Best iOS App Development Tools You Need to Know to Develop Top-notch iOS Apps

For several reasons, the creation of iOS apps is exaggerated. The reality is that creating iOS applications is not as difficult as it might seem. Having said that, it's not as if you don't need to be familiar with fundamental coding and programming languages. The work required to create an iOS app is comparable to that of other programming languages.

However, the following list of iOS app development tools can help iOS developers with many of the tasks they typically must complete when creating an iOS app. Let's go into more depth about each of the tools listed below.

1. iOS UI/UX design tools

Here are the most used iOS UI/UX design tools you need to check out if you are an iOS app developer.  

Figma
starting with Figma, the finest of all. Working with browsers including Firefox, Chrome, Safari, and Edge, Figma is a freemium tool. The cost structure for Figma varies depending on the requirements of the project.

In terms of compatibility, Figma is typically referred to as a tool for collaborative interface design. The distinguishing quality of Figma that makes it so popular is collaboration. Figma enables designers to share a design file with others in order to receive comments on the design.

The main features of Figma:

  • Prototyping

  • Team libraries

  • Accessibility and collaboration

  • Smooth handoff to developers 

  • Wide range of useful plugins

Flawless 
 Designers can use the tool Flawless to compare their designs to how they were implemented in the iOS simulator. All you have to do is start the iOS simulator that is included with the Xcode IDE for iOS/macOS development, and from there you can choose any picture (JPEG, PNG, TIFF, GIF, and even a sketch file) and launch it.

The main features of Flawless:

  • Verify the animation and motion
  • Design dynamically
  • capture a moving image

Sketch
 The user interface (UI) of web, wearable, and mobile applications is typically designed using Sketch. The files in this programme, which is for macOS, are stored individually in the sketch file format. Although Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and other programmes can also be used to inspect these exact files.

The key features of Sketch:

You can develop wireframes, vector illustrations, logos, icons, app prototypes, and all other kinds of visuals using Sketch.

When it comes to using more accessible design protocols and modules to get results faster, designers frequently choose for Sketch.

A fantastic option for simple designer collaboration is Sketch.

Invision
The designers can collaborate, get clarity, and experiment with their designs however they choose with the help of this application. Prototyping, teamwork, and InVision's efficient workflow are some of its well-known strengths. Additionally, Invision enables designers to produce interactive mockups of their concepts and wireframes.

The main features of Invision:

InVision supports project collaboration in real-time for developers.

InVision has a few helpful testing tools to make sure the app's aesthetics and interactions are correct.

InVision is also one of the greatest tools for designing intuitive navigation for apps and websites, according to several developers.

2. Programming languages

When we are talking about the best iOS programming languages of all time, we are surely going to refer to Objective-C and Swift. Let’s learn about these two in detail.

Objective-C
One of the most popular languages used by programmers to create software for OS X and iOS is Objective-C. It is referred to as a superset of the C programming language and provides object-oriented functionality and a dynamic runtime environment to developers.

A straightforward computer language called Objective-C was developed especially to support common object-oriented programming. Despite a few minor extensions, Objective-C is fairly resistant to the ANSI C language standard. The majority of the changes to C are influenced by Smalltalk, which was the first programming language to support objects.

Swift
 Swift is a powerful and user-friendly programming language that Apple introduced for creating apps for iOS, Apple TV, Mac, and Apple wearables.

Swift is a technology that is primarily made to greatly reduce the workload for iOS developers. If developers are adept at working with iOS technology, the programming language is open source and straightforward, enabling them to produce the best applications.

3. Editors and IDE

Software called IDE, or integrated development environment, is made specifically for merging several tools into a single graphical user interface. The following tools come highly recommended.

Xcode
Xcode is a gem of a programme for testing, developing, and debugging apps. This integrated development environment was developed by Apple specifically for creating and troubleshooting iOS applications.

In addition, Xcode offers developers a standardised workflow for user interface design, coding, testing, and debugging. Swift programming with the Xcode IDE is the cherry on top, making the creation of iOS apps nothing short of enjoyable and simple.

AppCode
With the help of plugins, AppCode is a powerful IDE for iOS/macOS programming that works with Swift, Objective-C/C++, C/C++, and a number of additional languages. For each target, it creates a default run/debug configuration and gives it the developer's project name. Additionally, developers are able to implement custom configurations based on preexisting templates.

4. Backend services

New capabilities for iOS applications including real-time databases, automated synchronisation, push alerts, speeding data delivery, and others are being worked on nonstop by developers. Check out this list of the best backend development tools for iOS development.

Firebase
Firebase is a backend as a service (BaaS) platform that is well-known for being a versatile platform for iOS developers. It's a backend platform for creating Web, Android, and iOS apps. It assists developers with real-time databases, APIs, authentication types, and hosting platforms.

Helios
Helios is a completely open-source framework for creating iOS apps that can provide a variety of critical backend services. This backend tool helps developers incorporate advanced features such as push notifications, in-app purchases, data synchronisation, passbook integration, logging, and analytics.

Parse
Parse is one of the most versatile tools available to iOS developers. It is an open-source framework for developing backends and debugging iOS applications.

This tool also assists developers in efficient app development by reducing the amount of time and effort they would otherwise put in when developing an iOS app. Parse is supported by a large developer community and has been rigorously evolving at a rapid pace.

5. Game development

When it comes to the game development industry, it is rapidly evolving with its captivating app features, which are made possible by robust backend development and UI. Here we will list some of the features that contribute significantly to the growth of the game development industry.

Unity
Unity is a cross-platform game engine that assists you in completing a variety of game production tasks. It provides a 2D and 3D platform for game developers to create video games. But that is not the only consideration. What makes Unity appealing to developers is that it is fairly seamless and simple to use, so you do not have to start from scratch.

Buildbox
Buildbox is a no-code development software that is primarily focused on game development and does not require any programming, coding, or scripting. The software's core audience consists of entrepreneurs, designers, and other gaming enthusiasts who are unfamiliar with game development or coding criteria.

This software, on the other hand, allows you to add effects and animations to the game's characters. The designers have the ability to change how the character moves, shoots, jumps, and communicates with the users. They can also change the sounds for each character's actions. Designers and developers can now use multiple characters with BuildBox 2.0.


6. Security

When it comes to the best app development in terms of robust security, iOS is at the top of the list. iOS apps are well-known for their app security. However, the robust security is also supported by a number of competent tools that distinguish iOS applications when it comes to highly-secured apps; let's take a look at them.

Frida
Frida is a completely free dynamic instrumentation tool that allows iOS developers to run their own scripts in traditionally encrypted software. Malware analysts use this tool with both jailbroken and non-jailbroken devices. This is widely regarded as one of the most effective tools for ensuring the security of iOS applications.

Ghidra
Ghidra is ideal for inspecting iOS binaries and obtaining cross references. Furthermore, Ghidra is a reverse engineering tool developed and released by the NSA in 2019. This tool is well-known for its ability to remove malware activities; malware analysts are well-versed in its use. It is also referred to as a disassembly tool.

7. Plugins

iOS is supported by solid tools and frameworks, of which we have listed the most commonly used plugins. Let's go over them all.

Wider
Wider is a Mac and iOS stereo widening plugin. It enables developers to widen the stereo image of a mono signal to a surprising extent. Furthermore, it can increase the stereo image of any Mono signal by up to 200% of full stereo for an extra wide exaggerated effect.

LRC5
This iOS plugin, LRC5, is a five-band EQ that works on both iPhone and iPad. It's an excellent choice if you find GarageBand's native three-band visual EQ to be too limited. Neon Silicon could charge for this EQ because it is extremely versatile and a valuable addition to your iOS app arsenal.`

8. Testing

iOS applications are well-known for their smooth performance and user experience. Tools for testing iOS applications are critical for maintaining the belief. Let's take a look at the best iPhone app testing tools.

EarlGrey
EarlGrey is a Google-created open-source native test framework for iOS UI test automation. The best part is that Google uses this framework internally to test the functionality of native iOS applications such as Google Calendar, Google Photos, Google Translate, Youtube, and others. Not only that, but EarlGrey gives QA engineers access to one-level-up synchronisation features to help with UI testing stability.

This testing tool's main feature is built-in synchronisation, which regulates test scripts until any specific UI event occurs, at which point only the process of interaction with app UI begins. This tool also synchronises with the user interface and network requests.

OCMock
OCMock is a powerful mock object testing library used to create stubs in iOS applications. Mock objects are useful in software testing because they allow a QA engineer to control the behaviour of complex, real-world objects.

Because developers do not have built-in support for Mock objects in Xcode. As a result, OCMock is used as a standalone library. In addition, the OCMock library provides extensive support for Objective-C. OCMock makes it simple to insert mock objects into existing test cases.


Detox
Detox is a popular automation framework for cross-platform mobile application testing. The only disadvantage is that it does not support testing on real devices for iOS platforms, but does for Android.

9. Libraries

For app developers, libraries are one of the most important aspects of iOS app development. Let's look at some of the most popular libraries among developers.

Kingfisher
 The kingfisher captures images from the web in the same way that a cameraman does. If you work with remote images, you should check out the robust, fast library with these impressive extra options.

RxSwift
 RxSwift, the swift version of Rx, is a useful and efficient library that allows for simple self-paced operations and events to be performed separately.

Nimble
You can use this library to match your iOS tested units with the appropriate framework. Swift and objective C are matched by Nimble. It depicts best practises and ornate code features in an easy-to-understand manner.

Spring
Spring contributes to a distinct experience by simplifying iOS animations in Swift. It animates from the beginning to the end without putting the iOS app developer in a difficult position.

10. Documentation

Because documentation is such an important part of the software development life cycle, we've compiled a list of tools to help you get started.

Jazzy
 Jazzy is a well-known tool for creating Swift and Objective-C documentation that goes beyond analysing sources with the help of the Source Kit and the Clang AST model of the code and comments in order to arrive at an accurate conclusion.

SwiftDoc.org
 Swift ensures that the code is concise and efficient. Swift code is more interactive and easier to write in Swift Playgrounds, Xcode playgrounds, and REPL. Its documentation is completely auto-generated and available online. SwiftDoc.org enables developers to quickly browse all protocols and operators.

Conclusion

Many useful tools support iOS software development, and we have listed the most prominent iOS tools in alphabetical order. You can experiment with these tools and optimise them to get the most out of them. Many tools are so versatile that they can assist you with a variety of tasks.

In addition, we have a large team of iOS app developers who can assist you relatively and provide you with surprising insights to dramatically change the landscape of your business.