Introduction
Programming languages have come a long way, and in the world of iOS development, there are two major languages: Swift and Objective-C. These two languages have a lot of similarities and differences. In this post, we will compare the two languages - Swift vs Objective-C, and let you decide which one is the better option for your projects.
Popularity
Swift was introduced in 2014 as a new programming language for iOS, while Objective-C has been around since the 1980s. Despite this, Swift has gained in popularity in recent years. The TIOBE index, which ranks the popularity of programming languages, currently ranks Swift as the 10th most popular language in the world, while Objective-C comes in at 24th place.
Syntax
Objective-C is known for its verbose syntax, but it is also known for its simplicity. Swift, on the other hand, has cleaner and more concise syntax. This makes it easier to read and write, and results in less code. In Swift, you don't need to add semicolons at the end of each line, and you can use a lot of modern programming concepts like closures or generics.
Safety
Swift was created with safety in mind. It has features like optionals, which can prevent unexpected crashes or runtime errors. Objective-C, on the other hand, is a dynamically-typed language, which means that it is easier to make mistakes. While Objective-C offers some level of type-checking, it is a lot more flexible than Swift.
Performance
Both Swift and Objective-C can create high-performance iOS apps. However, Swift is generally faster than Objective-C. In fact, Swift code can be up to 3.9 times faster than Objective-C code on complex loops, according to a study by Vokal.
Compatibility
One major advantage of Objective-C is its compatibility with C and C++, which makes it easier to integrate code written in these languages into Objective-C projects. Swift, on the other hand, is not backward-compatible with Objective-C. This means that you can't use Swift in legacy Objective-C projects without some extra work, such as adding bridging headers or rewriting some parts of the code.
Conclusion
Both Swift and Objective-C are good programming languages for iOS development. However, Swift is becoming more popular due to its modern syntax, safety features, and faster performance. Objective-C still has its advantages, such as its compatibility with C and C++ code.
Ultimately, the choice between Swift and Objective-C depends on personal preference, the specific needs of the project, and the experience of the developer.