Best iPhone App Development Tools for Apple Developers

At times, Apple developers and business owners get derailed when developing an iOS app due to budget constraints.

One key factor that can lead to this outcome is often the choice of the tech stacks your app is built on.

Not all Apple frameworks are premium.

More often than not, you’ll find open-source development tools that are free to use while not compromising the quality.

So, with this scenario in mind—it’s time to put you in control of your Apple development journey.

To help you make informed decisions and based on our experience as a bespoke Apple development agency, here are the best iPhone app development tools.

A Look into the Market: The Most Popular iPhone App Development Tools

Of course, it’s best to start off with the most popular choices as they’re derived from actual developers who have used the tools.

Based on the recent rankings of iPhone developer tools in the App Store (as of the date this article was published), we actually found really unique findings.

Here are the top 3 Apple tools chosen by the developers.

• Test Flight—appreciated for its ease of use, TestFlight helps developers test beta versions of their apps to minimize bugs and ensure a more impactful market release.
• GitHub—also known as the collaborative hub for developers, this repository comes with helpful features that will double your team’s productivity, such as allowing you to merge releases right from the app.
• AppStore Connect—the all-in-one suit you need to manage apps across devices (mobile, tablet, and PC) and monitor testing, app performance, and sales.

Most importantly, all of these tools are free to download.

And yet, there are still many options for the best developer tools out there, which we will help explore in the following section.

Best iPhone App Development Tools: The Top 3 from the Editors

As an experienced Apple development company with nearly hundreds of portfolios, we have tried and tested almost every Apple technology and framework in the market.

With this knowledge in mind, we’d like to share it with Apple developers and business owners and help them make better decisions about choosing the tech stacks that best suit their apps’ functionalities.

So, let’s get started.

1. XCode

To start, XCode is special because it is Apple’s integrated development environment (IDE).

With it, you can develop high-performing software for all Apple and iOS services or devices—even watchOS and tvOS!

That’s why business owners love XCode as much as developers—it helps them reach the largest user base from which they can convert more potential customers for sales.

Putting this aside, XCode has just released its most up-to-date version yet, the XCode 15.

What stands out the most from this newest release is its ability to help developers build, test, and distribute apps at a faster rate.

The secret lies in the following features:

• Enhanced code ode completion: if you get stuck when writing a line of code, this tool will automatically provide you with the correct suggestions and even troubleshoot mistakes.
• Interactive previews: modify and improve your app’s user interface just like how you’d imagine it through the preview canvas.
• Git stagingintegration: access a centralized space to organize your tasks and create your next commit without leaving your code.
• Redesigned test reports: explore your test results in real-time with video recording so you can make adjustments where needed.

2. Swift

Like its name, Swift is the go-to Apple programming language.

It allows beginners and experts to write iPhone apps swiftly.

Apple developers appreciate Swift the most for its simple yet rich syntax.

Its expansive library of code alone is enough for developers to create an entire app with robust functionality.

Additionally, Swift offers back-end services that are just as good as its front-end capabilities, if not better.

From a small memory footprint to quick startup time, Swift has all the tools you need to maintain your app’s server and network.

This allows you to publish your app with confidence—even more so with Swift’s large variety of web frameworks, including Hummingbird and Vapor.

Whether you need a solution for integrating databases, routing, or handling requests, Swift has got you all covered.

3. iOS SDK

Formed by Apple, this free-to-download software development kit –previously known as “Apple SDK” – will help you create an app that will complete all your requirements.

For starters, iOS SDK supports the most common programming languages in Apple development, such as Swift and Objective-C.

Just imagine how powerful your app features can be with the combination of code from all these tech stacks.

Numerous tools can really help developers fasten their work, such as:

• Visual and code editors
• Debugging tools
• Performance assessment
• Etc

The only drawback of this tool is its unavailability in Windows.

However, there’s hope to anticipate, and you can explore our honorable mentions: C++, CodeRunner, AppCode, and CocoaPods, to further empower your iOS app.