iOS Programming: The Big Nerd Ranch Guide leads you through the essential concepts, tools, and techniques for developing iOS applications. After completing this book, you will have the know-how and the confidence you need to tackle iOS projects of your own. Based on Big Nerd Ranch's popular iOS training and its well-tested materials and methodology, this bestselling guide teaches iOS concepts and coding in tandem. The result is instruction that is relevant and useful. Throughout the book, the authors explain what's important and share their insights into the larger context of the iOS platform. You get a real understanding of how iOS development works, the many features that are available, and when and where to apply what you've learned.

Want to write iOS apps or desktop Mac applications? This introduction to programming and the Objective-C language is your first step on the journey from someone who uses apps to someone who writes them. Based on Big Nerd Ranch's popular Objective-C Bootcamp, Objective-C Programming: The Big Nerd Ranch Guide covers C, Objective-C, and the common programming idioms that enable developers to make the most of Apple technologies. Compatible with Xcode 5, iOS 7, and OS X Mavericks (10.9), this guide features short chapters and an engaging style to keep you motivated and moving forward. At the same time, it encourages you to think critically as a programmer. Here are some of the topics covered: Using Xcode, Apple's documentation, and other tools Programming basics: variables, loops, functions, etc. Objects, classes, methods, and messages Pointers, addresses, and memory management with ARC Properties and Key-Value Coding (KVC) Class extensions Categories Classes from the Foundation framework Blocks Delegation, target-action, and notification design patterns Key-Value Observing (KVO) Runtime basics