How to Use Xcode
Xcode is an integrated development environment (IDE) that includes all the features and tools needed for iOS app development.
Here, we'll go over some key things you should know when using Xcode to develop iOS apps.
About the Xcode Workspace
This is the Xcode interface. The top section is called the Toolbar, the left side is the Navigator Area, the center is the Editor Area, and the right side is the Utility Area.
How to Use the Xcode Toolbar
The toolbar is used to build and run your program, select the device or simulator to run on, and toggle the visibility of different areas.
For example, if you click the button here, the program will be built, installed, and executed in the iPhone 11 Pro Max simulator.
Clicking the “iPhone 11 Pro Max” section will display the available simulators you can choose from.
If you have an iPhone or iPad connected to your Mac, it will also appear where it says “No devices connected to 'My Mac'...”
This allows you to switch the installation target and test your app either in a simulator or on a physical device.
How to Use the Xcode Navigator Area
The navigator area is used to access different parts of your project.
By clicking the icons in the navigator selector bar, you can switch between the Project Navigator, Source Control Navigator, Symbol Navigator, and more, which will appear below.
If you hover your mouse over an icon, a tooltip will show which navigator it represents.
The most frequently used one is the Project Navigator. When you select a file in the Project Navigator, its contents will be displayed in the central Editor Area.
How to Use the Xcode Editor Area
The editor area is where most development work takes place—configuring your project, editing source code, and designing UI with the storyboard.
If you select the project itself in the Project Navigator, the Editor Area will display the project settings screen where you can adjust configurations.
If you select a Swift file, the Editor Area will show the source code of that file.
If you select a storyboard file, it will open in Interface Builder, a UI design tool, within the Editor Area.
How to Use the Xcode Utility Area
The utility area is used to display information about the currently selected item in the navigator or editor area and configure its properties.
For example, when you select a View in a storyboard, the inspectors in the utility area will display information and configurable properties of the selected View object.
By clicking the icons in the inspector selector bar at the top of the Utility Area, you can switch between the File Inspector, History Inspector, Quick Help Inspector, and others.
If you hover over each icon, you'll see which inspector it represents.
That's a basic overview of the Xcode workspace and the essential features you should know.
We'll explain more details of each area in separate articles.