Old Dog, New Tricks - Whats the best way for a Java/C# Coder to Learn Objective-C?

Question

Possible Duplicates:
A good book about Objective-C 2.0 for an experienced C/C++/Java/C# developer
Best way to learn Objective-C

I've been happily coding Java and C# for about twelve years but my experience of C and other low-level languages is minimal. I have an MSc in Comp Sci but the course was geared towards internet applications development and was taught in Java so didn't cover machine-level stuff in much depth.

The rise of the various Apple OSes for computers and mobile devices suggests that I should pick up some Objective-C to futureproof my skills set but I'm concerned about the fact that the langauge requires me to work at a lower level (memory management etc.) than I'm used to.

So I'm looking for a learning path and/or books which would fill the void in my brain and get me up to speed with what I need to know. Can anyone suggest some appropriate resources?

Answer 1

I would say any C++ book would help you. What you really need to learn is pointers. They are the bread and butter of these language. If you do not understand pointers and/or don't know how to use them, you will have a very hard time with them.

Answer 2

Given your experience, just hit developer.apple.com and start going through tutorials.

Answer 3

Apple provides very good tutorials themselves (at no cost to developers).

My background is in C#/Java development as well and with a little brush up on C (to remember pointers and all that fun stuff) I could at least be dangerous after reading:

Learning Objective-C: A Primer

After you get used to the style of Objective-C, the only thing left really is to figure out the Architecture of an Application and the Apple SDK.

Answer 4

Really the memory management in Objective-C isn't really as hard as its made out to be. For objects you have 3 main ways to deal with their memory/life cycle. The first is when you create the object use an constructor that starts with init. This will give you a perminant reference to the object. When you no longer need the object call release on it. The 2nd way is to wrap that init call with autorelease. This will release the object the next time the release pool cycles. Any time you return a reference to an object and the method returning the object doesn't start with init, you should have wrapped that object's creation with autorealease.

Other then this there isn't too much differences between java and Objective-C. Slight data type differences, syntax differences, and different library set. However its not that you have an entirely different way of writing programs. MVC is preferred in all of these languages. Much of the core if, switch, while, basic OO practices is all the same with only slight differences. I'd just get the SDK and start writing a few learning apps, while using the sample code on developer.apple.com as a reference. Its not that bad, I came from where you were skill set wise, and now I'm making a good living working from home writing iPhone/iPad software in < 2 years after starting Objective-C.

Answer 5

Here is 'My way' (c) F. Sinatra :-)

1) Get in touch with the iPhone Development

Beginning iPhone 3 Development - Exploring the iPhone SDK 3 ISBN-13: 978-1430224594

2) Watch how other people drive death horses

Watch the Podscasts from Stanford University (in iTunes U) Experiment a bit with the UIKit and Foundation framework Try examples from Apple and other sources

3) Learning by doing

Write your first iPhone App (consider the very good API from Apple)

and for the basics maybe 'Learn Objective-C for Java Developers' ISBN-13: 978-1430223696