Learning iOS Dev in 2023

Journal
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Hello All,

So I am going to try and learn iOS dev once again. I have tried and failed several times in the past but I believe it is my future so I have to continue to pick myself up and continue the journey.

Hopefully, this journal will assist me. If anyone reads my journal and has helpful advice I am all ears.

I need to find the best way to use this journal to chronicle things and make sure I am adding updates regularly. Well, I am heading out again; I look forward to achieving my goal this time around.

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UPDATE 1
21 AUG 2023

So after 13 days, I have just completed the “War Card” project.

I spent the first 8 days just watching 1 lesson per day. This was difficult as I did not want to spend 8 days watching less than 2 hours of lectures.

  • The idea was to basically focus on each lecture and grasp the understanding of them.
  • I did gain the basis of setting up time daily for learning
  • I also found a drawback in only watching the lectures, No retention.

I spent the next 4 days going back over the lessons in 2 part blocks and doing the work described in each “block”.

  • Ran into issues with recalling the information from having just watched the first 8 days.
  • Had to do more step-by-step with the lessons than I had expected.
  • Had to reference lessons heavily when coding came into play.

On the final day, I rebuilt the “War Game” project

  • I could not seem to recall anything from the previous 12 days, in the beginning.
  • I was able to set up the project quickly and easily
  • Importing assets without issue
  • I rapidly put the basics of the layout in place
  • Struggled a little with the Spacers() and had to refer to the lesson
  • Set up initial variables for " "Card, and " "Score. Had to refer to the lesson for " "CardValue
  • Had to refer to the lesson for func logic

Not understanding why " "CardValue has to be in the func and can not be declared with the @State variables.

My current takeaways of the past 13 days:

  • Do not expect so much of myself at this point.
  • Continue daily focus learning time
  • Add time to practice the skills taught each day
  • More focus on understanding programming logic (what to ask and how to answer)
  • Do not overcomplicate with stress

Next steps re-create the “War Card” game.

  • Make the game more of a two-player experience
  • Adding “Deal” func for Player1 and “Deal” func for “Player2”
  • Modify layout to landscape.

Well, wish me luck.

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Hey I am on the same journey. lets keep each other accountable

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Let’s do it

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UPDATE 2
5 SEPT 2023

So I got a little off track with my daily training but I was able to create the War Card Game from beginning to end without watching the videos. It took longer than I would have liked but I wanted to make sure I had not lost those skills, before moving onto the Menu app.

The odd thing is that I have completed the first 5 lessons of the Menu app and I have been able to understand this app a lot better than I did the War Card app. The idea of creating the struct, properties, methods and all just seemed very natural. In addition, I could instantly grasp the List view concept. I was able to create it before Chris even finished explaining it, well all except for the variable declaration (List (menuItems) { items in } , I did List(menuItems) { name in}).

So I am feeling confident as I go into the Lesson 5 challenge. However, what I would like to know is “How long should I give myself to complete the challenges?”

I mean if the challenge a pro iOS dev can do the challenge in say 10 mins, does that mean a beginner should be able to complete the challenge in 45 mins? I don’t know where I should be setting my learning and retention expectations too. Personally, I know I am very hard on myself and I believe this is why I have failed so many times in the past. So this time around I am trying to set reasonable expectations for myself as I work through the iOS dev learning path.

I am not looking to create an UBER, Facebook, or etc app after completing the foundations course but I do expect that I should be able to create something as simple as a BASIC contact list app. So I am trying to track things in a reasonable manner.

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