Stanford CS193P - Developing Applications for iOS Using SwiftUI

Instructor: Paul Hegarty

Introduction

• Course focused on developing iOS applications using SwiftUI.
• The course is available online, with supplemental material on cs193p.stanford.edu.
• Emphasis is not only on app development but understanding the SwiftUI system.
• Recorded laptop screens are available to follow along.

Course Structure

• 10-week course, divided into sessions:
  • First 5 weeks: Building a complex app.
  • Following 3 weeks: Building a similar app quickly.
  • Last 3 weeks: Final project development.
• Assignments: Six programming assignments, usually due on Wednesdays.
• Final Project: Requires a proposal, and a rubric is provided.

Focus Areas

• SwiftUI for iOS, macOS, watchOS, Apple TV, etc.
• Emphasis on functional programming over object-oriented programming.
• Introduction to Swift, a new programming language for most students.
• Real-life application of multiple programming skills.

Prerequisites

• Experience in writing code and understanding structured programming.
• Familiarity with more than one programming language is beneficial.

Tools and Setup

• Xcode as the primary development tool.
• Setup includes GitHub integrations and Apple ID configurations.
• Use Xcode's simulator to preview apps on different devices.

Teaching Methodology

• Narrative-based learning: Building a story around SwiftUI development.
• Emphasis on combining narrative with vignette learning (short, focused lessons).

Concepts Covered

• SwiftUI Structs: Core of SwiftUI programming; everything is a struct.
• Structs behave like views using the colon syntax (e.g., struct ContentView: View).
• View Composition: Using VStacks, HStacks, and ZStacks to build UI.
• Modifiers: Used to change the appearance of SwiftUI elements.
• Building complex views from simpler ones, similar to Lego construction.

Example Project: Card Game (Memorize)

• Objective: Build a memory game using SwiftUI.
• Gameplay: Players flip cards to find matching pairs.
• UI Components: Use of emoji, rectangles, and text.
• Programming Considerations:
  • Use of @ViewBuilder to manage collections of views.
  • Handling of dark mode and different orientations.
  • Introduction to the Swift language constructs such as computed properties, modifiers, and default parameters.

Tips and Tricks

• Use Xcode’s preview and simulator for efficient testing.
• Understanding the importance of structuring code and using functions efficiently.
• Embrace SwiftUI’s paradigm of building views out of smaller subviews.
• Keep view struct sizes manageable for clarity and maintainability (suggested max of 12 lines for functions/computed properties).

Upcoming Topics

• Transition to creating a backend for game logic.
• Moving from horizontal stacks to grids for layout.
• No class next Monday; continue with content on the following Wednesday.

These notes provide a high-level overview of the primary topics covered in the lecture and can serve as a guide for further study and project development in the course.