Summary

Objective-C Fundamentals is a hands-on tutorial that leads you from your first line of Objective-C code through the process of building native apps for the iPhone using the latest version of the SDK. You'll learn to avoid the most common pitfalls, while exploring the expressive Objective-C language through numerous example projects.

The iPhone is a sophisticated device, and mastering the Objective C language is the key to unlocking its awesome potential as a mobile computing platform. Objective C's concise, rich syntax and feature set, when matched with the iPhone SDK and the powerful Xcode environment, offers a developers from any background a smooth transition into mobile app development for the iPhone.

Objective-C Fundamentals guides you gradually from your first line of Objective-C code through the process of building native apps for the iPhone. Starting with chapter one, you'll dive into iPhone development by building a simple game that you can run immediately. You'll use tools like Xcode 4 and the debugger that will help you become a more efficient programmer. By working through numerous easy-to-follow examples, you'll learn practical techniques and patterns you can use to create solid and stable apps. And you'll find out how to avoid the most common pitfalls.

No iOS or mobile experience is required to benefit from this book but familiarity with programming in general is helpful.

Purchase of the print book comes with an offer of a free PDF, ePub, and Kindle eBook from Manning. Also available is all code from the book.

• Objective-C from the ground up
• Developing with Xcode 4
• Examples that work unmodified on iPhone

PART 1 GETTING STARTED WITH OBJECTIVE-C
1. Building your first iOS application
2. Data types, variables, and constants
3. An introduction to objects
4. Storing data in collections
PART 2 BUILDING YOUR OWN OBJECTS
5. Creating classes
6. Extending classes
7. Protocols
8. Dynamic typing and runtime type information
9. Memory management
PART 3 MAKING MAXIMUM USE OF FRAMEWORK FUNCTIONALITY
10. Error and exception handling
11. Key-Value Coding and NSPredicate
12. Reading and writing application data
13. Blocks and Grand Central Dispatch
14. Debugging techniques

Christopher Fairbairn has 10 years experience developing mobile applications on Palm OS, Windows Mobile, iPhone and J2ME. He's active in the developer community and blogs at http: //www.christec.co.nz/blog/, and his efforts in the Windows Mobile community earned him a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award.

Collin Ruffenach is a mobile developer for ELC Technologies. He creates a variety of iPhone applications for both the iPhone and iPad. He received his master's degree from Arizona State University in 2010.

Johannes Fahrenkrug is a freelancer who has been handcrafting software for over 10 years. He has been developing for the iPhone since day one, is very active in the Open Source community, regularly speaks at conferences, and always attends WWDC. He blogs at http: //www.springenwerk.com.