Swift 5 for Absolute Beginners

Introduction

The book "Swift 5 for Absolute Beginners" (authors: Stefan Kaczmarek, Brad Lees, Gary Bennett, 2019, 380 pages) is a classic introduction to the world of programming in Swift and developing for iOS/macOS. The title speaks for itself: the publication is aimed at those who have never written code but want to create their first app for iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Unlike many "thick" reference books, this one is built like a friendly tutorial with a minimal entry barrier. It requires no knowledge of other languages — only a desire to learn and a computer with macOS.

What the book is about

The book consistently guides the reader from installing Xcode to publishing a finished app on the App Store. The main focus is on Swift 5 (the stable version at the time of release) and the frameworks UIKit (for iOS) and SwiftUI (a brief introduction). The authors use a project-based approach: each chapter contains practical tasks, and the final project is a full-fledged "iRate" app for rating content.

Structure of the publication

• Chapters 1–3: installing Xcode, the IDE interface, the first "Hello, World!" program.
• Chapters 4–6: Swift basics: variables, constants, data types, operators, control flow.
• Chapters 7–9: collections, functions, closures, optionals — key Swift concepts.
• Chapters 10–12: object-oriented programming: classes, structures, inheritance, protocols.
• Chapters 13–15: working with UIKit: Storyboard, controllers, tables, navigation.
• Chapter 16: introduction to SwiftUI — a modern declarative interface.
• Chapters 17–18: working with data: UserDefaults, Core Data, network requests.
• Chapter 19: debugging, testing, and publishing on the App Store.

Who this book is for

The book is aimed at absolute beginners — people with no programming experience who want to start with iOS development. It is also suitable for those who know another language (e.g., Python or Java) and want to quickly learn Swift. However, experienced developers will find it too simple — there are more advanced publications for them.

What the reader will learn

• Install and configure Xcode, create projects.
• Write code in Swift 5: from variables to protocols.
• Work with Interface Builder and Storyboard.
• Create interfaces in UIKit and SwiftUI.
• Handle button presses, screen transitions.
• Save data using UserDefaults and Core Data.
• Make HTTP requests and parse JSON.
• Debug apps and prepare them for release.
• Publish an app on the App Store.

Strengths

• Friendly style: the authors explain complex concepts in simple terms, avoiding excessive academic language.
• Practical focus: each chapter ends with exercises, and the book concludes with a full-fledged project.
• Relevance: Swift 5 is a stable version, and the code is compatible with modern versions of Xcode (with minor adaptations).
• Support for two frameworks: the reader gets acquainted with both classic UIKit and the new SwiftUI.
• Screenshots and listings: visual hints help you not get lost in the Xcode interface.

Who it is recommended for

I recommend this book to everyone who dreams of creating apps for Apple devices but is afraid of the complexity. It is perfect for self-study, "iOS for Beginners" courses, and even for high school students. If you already know how to program in Python and want to move into mobile development — start with this book to quickly get into the context of Swift and Xcode.

The only downside is that the book does not cover advanced topics (multithreading, complex animations, ARKit, Metal). But for a first step, this is the best choice.

Conclusion