What is ObjectiveC?
Objective-C is a programming language that adds object-oriented features to the C language. It was created to make it easier to build apps for Apple devices like iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Let's break it down
- Programming language: a set of rules that tell a computer what to do.
- C language: an older, fast language that many other languages are built on.
- Object-oriented: a way of organizing code around “objects” that represent real-world things (like a button or a user).
- Apple devices: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, etc.
Why does it matter?
Knowing Objective-C lets you understand the foundation of many iOS and macOS apps, and it helps you work with legacy code that still runs on millions of Apple devices today.
Where is it used?
- Building iPhone and iPad apps that were started before Swift existed.
- Maintaining and updating older macOS desktop applications.
- Writing low-level system components for Apple’s operating systems.
- Teaching programming concepts in many university courses that focus on C-based languages.
Good things about it
- Direct access to powerful C libraries, giving high performance.
- Mature ecosystem with many third-party frameworks and tools.
- Strong integration with Apple’s development environment (Xcode).
- Clear messaging syntax that makes method calls easy to read.
- Large amount of existing code and documentation to learn from.
Not-so-good things
- Verbose syntax can feel clunky compared to newer languages like Swift.
- Less safe; manual memory management (though ARC helps) can cause bugs.
- Declining community support as most new projects choose Swift.
- Steeper learning curve for beginners unfamiliar with C.