In the past, many developers have been discouraged from building iOS apps due to the system requirements. It was commonly believed that without owning a Mac Book, developing iOS apps was impossible. The main obstacle was Xcode, the Integrated Development Environment (IDE) used to design and develop iOS apps, which is only compatible with Mac OS. However, with advancements in developer tools, it is now certainly possible to develop iOS apps on Windows.
How to Develop iOS Apps on Windows
While Apple does not offer a standard way to develop iOS apps on Windows, it is certainly not impossible. Various tools or combinations of tools enable you to develop iOS apps on Windows. Here are a few popular methods:
- Use Virtualbox and Install Mac OS on Your Windows PC.
- Rent a Mac in the cloud and use RDP to access your Mac in the cloud.
- Code with a Swift Sandbox.
- Build using React Native.
- Use the hybrid framework named Xamarin.
- Install OS X as a bootable OS to your PC.
However, it is important to note that with these tools, you may experience delays and lags, which can be frustrating for developers. Unity, a powerful IDE, is increasingly becoming a popular choice for developers interested in developing iOS apps on Windows.
Unity is primarily known as a game development engine that can be used on Android, iOS, Windows, and many other platforms. Its rapid development and powerful features also make it a good choice for building non-gaming apps and developing iOS apps on Windows. Unity’s “Cloud Build” feature supports iOS app development on Windows in simple steps.
By registering as an Apple developer and joining the Unity Cloud Build, you can easily set up, create, and build iOS projects. With a free-to-use editor for development and distribution, it is possible to completely build iOS apps on Windows. During the installation of Unity, make sure to check “iOS deployment,” and your Unity on Windows will be ready to build an Xcode project. Just assign this Xcode project on a Mac with Xcode installed, and you will be ready to compile the project to run on your iOS device.
If the unavailability of a Mac OS was what was stopping you from starting iOS app development, these alternatives are exactly what you need. Although they might be a little more complicated than directly building on a Mac, they are tried and tested alternatives used by developers worldwide. Ultimately, iOS application development is all about familiarizing yourself with Xcode. Once you’re comfortable there, you can develop your app with the tools mentioned above, which will help you get started on the right path.
Before you start iOS app development on Windows, it is extremely important to come up with an iOS app design that you can test and get feedback from users and internal stakeholders. Remember the popular 80-20 rule, which suggests that 80% of your time should be spent on design and only 20% on coding.
Would you be interested in iOS development? Click here and learn more about Everything You Need to Know about iOS Development.
The Best Tool for iOS App Design
Undoubtedly, it is extremely important to choose a high-quality industry standard tool for designing an iOS app. Wondershare Mockitt is your perfect choice. This fully cloud-based tool enables you to create wireframes and interactive prototypes with built-in widgets and templates. The design community has praised this tool as an extremely designer-friendly option, as it allows you to simply drag and drop widgets and icons to create a full-fledged prototype within minutes.
You can select elements from the Toolbar and the Libraries palette and place them onto the canvas to design your prototype easily and rapidly. You can arrange and connect components as you desire. Once your design is ready, you will likely want to share it with your team to iterate further. Mockitt enables you to preview your prototypes on any device and share them with anyone or specific people with a single click. Of course, you can control the visibility of the project by managing the permissions.
As you or your development team sets out to develop iOS apps on Windows, you will continually refer to the design. Things can quickly get out of hand when a developer is expected to code by just looking at the design. Mockitt allows you to optimize the collaborative efforts of your design and development teams through Mockitt’s browser-based inspect and export tools. Developers can easily generate the exact specifications and say goodbye to interpretation-based disconnects. Developers can obtain the required design resources, such as annotations and cutting diagrams, through the Mockitt link and start programming.
Mockitt is an all-in-one prototyping tool that can meet the requirements of product managers, designers, and developers in product design and team collaboration. There is no need to purchase multiple tools to switch back and forth.
Mockitt has been established for several years now. It has been deeply involved in the field of product design collaboration and has served many well-known companies. The strong community also regularly contributes to the libraries of this tool. All of this makes the tool a preferred design utility. The number of users has now reached 1.9 million worldwide, which speaks volumes about the credibility of the tool.
Remember, with the right tools and determination, you can develop iOS apps on Windows and bring your ideas to life. So, don’t let the system requirements hold you back. Start exploring the possibilities today!
