3 ms·

Does this mean one can reasonably develop ios apps without a mac?

by nikanj 4y ago

pooper 4y ago
Sadly, no. > Xcode Cloud is a continuous integration and delivery service built into Xcode and designed expressly for Apple developers. It accelerates the development and delivery of high-quality apps by bringing together cloud-based tools that help you build apps, run automated tests in parallel, deliver apps to testers, and view and manage user feedback. This requires xcode, which requires a Mac as far as I know.
obenn 4y ago
You still need a Mac with Xcode
data-ottawa 4y ago
No, this lets you do automated tests and builds in the cloud. You’ll still need Xcode to create the project, sign it, manage entitlements, load to test flight, etc.
- DelightOne 4y ago
  > load to test flight The web page says it supports test flight.
- MBCook 4y ago
  Xcode cloud requires you let Apple handle code signing automatically so you don’t have to do it locally, although obviously you still have to have a paid account. Additionally as others have mentioned this can push things to TestFlight for you.
paxys 4y ago
This is just a CI/CD product. You still need a Mac and the Xcode desktop app.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
candiddevmike 4y ago
Get a Mac Mini and use VNC along with a GitHub/GitLab runner. Works quite well!
- chrisseaton 4y ago
  > without a mac > Get a Mac
  - hot_gril 4y ago
    Next recommendation is gonna be to build a Hackintosh. (Btw, I did, and I even ran Xcode on it, would not recommend.)
kemayo 4y ago
As others have said, this is largely unrelated. However, they're making some steps in the direction of letting you develop iOS apps with just an iPad, via new capabilities in Swift Playgrounds: https://support.apple.com/guide/playgrounds-ipad/get-started-with-apps-itc2b8af4dg8/ipados https://support.apple.com/guide/playgrounds-ipad/get-started... e.g. https://9to5mac.com/2022/01/05/this-to-do-list-app-is-the-first-created-and-published-with-swift-playgrounds-4-on-ipad/ https://9to5mac.com/2022/01/05/this-to-do-list-app-is-the-fi...
xuki 4y ago
If you don't care about TOS, it's very easy to run macOS on x86 hardware these days.
Cthulhu_ 4y ago
Why would you? I'm of the opinion that instead of trying to fight the system you should work with it, take the path of least resistance, and work on the best solution for the problem. Tangentially related, in my opinion, native apps built in the tooling offered by the phone's manufacturer (xcode or android studio) will always be superior - to the end-user - than any cross-platform compromise. I'll admit that e.g. react native may have a better developer experience, but you don't build apps for the developers, right?
Tepix 4y ago
If you don't want to buy one, you can rent a Mac in the cloud only when you need it (unrelated to Xcode Cloud) for 0.10€ per hour at Scaleway
- keraf 4y ago
  If only. Apple's licensing terms require you to keep the instance for at least 24 hours[0]. [0] On the Scaleway checkout for the Mac Mini M1, at the bottom: "As required by Apple License, you must keep this Instance for at least 24 hours. You will be able to delete it only after 24 hours.".

Does this mean one can reasonably develop ios apps without a mac?

by nikanj 4y ago

Does this mean one can reasonably develop ios apps without a mac?

Sadly, no. > Xcode Cloud is a continuous integration and delivery service built into Xcode and designed expressly for Apple developers. It accelerates the development and delivery of high-quality apps by bringing together cloud-based tools that help you build apps, run automated tests in parallel, deliver apps to testers, and view and manage user feedback. This requires xcode, which requires a Mac as far as I know.

obenn 4y ago

You still need a Mac with Xcode

data-ottawa 4y ago

No, this lets you do automated tests and builds in the cloud. You’ll still need Xcode to create the project, sign it, manage entitlements, load to test flight, etc.

DelightOne 4y ago
> load to test flight The web page says it supports test flight.
MBCook 4y ago
Xcode cloud requires you let Apple handle code signing automatically so you don’t have to do it locally, although obviously you still have to have a paid account. Additionally as others have mentioned this can push things to TestFlight for you.

paxys 4y ago

This is just a CI/CD product. You still need a Mac and the Xcode desktop app.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

candiddevmike 4y ago

Get a Mac Mini and use VNC along with a GitHub/GitLab runner. Works quite well!

chrisseaton 4y ago
> without a mac > Get a Mac
- hot_gril 4y ago
  Next recommendation is gonna be to build a Hackintosh. (Btw, I did, and I even ran Xcode on it, would not recommend.)

kemayo 4y ago

As others have said, this is largely unrelated. However, they're making some steps in the direction of letting you develop iOS apps with just an iPad, via new capabilities in Swift Playgrounds: https://support.apple.com/guide/playgrounds-ipad/get-started-with-apps-itc2b8af4dg8/ipados https://support.apple.com/guide/playgrounds-ipad/get-started... e.g. https://9to5mac.com/2022/01/05/this-to-do-list-app-is-the-first-created-and-published-with-swift-playgrounds-4-on-ipad/ https://9to5mac.com/2022/01/05/this-to-do-list-app-is-the-fi...

xuki 4y ago

If you don't care about TOS, it's very easy to run macOS on x86 hardware these days.

Cthulhu_ 4y ago

Why would you? I'm of the opinion that instead of trying to fight the system you should work with it, take the path of least resistance, and work on the best solution for the problem. Tangentially related, in my opinion, native apps built in the tooling offered by the phone's manufacturer (xcode or android studio) will always be superior - to the end-user - than any cross-platform compromise. I'll admit that e.g. react native may have a better developer experience, but you don't build apps for the developers, right?

Tepix 4y ago

If you don't want to buy one, you can rent a Mac in the cloud only when you need it (unrelated to Xcode Cloud) for 0.10€ per hour at Scaleway

keraf 4y ago
If only. Apple's licensing terms require you to keep the instance for at least 24 hours[0]. [0] On the Scaleway checkout for the Mac Mini M1, at the bottom: "As required by Apple License, you must keep this Instance for at least 24 hours. You will be able to delete it only after 24 hours.".