The authors provide, to a broad audience, a tutorial--based on the model-view-controller (MVC), a proven design pattern--for creating software applications (for either the Mac or the iPhone), understanding Cocoa frameworks, and using the runtime environment.
Cocoa is tightly integrated with the Mac OS X operating system. The audience for this book includes novice and seasoned software developers, as well as iPhone mobile application developers. However, before you get too excited about writing the next killer software application, please note the combination of prerequisites and logistics before a single line of Objective-C code is compiled. The topics in this book cover the development of a Mac software application. As a cautionary note, readers should not expect this book to enable them to develop an Apple iPhone mobile application.
The authors suggest that the reader must meet a number of prerequisites, in order to achieve the promised outcome of “Mastering Macintosh X’s Cocoa Frameworks, with Xcode and Objective-C,” which is boldly printed on the book’s front cover. The reader must have some basic knowledge of programming, and he or she must also “be comfortable with the concepts of loops, variables, pointers, and linked lists.” And we’re not done yet. The authors assume that the reader has an understanding of “the fundamentals of object-oriented programming and are familiar with the Objective-C programming language.”
Even if the reader meets all of these prerequisites, there are still a few logistical barriers that must be overcome, including one’s computer, development tools, and example source code. The reader must have a Mac computer on which to write the software. In order to write software in Cocoa, the reader must join the Apple Developer Connection (ADC) to download the necessary Apple development tools--Xcode and Interface Builder. Finally, in order to get the most from the book, the authors suggest that readers download the sample project source code from the publisher’s Web site (http://apress.com/book/view/9781430218593); without it, readers will find it difficult to follow along with the step-by-step examples.
Once readers have addressed the prerequisites and logistics, they have essentially covered chapter 1 of the book. They are now ready to begin building their first “Hello World” application, from the step-by-step example Xcode and Interface Builder project in chapter 2. For the intermediate software developer, the authors present the Cocoa frameworks in a logical, step-by-step progression, through the examples in chapters 3 to 13. Seasoned developers will appreciate the topics covered in chapters 14 to 17. Of particular interest are the authors’ notes, tips, and warnings, located throughout each chapter, that provide insightful explanations for additional context. Furthermore, these tips will help readers sort out the reasons behind the use of the development tools Xcode and Interface Builder, as well as understand the terminology associated with Objective-C, OS X, frameworks, and Cocoa.
I recommend this book to readers who are new to Mac OS X software development, as long as they meet the prerequisites, and to seasoned developers who want to master the latest Cocoa frameworks and other advanced topics. All readers must be willing to address the logistical barriers mentioned above. And although iPhone developers will also be able to relate to the book’s topics, they should look for a different source if they seek specific step-by-step instructions for creating iPhone mobile software applications using Cocoa Touch.
