iOS Objective-C – Complete Guide for Developers

Before Swift became Apple’s primary language, Objective-C was the backbone of iOS and macOS development for decades. Even today, many existing iOS applications and frameworks are written in Objective-C, making it an essential skill for developers who want to maintain, update, or integrate with legacy iOS projects.

💡 What is Objective-C?

Objective-C is a superset of the C programming language with added object-oriented features. It uses Smalltalk-style messaging and was designed for building macOS and iOS applications.

It remains a crucial part of the Apple ecosystem because:

• Many existing apps still rely on Objective-C.

• Apple’s Cocoa and Cocoa Touch frameworks were originally written in Objective-C.

• Swift can work seamlessly with Objective-C (known as interoperability).

🔹 Why Learn Objective-C in 2025?

• Legacy Maintenance – Large codebases in Objective-C still need skilled developers.

• Framework Understanding – Deep insights into UIKit, Foundation, and Cocoa Touch APIs.

• Interoperability – Combine Swift and Objective-C in hybrid projects.

• High Demand in Niche Roles – Companies maintaining older apps still hire Objective-C experts.

🛠 Basic Syntax Example in Objective-C

Hello World in Objective-C:

📌 Explanation:

• – Imports a framework or header file.

• – Manages memory automatically during execution.

• – Prints output to the console.

📌 Example 1: Variables and Strings

Output:

📌 Example 2: Creating a Class

Output:

📌 Example 3: Simple iOS ViewController in Objective-C

📌 Explanation:

• / – Define and implement a class.

• IBOutlet – Connects UI elements from Storyboard.

• IBAction – Handles user actions like button taps.

🎓 Learn Objective-C for iOS with JustAcademy

If you want to master Objective-C and build or maintain iOS applications, JustAcademy offers a complete iOS training course that covers:

• Objective-C fundamentals & advanced concepts

• UIKit & Cocoa Touch frameworks

• Integrating Objective-C with Swift

• Building real-world apps from scratch

📌 View iOS Training Course Details

📥 Download Free Course Brochure

🎯 Register for a Free Demo Session

🔮 Final Thoughts

Even though Swift is now the preferred choice, Objective-C is far from obsolete. For developers aiming for full-stack iOS expertise, learning Objective-C alongside Swift provides a competitive edge and opens up more opportunities in maintaining and upgrading older apps.