Creating iOS application on Linux

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McGuywer

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Does anyone have any practical experience with how you can create an iOS app while using Linux?

Is my only option getting a Mac?
 
Hackintosh still seems to be a thing. You could look into building one of those.
 
Microsoft has a thing called Xamarin. I've not used it, but since it works on the .net / Mono platform, it might work under Linux. It has the ability to target iOS.
 
Your best option would be to use a VM, but this isn't allowed by Apple's EULA, although it does technically work.
 
You either need a Mac; or build a hackintosh.
Running MacOS in a VM is awful for the most part and many thing just won't work properly.
 
[)roi(] said:
You either need a Mac; or build a hackintosh.
Running MacOS in a VM is awful for the most part and many thing just won't work properly.
Click to expand...

The compiler works, it just needs to boot. You don't even use the UI.
 
oober said:
The compiler works, it just needs to boot. You don't even use the UI.
Click to expand...
Nope not correct; MacOS isn't Linux -- there's no option to boot macOS direct into a terminal session + majority of the macOS affordances are hitched to the UI and that assumes its on Mac -- so whilst you could work in a vim session, and skip things like xibs / storyboard designer, etc..., you simply can't skip the UI overall.

Either case it doesn't change the fact that macOS performs very poorly in a VM; the experience is certainly nothing like Windows or Linux in a VM. Ps. if it was just a matter of the compiler working; you could stick to Windows, Linux, ... because the compiler "works" there as well, except....
 
[)roi(] said:
Nope not correct; MacOS isn't Linux -- there's no option to boot macOS direct into a terminal session + majority of the macOS affordances are hitched to the UI and that assumes its on Mac -- so whilst you could work in a vim session, and skip things like xibs / storyboard designer, etc..., you simply can't skip the UI overall.

Either case it doesn't change the fact that macOS performs very poorly in a VM; the experience is certainly nothing like Windows or Linux in a VM. Ps. if it was just a matter of the compiler working; you could stick to Windows, Linux, ... because the compiler "works" there as well, except....
Click to expand...

Yes yes there is some minimal setup required in the UI, but after that it acts as a your build server and you don't touch the UI. I should have been more clear it seems.
https://shellmonger.com/2015/08/11/configuring-a-mac-as-a-xamarin-ios-build-host/
https://developer.apple.com/library...xcode_guide-continuous_integration/index.html
https://codewithchris.com/xcode-for-windows/
 
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oober said:
Yes yes there is some minimal setup required in the UI, but after that it acts as a your build server and you don't touch the UI. I should have been more clear it seems.
https://shellmonger.com/2015/08/11/configuring-a-mac-as-a-xamarin-ios-build-host/
https://developer.apple.com/library...xcode_guide-continuous_integration/index.html
https://codewithchris.com/xcode-for-windows/
Click to expand...
Don't just assume that I don't know that; Xamarin in this gimmicky configuration is prone to a lot of issues that can only be addressed in macOS; plus it's debatable if this is even worth the trouble -- for a productive development environment it certainly isn't even marginally workable.

Anybody who is serious about macOS or iOS development would be far better off buying even a second hand Mac.
 
[)roi(] said:
Don't just assume that I don't know that; Xamarin in this gimmicky configuration is prone to a lot of issues that can only be addressed in macOS; plus it's debatable if this is even worth the trouble -- for a productive development environment it certainly isn't even marginally workable.

Anybody who is serious about macOS or iOS development would be far better off buying even a second hand Mac.
Click to expand...

While I agree it won't be the same experience as using it in a non-vm setup the OP asked if there are other ways to accomplish this. I merely pointed out it's possible, with some helpful articles, and have done so myself and the experience wasn't so horrible as you are making it seem. Using the VM as a start can give the OP a taste of things and then he can decide if it's worth going full Mac or Hackintosh.

Regardless it seems that your experience is superior to the hundreds of other developers out there who are developing apps using this method. Your attitude certainly seems to indicate that you look down on other's experience and when other people point out possible different approaches your ego does not allow acknowledgment and needs to shoot down all other input. They are probably not truly productive and are all just wasting their time right?
 
oober said:
While I agree it won't be the same experience as using it in a non-vm setup the OP asked if there are other ways to accomplish this. I merely pointed out it's possible, with some helpful articles, and have done so myself and the experience wasn't so horrible as you are making it seem. Using the VM as a start can give the OP a taste of things and then he can decide if it's worth going full Mac or Hackintosh.

Regardless it seems that your experience is superior to the hundreds of other developers out there who are developing apps using this method. Your attitude certainly seems to indicate that you look down on other's experience and when other people point out possible different approaches your ego does not allow acknowledgment and needs to shoot down all other input. They are probably not truly productive and are all just wasting their time right?
Click to expand...
The only sensitive ego is apparently the bruised one in the above post. Ps. I simply choose not to provide bad advice; if the OP is serious about macOS and iOS development they'd want to avoid flawed options.
 
[)roi(] said:
I simply choose not to provide bad advice; if the OP is serious about macOS and iOS development they'd want to avoid flawed options.
Click to expand...
If what you say is true (not trying to enter that argument as I have no experience in iOS development, though it's an idea I've toyed with for a while now) - then investing in a Mac is a pretty big expense for someone who might be under tight finances. It's one of the reasons I haven't dived in (though the main reason has been lack of time to properly investigate).

So while the actual development process might not be optimal, some work-around as the one that has been suggested would be a lot more economical for someone who just wants to experiment.
 
[)roi(] said:
The only sensitive ego is apparently the bruised one in the above post. Ps. I simply choose not to provide bad advice; if the OP is serious about macOS and iOS development they'd want to avoid flawed options.
Click to expand...

Was waiting for this kind of response. Yet again all other options beside yours is flawed. And no bruised ego here just learned to stand up to your type.
 
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newby_investor said:
If what you say is true (not trying to enter that argument as I have no experience in iOS development, though it's an idea I've toyed with for a while now) - then investing in a Mac is a pretty big expense for someone who might be under tight finances. It's one of the reasons I haven't dived in (though the main reason has been lack of time to properly investigate).

So while the actual development process might not be optimal, some work-around as the one that has been suggested would be a lot more economical for someone who just wants to experiment.
Click to expand...

Not to mention safer, unless you have money to buy new hardware just for your hackintosh/mac you will probably try to dual boot and stand a chance to mess up your partitions or something.
 
newby_investor said:
If what you say is true (not trying to enter that argument as I have no experience in iOS development, though it's an idea I've toyed with for a while now) - then investing in a Mac is a pretty big expense for someone who might be under tight finances. It's one of the reasons I haven't dived in (though the main reason has been lack of time to properly investigate).

So while the actual development process might not be optimal, some work-around as the one that has been suggested would be a lot more economical for someone who just wants to experiment.
Click to expand...
There are many second hand Macs that you can get for a steal; look for a Mac mini or even an older iMac 21". You certainly don't need the top of the line to start out with.
 
[)roi(] said:
There are many second hand Macs that you can get for a steal; look for a Mac mini or even an older iMac 21". You certainly don't need the top of the line to start out with.
Click to expand...

Still looking at spending R5k plus, if gumtree is anything to go by. Not that cheap for getting into it and possibly deciding it's not for you.
 
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