In this article, I want to walk you through what I believe it takes to become an iOS developer in 2026.
This is aimed squarely at two groups of people:
- Absolute beginners to Swift — people who have never built an iOS app before
- “False beginners” — people who tried learning Swift before but never quite reached the point of getting a job
No matter where you’re starting from, the goal is the same:
Put yourself in a strong position to apply for a junior iOS developer role — or ship your own apps if that’s your dream.
What We’ll Cover
We’ll look at:
- The core skills you should focus on
- Extension skills that can set you apart
Let’s start with the fundamentals.
Core Skills You Need in 2026
What is the absolute minimum skill set required to get a junior iOS job today?
I still think there are five:
- Swift
- SwiftUI
- Working with data
- Networking
- Version control (Git)
That’s it.
The list is intentionally short.
Why so few?
- The more you learn, the more there is to learn — it’s easy to get stuck in endless “learning mode”
- You’ll almost always join a team with an existing codebase anyway
- Swift and SwiftUI alone can take months to absorb properly
- Most importantly: these five skills let you build real apps
Your early code won’t be perfect — and that’s fine.
The only way to write good code is to write a lot of bad code first.
Learning Swift
Swift is Apple’s core programming language.
It doesn’t know anything about screens or networking — it’s just logic:
- Variables
- Functions
- Types
- Control flow
- Data structures
In 2026, Swift is a mature, modern language with:
- Strong type safety
- Optionals
- Protocol-oriented design
- Generics
- Structured concurrency (
async/await,actors)
Some parts will click quickly.
Others (like generics or concurrency) will take time.
That’s normal.
You do not need to master Swift before building apps.
You’ll learn most of it while building.
Learning SwiftUI
SwiftUI is Apple’s modern UI framework for:
- iOS
- iPadOS
- macOS
- watchOS
- tvOS
- visionOS
Swift is the language.
SwiftUI is how you describe what your app looks like and how it behaves.
In 2026, SwiftUI is no longer “new”:
- It’s used in production apps (including Apple’s)
- Widgets and many system features are SwiftUI-first
- It’s the default choice for new projects
SwiftUI vs UIKit?
UIKit still matters — we’ll talk about it later.
But for beginners in 2026:
Swift + SwiftUI should be your core stack.
Why?
- Less code for the same result
- Designed for Swift from the ground up
- Cross-platform by default
- Most new platform investment is SwiftUI-first
UIKit isn’t disappearing — but SwiftUI is where things are going.
Networking & Working with Data
These two go hand-in-hand.
Networking
Fetching data from the internet or sending data to a server.
Working with Data
Turning that raw data into something useful in your app.
At a junior level, you should be comfortable with:
- Fetching JSON using
URLSessionandasync/await - Decoding data with
Codable - Displaying it in SwiftUI
- Optionally saving it locally
This fetch → decode → display cycle is a huge part of real-world iOS development.
Version Control (Git)
The final core skill isn’t iOS-specific: Git.
You don’t need to be an expert — just enough to:
- Create a repository
- Commit changes
- Push to GitHub/GitLab
- Pull changes
- Resolve simple conflicts
Why it matters:
- Teams rely on Git
- Public repos give recruiters something real to review
No one understands all of Git. You just need enough to collaborate safely.
After the Core Skills
Once you’re comfortable with those five skills, you’re already able to:
- Ship your own apps
- Apply for junior roles
There is no secret sixth requirement.
That said, if you want to go further, there are extension skills that help you stand out.
Extension Skills That Level You Up
- UIKit
- Core Data / SwiftData
- Testing
- Software architecture
- Concurrency & multithreading
These aren’t required to start — but they matter as you grow.
UIKit (Why It Still Matters)
UIKit has been around since 2008 and is still everywhere.
Why learn it?
- Many large apps are UIKit-based
- Some system behaviors are still easier in UIKit
- There’s a massive ecosystem of knowledge around it
Why not start with it?
- Much more boilerplate than SwiftUI
- Older patterns
- Auto Layout can be mentally exhausting
Build momentum with SwiftUI first.
Add UIKit once you’re comfortable.
Persistence: Core Data & SwiftData
Saving and querying data locally becomes essential as apps grow.
- Core Data: mature, powerful, widely used
- SwiftData: newer, Swift-native, SwiftUI-friendly
You don’t need persistence for your first job — but knowing one of these makes you stronger.
Testing
Testing helps ensure your app behaves correctly as it changes.
Why it’s not core:
- Many apps still have limited test coverage
- Employers prioritize platform knowledge first
My recommendation:
- Build apps
- Add tests to key logic
- Learn unit tests and UI tests gradually
Software Architecture
Architecture is how you organize code so it scales.
Early code will be messy — that’s expected.
Architecture is about:
- Separating responsibilities
- Reducing coupling
- Making change easier
If you look back at code from 6–12 months ago and cringe — that’s growth.
Concurrency
Concurrency lets your app do work without freezing the UI.
In modern Swift, that means:
async/awaitTaskactors
Learn the basics. Avoid over-engineering.
Responsive, correct apps matter more than “maximum concurrency”.
The biggest takeaway?
Progress beats perfection.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need a degree.
You don’t need a bootcamp.
You don’t need expensive courses.
You need:
- Consistency
- Curiosity
- Patience
If you keep building, keep asking questions, and keep showing up — you will get there.
Good luck on your journey. 🚀
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