occurs during the eBook or Video being made available to you, i.e. during download then you should contact Customer Relations Team within 14 days of purchase on customercare@packt.com who will be able to resolve this issue for you.
  3. You will have a choice of replacement or refund of the problem items.(damaged, defective or incorrect)
  4. Once Customer Care Team confirms that you will be refunded, you should receive the refund within 10 to 12 working days.
  5. If you are only requesting a refund of one book from a multiple order, then we will refund you the appropriate single item.
  6. Where the items were shipped under a free shipping offer, there will be no shipping costs to refund.

On the off chance your printed book arrives damaged, with book material defect, contact our Customer Relation Team on customercare@packt.com within 14 days of receipt of the book with appropriate evidence of damage and we will work with you to secure a replacement copy, if necessary. Please note that each printed book you order from us is individually made by Packt's professional book-printing partner which is on a print-on-demand basis.

What tax is charged? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Currently, no tax is charged on the purchase of any print book (subject to change based on the laws and regulations). A localized VAT fee is charged only to our European and UK customers on eBooks, Video and subscriptions that they buy. GST is charged to Indian customers for eBooks and video purchases.

What payment methods can I use? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

You can pay with the following card types:

  1. Visa Debit
  2. Visa Credit
  3. MasterCard
  4. PayPal
What is the delivery time and cost of print books? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Shipping Details

USA:

'

Economy: Delivery to most addresses in the US within 10-15 business days

Premium: Trackable Delivery to most addresses in the US within 3-8 business days

UK:

Economy: Delivery to most addresses in the U.K. within 7-9 business days.
Shipments are not trackable

Premium: Trackable delivery to most addresses in the U.K. within 3-4 business days!
Add one extra business day for deliveries to Northern Ireland and Scottish Highlands and islands

EU:

Premium: Trackable delivery to most EU destinations within 4-9 business days.

Australia:

Economy: Can deliver to P. O. Boxes and private residences.
Trackable service with delivery to addresses in Australia only.
Delivery time ranges from 7-9 business days for VIC and 8-10 business days for Interstate metro
Delivery time is up to 15 business days for remote areas of WA, NT & QLD.

Premium: Delivery to addresses in Australia only
Trackable delivery to most P. O. Boxes and private residences in Australia within 4-5 days based on the distance to a destination following dispatch.

India:

Premium: Delivery to most Indian addresses within 5-6 business days

Rest of the World:

Premium: Countries in the American continent: Trackable delivery to most countries within 4-7 business days

Asia:

Premium: Delivery to most Asian addresses within 5-9 business days

Disclaimer:
All orders received before 5 PM U.K time would start printing from the next business day. So the estimated delivery times start from the next day as well. Orders received after 5 PM U.K time (in our internal systems) on a business day or anytime on the weekend will begin printing the second to next business day. For example, an order placed at 11 AM today will begin printing tomorrow, whereas an order placed at 9 PM tonight will begin printing the day after tomorrow.


Unfortunately, due to several restrictions, we are unable to ship to the following countries:

  1. Afghanistan
  2. American Samoa
  3. Belarus
  4. Brunei Darussalam
  5. Central African Republic
  6. The Democratic Republic of Congo
  7. Eritrea
  8. Guinea-bissau
  9. Iran
  10. Lebanon
  11. Libiya Arab Jamahriya
  12. Somalia
  13. Sudan
  14. Russian Federation
  15. Syrian Arab Republic
  16. Ukraine
  17. Venezuela
Modal Close icon
Modal Close icon