Friday, 10 October 2008

Book review: Beginning Xcode


Details
Book: Beginning Xcode
Author: James Bucanek
Publisher: Wrox 2006
ISBN: 978-0-471-75479-4
Pages: 590
Links: Amazon | Publisher
This book is way old now. It covers Xcode version 2.2, which is so far behind the cutting edge it's practically blunt. It's two years old, which is about 100 years in the tech book world. So why am I bothering to post a review of such a book? Simply, because I found it useful, and it's worth doing it justice here.

Previously, I reviewed Xcode Unleashed (published by SAMS) and found it good but not perfect. I obtained this book at the same time, and it turned out to be a great compliment. Whereas Xcode Unleashed was a rapid trip through Xcode, this book walks at a more lesuirely and detailed pace. It filled in holes in my understanding left from Xcode Unleashed.

Sometimes, it was a little too lesuirely (I didn't really need 55 pages on the basic operation of the code editor, for example). But you can't fault the detail.

The author writes clearly, and the layout is not fussy, contributing well to the book. Bucanek describes the basic operation of Xcode, its projects and group/target principles, describes editing and managing items within Xcode, and the processes you'd expect: developing code, interfaces, building, debugging, profiling, and unit testing.

Although Xcode has matured considerably since version 2.2, very little of the information in this tome is stale or factually incorrect. Some of the newer profiling and analysis tools will inevitably not be covered, but all the basics are there. I wonder whether the author is working on a revision for 2009?

Summary

Pros:
  • Comprehensive and detailed
  • Clear writing
Cons:
  • Old; it covers a rather old version of Xcode
A good, thorough, if old, book on Xcode developement. Suitable for complete novices to Apple development.

Recommended if you don't pay too much for it.

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