The Mobile Development field is a field filled with intelligent, vibrant people, comfy offices, fun parties, and pampering perks. Yet, after securing a spot in this wonderful high-tech world, the journey of learning must continue to keep your skills sharp and relevant. Fortunately, learning isn't just a necessity; it's also great for your brain :)
There are so many wonderful resources available for learning, and for me, the number one tool to effectively absorb all this abundant information is a guild. The wonderful iOS guild I'm part of, established 3 years ago, continues to meet weekly despite geographical distances.
What do we do together?
We as a guild watch and discuss WWDCs, participate in global conferences (now more accessible than ever), and delve into books collectively - it's intelligent bonding fun!
In this post, I'll focus on books:
Unlike a typical video session, a blog post, or even a tutorial, books allow you to deeply dive into subjects and understand the material more thoroughly - including the motivation behind it, all the nuances, pros, cons, and considerations. Books help you stand on the shoulders of giants.
However, not all books are as captivating as LOTR, which is where the guild comes into play. Having a book club makes reading much easier. It's like having an accountability buddy for the gym, encouraging you not to give up and to keep going, even when it's hard or boring.
What do we do?
We choose from our backlog of recommended or highly relevant books, discussing among the group the priorities and preferences, then we meet weekly to dissect chapter by chapter.
What made us going for so many years?
What has sustained us for so many years? The power of commitment. The key factor in our guild's longevity is our commitment to meet regardless of feeling lazy or having more enticing offers to spend the evening.
Instances where someone was seriously ill or exhausted were rare exceptions; we seldom canceled but chose an alternative day instead. This reliability has solidified our meetings as non-negotiable, ensuring they endure over time.
The second factor contributing to our longevity is a shared objective: to become better iOS developers. After years of weekly meetings, we've supported each other through significant life changes; moving countries, changing spouses, bosses, projects, and what not. These experiences have forged a friendship. However, our primary motivation remains the shared ambition to become the best iOS craftsmen and women we can be, not to outdo others, but to become better selves.
I'll share a few books that we have read as a guild. Please consider recommending books that you find particularly contributive to the iOS development field.
Here are the books we had the pleasure of reading:
Thinking in SwiftUI by Chris Eidhof and Florian Kugler Eidhof and Kugler's book is a must-read for developers transitioning to or aiming to master SwiftUI. It explains the principles and concepts behind SwiftUI in a way that reshapes your approach to UI development on iOS, making complex concepts accessible and actionable.
Modern Concurrency in SwiftUI by Marin Todorov - If you are ready to switch from blocks to async await this book is for you.
Dependency Injection: Principles, Practices, Patterns by Steven van Deursen comprehensive guide to dependency injection, which is crucial for creating highly modular and easily testable software.
Combine: Asynchronous Programming with Swift by Marin Todorov provides a comprehensive exploration into handling asynchronous events in iOS development. While AsyncStream might be a preferred choice for managing changes over time, developers often inherit projects utilizing Combine. This book equips you with the necessary skills to navigate and master Combine, ensuring you can effectively integrate asynchronous programming patterns into your iOS projects for improved performance and responsiveness.
Design Patterns by Alexander Shvets While not exclusively focused on iOS, this book covers fundamental design patterns that are essential for writing efficient and maintainable Swift code. It's filled with fun and clear illustrations that really drive the point home.
iOS Pro Testing by Avi Tzadok - Covering many topics specifically related to iOS testing, which make your apps more stable and reliable, and your code more readable.
Mobile System Design by Tjeerd in ’t Veen - Currently reading
Find your tribe! Look for communities, whether online or local, that share your passion for learning and growth. Joining a guild like this one offers the opportunity to participate in discussions, share knowledge, and grow together in a supportive and engaging environment. It’s about connecting, sharing, and progressing together in your journey toward mastery.
Luda